I need business-card copy that is easy to scan, accurate, and appropriate for the way I will actually use the card. Business and offer: [BUSINESS AND OFFER] Cardholder name, role, and contact details: [CARDHOLDER DETAILS] Primary recipients and use case: [RECIPIENTS AND USE CASE] Brand character and visual constraints: [BRAND DIRECTION]
Required or prohibited elements: [REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS]
Start by stating the card’s single job in one sentence: for example, make a referral easy, establish credibility at an event, or direct a prospect to a booking page. Then produce 3 distinct copy and information-hierarchy options: one minimal, one service-led, and one relationship-led. For each option, show the front and back exactly as text blocks a designer can place, including line breaks. Keep the front to the name, role, business identifier, and one clear contact path unless my requirements justify more.
For every option, explain in 2–3 sentences who it suits and what information it intentionally leaves off. Recommend one option, with a reason tied to the specified recipients rather than personal taste.
Add a production checklist covering legibility at standard card size, a single dominant action, URL and phone-number verification, QR-code destination if used, and whether critical information survives grayscale printing. Do not invent certifications, locations, social handles, taglines, or claims. Flag any supplied wording that is too long for a card or makes an unprovable promise.
Before answering, self-check that every contact detail is copied exactly and that no option asks the reader to take more than one primary action. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [BUSINESS AND OFFER] | Describe the business, its core service or product, and the main value it provides. | Northline Bookkeeping provides monthly bookkeeping and year-end reporting for independent architecture firms. |
| [CARDHOLDER DETAILS] | Provide the exact name, title, company name, phone, email, website, and any approved handle. | Elena Park, Founder; Northline Bookkeeping; 617-555-0148; [email protected]; northlinebooks.com/start |
| [RECIPIENTS AND USE CASE] | Explain who receives the card and where or why they receive it. | Owners of 5–20 person architecture firms I meet at local AIA events; the goal is to book a 20-minute introductory call. |
| [BRAND DIRECTION] | Describe the desired tone, colors or design style, and any existing brand cues. | Quiet, precise, practical; navy and warm gray; no playful language; a simple monogram logo already exists. |
| [REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS] | List mandatory elements, legal wording, print limits, and anything that must not appear. | Two-sided US standard card; include the logo; no QR code; do not claim tax advice or CPA services. |
How to use
- Paste contact information exactly as it should print, including the final destination URL.
- Choose the option whose primary action matches the moment the card is handed over, such as referral, booking, or website visit.
- Have the printer or designer proof the final text at actual size; tiny URLs and crowded backs are common failures.
- Follow up with: “Turn the recommended option into a one-page designer brief for a 3.5 × 2 inch card with safe margins.”
Variations
Conference card
Use this when the card is meant to create follow-up after a specific event.
Create copy for a conference business card. My role and company: [ROLE AND COMPANY]. The event audience: [EVENT AUDIENCE]. The one follow-up action I want: [FOLLOW-UP ACTION]. Exact contact details: [CONTACT DETAILS]. Produce two front-and-back text layouts: one built for a quick referral and one built for a specific event offer. Include a short line that gives context without a generic slogan. Keep all claims supportable and make the action easy to remember after the event. Flag text likely to be unreadable at card size. Ask up to 3 questions only if required input is missing.
Personal referral card
Use this when an individual needs a simple card for introductions and referrals.
Write a personal referral card for [NAME], a [ROLE] who helps [CLIENT TYPE] with [SERVICE]. Exact contact details: [CONTACT DETAILS]. Credibility facts I can substantiate: [CREDIBILITY FACTS]. Tone: [TONE]. Provide a minimal front and a referral-focused back with one sentence explaining who to introduce me to. Give three wording choices for that sentence, each under 16 words. Do not include a tagline, credential, or promise not provided. Check that a stranger understands the service in five seconds. Ask up to 3 questions only if needed.
QR landing card
Use this when a QR code should carry the card’s main conversion action.
Plan a QR-led business card. Business: [BUSINESS]. What the QR destination lets people do: [QR DESTINATION]. Cardholder and required text: [REQUIRED TEXT]. Audience context: [AUDIENCE]. Create front and back text blocks, a plain-language QR callout of 4–7 words, and a fallback short URL for people who do not scan. Explain which information belongs behind the QR instead of on the card. Do not imply the QR has been created or that the landing page exists. Check that the destination matches the promised action. Ask up to 3 questions only if required.
Tips
- Use a URL that leads directly to the action promised on the card; sending people to a general homepage wastes the context of the handoff.
- A business card is not a brochure: put the information needed to reconnect on it, and move service menus, testimonials, and long bios to a landing page.
- If a QR code is used, print a readable short URL too; scanners fail when lighting, connectivity, or trust is low.
- Proof numbers and URLs character by character from the source record, because a polished card with one wrong character is expensive to reprint.
FAQ
What information belongs on a business card?
At minimum, include the holder’s name, a clear role or business identifier, and one reliable way to reconnect. Add only information that helps the intended recipient act.
Should I put a QR code on my card?
Use one only when it opens a useful, mobile-friendly destination such as a booking page, portfolio, or event-specific offer. It should not replace readable contact information.
Can AI design the visual card too?
It can suggest hierarchy and a design brief, but use a designer or card-template tool to check typography, bleed, contrast, and printer specifications.