Business card designs with shiny embellishments will grab attention

Foil accents look elegant and expensive, which can speak about the success of your business. They also pop the words right off the card. It is a long-known fact that shiny things grab the attention of people.

I recommend: See the foil-accented business cards available at Paper Direct and Iconix.

Try a vertical card

This still gives you the same amount of room to work with, and costs no more to print. It is just unusual enough to make your card stand out from the others. It also makes the card easier to read when it's stuffed in a pile or a wallet.

I recommend: Order vertical cards from Vista Print or Overnight Prints.

Choose a custom business card design with an interesting texture

Tactile responses send an important message to the brain. Having an interesting feel to your card can carve out a space in your potential client's brain for this business card, making sure that it's the first one they will grab.

I recommend: Business card designs on textured parchment can be found at Competitive Computer Resource and DolphinBlue.com.

Include an image on your card

Visual people associate a picture with a business and are likely to remember it. An image is important for association, which is why so many businesses spend a lot of time coming up the right logo. Get creative, and try a cartoon or caricature instead.

I recommend: Get full color business card design at ColorCards.com or Commercial Printing Company.

Get creative with the shape of the card

It is important not to get so wild with the shape of the card that it doesn't fit nicely in the place that cards are kept, but try printing at a diagonal or shaving off one corner. Texture one edge of the card, or put a hole somewhere in it.

I recommend: Get custom business card designs from services like Custom Biz Printing, or design your own business card through Art-Tec Prints.