Whether you’re having your cards printed by professional printers, doing it yourself or buying them online, one of the most critical – and overlooked – tasks is proofreading.

It’s understandable that one is normally very keen to get one’s new business cards, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the “beauty of the thing”!  You must, simply must take a few minutes to carefully check that details such as telephone numbers, email address etc are correct. For example, it’s common for numbers to be transposed.

Show the proof to your spouse or a friend – anyone who’s not as emotional about the process as you – before giving the go-ahead. Once you’ve signed off a proof, it’s no good blaming the printer when there are mistakes. Just a few minutes of your time can avoid a great deal of resentment and disappointment.

It’s your business card, so it’s pretty much your responsibility to ensure that everything is as it should be.