One of the most important aspects of being a small business owner is promoting your brand. While social media has changed the game on this front, making it possible to reach millions of potential clients for free with the click of a button, there is still one method that remains tried and true: the business card.

How many business cards fit on a page? For a standard, wallet-size business card (3.5 x 2 inches) printed on a standard 8.5 x 11-inch page, you can fit 10 business cards on a page.

This is an essential piece of information for those attempting to print business cards at home, as it allows business owners to estimate the cost of printing. While the printing cost per card may go down if printed in higher quantities on larger pieces of cardstock, it will likely necessitate a specialized printer or a trip to a commercial printing facility.

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How Big Are Business Cards?

Standard business cards, the type handed out when meeting a new business connection and designed to fit in your wallet for future reference, are 3.5 x 2 inches. Business cards can be printed in other sizes, but they are likely to be considered promotional and not necessarily business cards.

What Are Business Cards Printed On?

A typical piece of 8.5 x 11-inch printer paper can print ten business cards, with one of the following three materials likely used for the final product: 100-pound gloss cover, 14-point cardstock, or 16-point cardstock.

100-Pound Gloss Cover

If you are printing your business cards at home, this is likely to be the type of material used, as it is compatible with a wide range of printers.

Typically, a 100-pound gloss cover is used when printing “cheap” business cards, but that does not mean it produces a cheap-looking card when finished. While thinner than other business card options, 100-pound gloss cover is still considered a cardstock that gives a beautiful shine to your business cards.

If you are a small business, are making business cards for the first time, or do not envision exchanging business cards as a significant component of your marketing strategy, then it is highly advisable to print on 100-pound gloss cover.

14-Point Cardstock

This cardstock is noticeably thicker than 100-pound gloss cover. If you decide to have your business cards printed at a professional shop, this is likely the material they will use, as most established organizations use this material for their companies’ business card needs.

The extra thickness makes this material a little more expensive than a 100-pound gloss cover. While these cards may appear more professional, your home printer may not be rated to handle 14-point cardstock, so you need to check and make sure before purchasing this material and jamming and/or damaging your printer.

16-Point Cardstock

This is the thickest material used for business cards and also the rarest. It is used exclusively at select professional print shops and likely needs to be specially requested, as most stores likely only print on 14-point cardstock or use 14-point cardstock as their default option.

While it is a very professional-looking and striking business card, it is also the most expensive material to print on, so it is probably only wise to use this material when you anticipate your business cards being heavily exchanged. Its thick nature makes it a bit cumbersome to carry, making it unlikely that people will hold onto it for a long time.

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How to Print Business Cards at Home

In software such as Microsoft Word, there are several business card templates for you to choose from. Take the following steps to look at all the different options:

1. Open a new Word document.
2. Click on the “File” tab in the upper left-hand corner.
3. Click on “New” from the dropdown menu.
4. Enter “business cards” in the search bar.
5. Scroll through and select the template you prefer.

Once you have decided on a template, it populates in your Word document, and you can fill in your business’ information as necessary.

If the limited templates in Word do not appeal to you, you can have custom business cards designed on Placeit (our favorite online business card maker). Their mockup wizard allows you to insert a variety of images, graphics, and fonts to capture the essence of your business. Once you have decided on the card you prefer, you can download it and save it to your files to be uploaded for printing.

Whether you have decided on one of Word’s default templates or populated your document with a custom design from Placeit, you will want to do a test print on a regular piece of paper first. This will ensure that the cards fit as expected, do not have any information cut off, and are not experiencing any bleeding of colors.

After you are satisfied with your test print, load the appropriate business card paper, likely 100-pound gloss cover, into your printer, and print the desired quantity. When cutting your cards, you will want to avoid using scissors and employ a lined paper cutter to ensure that edges are straight and consistent.

» MORE: Are Square Business Cards Good or Bad?

Best Business Card Mockups on Placeit

As mentioned, social media marketing has been a revelation across all industries. Even if you plan on using business cards to spread the word about your business and build a brand at the point of contact, it can be beneficial to get your card onto social media to help convey customer interaction.

However, merely posting a picture of your business card on Instagram does not convey this sense of interaction and can often be dismissed as a “spammy” sales post. Fortunately, Placeit offers many creative business card mockups that show your card in trendy, business-forward situations that are sure to be hits on social media.

Business Card at the Coffee Shop

Nothing says “trendy” like a visit to the coffee shop.

With the proliferation of these establishments in recent years, coffee shops have become a favorite place to meet and conduct business.

As such, having a mockup of your business card on display in a coffee shop setting shows that your business is with the times and embraces the sense of community and togetherness evoked in people from a wide array of cultures and life situations.

Business Card Next to a Glass of Wine

Similar to meeting for a cup of coffee, meeting for a casual drink is another way to conduct business in a laid back, relaxed atmosphere.

By having your business card mocked up next to a glass of wine, you can make your business a talking point as you kick back and relax.

Business Card Being Tucked into a Front Pocket

This is a favorite mockup because it shows your business card in its “natural atmosphere.”

As people’s busy lives do not always allow for extended interactions at the point of an initial meeting, the business card has long been a bastion of making sure that connections are not lost forever.

While you may not be able to remember all of the details of an interaction later in the day, you can reach into your pocket and find the business card you saved, allowing you to reopen that conversation you may not have had time for earlier.

By showing the mockup of your business card being tucked into a person’s front pocket, you can capture a classic situation in which business cards have found themselves for years and displaying it on social media.

For all other design needs, we highly recommend trying Placeit. It offers a large library of templates for every design project.

» MORE: How Long Does It Take to Design a Business Card?