Business cards are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company affiliation (usually with a logo) and contact information such as street addresses, telephone number(s) and/or e-mail addresses. Traditionally many cards were simple black text on white stock; today a professional business card will sometimes include one or more aspects of striking visual design.

Business cards are frequently used during sales calls (visits) to provide potential customers with a means to contact the business or representative of the business.

History

Business cards evolved from a fusion of traditional trade cards and visiting cards.

Visiting cards (also known as calling cards) first appeared in China in the 15th century, and in Europe in the 17th century. The footmen of aristocrats and of royalty would deliver these first European visiting cards to the servants of their prospective hosts solemnly introducing their arrival.

Visiting cards became an indispensable tool of etiquette, with sophisticated rules governing their use. The aristocracies of North America and the rest of Europe adopted the practice from French and English etiquette.

Visiting cards included refined engraved ornaments and fantastic coats of arms. The visiting cards served as tangible evidence of the meeting of social obligations. The stack of cards in the card tray in the hall was a handy catalog of exactly who had called and whose calls one should reciprocate. They also provided a streamlined letter of introduction.

With the passage of time, visiting cards became an essential accessory to any 19th-century upper or middle class lady or gentleman. Visiting cards were not generally used among country folk or the working classes.

Trade cards first became popular at the beginning of the 17th century in London. These functioned as advertising and also as maps, directing the public to merchants' stores, as no formal street address numbering system existed at the time.

Businesses used their cards as marks of distinction and thus introduced the first modifications in their design. Later, as the growing demand for the cards boosted the development of color printing, more sophisticated card designs appeared, making the cards works of art.

The trend toward fanciful trade cards was balanced by the pragmatic need of a growing group of private entrepreneurs who had a constant need to exchange contact information. These users often started to print out their own cheaper business cards.

Current usage

With the economic leveling of the 20th century, and the wane of social formality, the rigid distinction between trade cards and visiting cards slowly faded except in the highest socio-economic classes.

In the highest socio-economic classes, there remains even today a rigid distinction between business cards and visiting cards. In such social circles, it is still considered to be in very poor taste to use a business card when making a social call. A business card, left with the servants, could imply that you had called on business.^{citation needed]}

For the rest of the world, the exchange of business cards has become common even for social introductions. Some people carry "personal" business cards which contain only personal contact information and have no relation to their employer or business.^{citation needed]}

Dimensions

The international standard size specified by ISO 7810 ID-1, the same dimensions as credit cards, is widely used:

• 85.60 × 53.98 mm (3.370 × 2.125 in)

Less commonly used is the A8 paper size specified in ISO 216:

• 74 x 52 mm (2.913 x 2.047 in)

In the United States the following size is common; however many other sizes are seen as well:

• 3.5 × 2 in (89 × 51 mm)

In Japan, the traditional yongō paper size is in common use:

• 91 × 55 mm

In print

High quality business cards without full-color photographs are normally printed using spot colors on sheetfed offset printing presses. Some companies have gone so far as to trademark their spot colors (examples are UPS brown, Los Angeles Lakers' purple, and Tide's orange). If a business card logo is a single color and the type is another color, the process is considered two color. More spot colors can be added depending on the needs of the card.

To simulate the "raised-print" effect of printing with engraved plates, a less-expensive process called thermography was developed that uses the application of a plastic powder, which adheres to the wet ink. The cards are then passed through a heating unit, which melts the plastic onto the card.

Full color cards, or cards that use many colors, are printed on sheetfed presses as well; however, they use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) four-color printing process. Screens of each color overprinted on one another create a wide gamut of color. The downside to this printing method is that screened colors if examined closely will reveal tiny dots, whereas spot color cards are printed solid in most cases. Spot colors should be used for simple cards with line art.

Some terminology in reference to full color printing:

• 4/0 - Full Color Front / No Back
• 4/1 - Full Color Front / Black & White Back
• 4/4 - Full Color Front / Full Color Back

These names are pronounced as "four over zero" or "four over four."

A business card can also be coated with a UV glossy coat. The coat is applied just like another ink using an additional unit on a sheetfed press. That being said, UV coats can also be applied as a spot coating -- meaning areas can be coated, and other areas can be left uncoated. This creates additional design potential.

When cards are designed, they are given bleeds if color extends to the edge of the finished cut size. (A bleed is the extension of printed lines or colors beyond the line where the paper it is printed on will be cut.) This is to help ensure that the paper will cut without white edges due to paper shifting. Paper shifting does occur on a press from time to time, and can be up to 1/8" or more. This will result in a nasty white line going down one (or more) of the sides. Bleeds are typically an extra 1/8 to 1/4 in to all sides of the card.

• Bleed Size: 3.75 x 2.25 in (1/8" bleeds) (95.25 by 57.15 mm)
• Cut Size: 3.5 x 2 in (89 by 510 mm)

Other formats

Recent technological advances have made CD-ROM "business cards" possible which can hold about 35 to 100 MB of data. These cards may be square, round or oblong but are approximately the same size as a conventional business card. CD business cards are designed to fit within the 80 mm tray of a computer's CD-ROM drive. They are playable in most computer CD drives, however do not work in slot-loading drives. Despite the ability to include dynamic presentations and a great deal of data, these cards are not in common use.

Most handheld computers have the ability to "beam" (send through infra-red communication) an electronic business card, eliminating the need for the recipient to re-key the contact information. This is also done via SMS on most mobile telephones.

There are also specialty business cards that are made from plastic(pvc), metal, cloth, magnets and even real wood. For the most part, these special material business cards are the same size as standard but typically are rounded on the corners / edges. Although paper business cards are by far the most used, these "other" material cards are popular amongst companies that require a unique look.

Collecting

There are a small number of people who collect and trade business cards.

See also

• meishi
• QSL card
• vCard