As you admire your new business design card one last time before you initial Vistaprint’s online proof, take the time to ask yourself one very important question. If you were a stranger viewing these business cards, would you know what your business was about? Often, the surprising answer is a resounding “No,” because business owners tend to try to create catchy memorable names for their companies, which don’t always give potential customers a concrete idea of what the business actually is.

If your business has a memorable name that doesn’t definitely tell people what services or goods you offer, now is the time to make a simple change that will let them know. You don’t even have to file paperwork for a new doing business as company name for this modification. Just create a tagline to go below the business name on the card that states exactly what you do. If you own Jane Doe’s Happy Tails, the tagline should state that it is a dog grooming service, a pet sitting service, or a company that sells artificial tails. If you are running John Doe’s A Cut Above, use a tagline to let people know whether you specialise in manicured lawns or perfectly groomed hair.  Your business cards MUST characterise your company.