Two-sided business cards: the pros and cons

Two-sided business cards have their fans and their vigorous opponents. Some people love to fill in the extra space on the back of a business card with more information, while others vow to leave it blank for people to write down notes. So how are you going to decide which one to choose when you are designing your new business cards?

Here are the pros and cons of printing on both sides of your cards.

Pros

• By printing on both sides, you can include more information about your business without cluttering the front. These days there are so many useful contact details and URLs to share and you may want to add your Facebook and Twitter page. Keep the front of the card optimized for the most essential information and put the rest on the back
• You can print fun, useful, or inspiring things on the back of your card that will make people want to have your cards handy for reference. Value-added cards are more likely to last longer, keeping your name in front of potential customers.
• More room for better brand building. Using the back of your card allows more room for graphics or photos that are based on your branding.
• You can print current special offers, add QR codes that link to a special offers page and any more relevant information, on the back of your cards without cluttering the face.

Cons

• At networking events, many people like to scribble notes on the back of cards to help them remember their conversation or to score follow-up points. When the card is printed on both sides with no blanks, they can’t.
• When cards are archived in Rolodexes or card filing systems, only the front of the card is visible. Similarly, people tend to only scan on one side of a card. So all information on the back is lost as soon as the card is filed. Make sure all essential contact information is on the front of the card if you decide to print on both sides.
• It costs more to print double-sided business cards and takes a little longer as the ink must dry on one side before printing the second. However, check with your printer about the additional cost. In some cases, it won’t be much more, and it may be worth it to you.

Despite the downsides, many people go for double-sided cards as they tend to look more sophisticated and allow for more creative graphics. Just avoid the pitfalls mentioned in the disadvantage list: try to leave a white or light-colored space on the back that can be overwritten (that is, without a glossy varnish); make sure all vital contact information is listed on the front of the card. That way, you can have the best of both sides of the debate.