GREAT 102 IDEA: Create a Cool Business Card

Clifton Alexander, co-owner of Reactor Design Studio, in Kansas City, Missouri, decided to limit web design projects in early 2010. Now, he focuses on creating expensive, eye-catching, “amazing and ridiculous” business cards—some cost $8 apiece.

“A good card is a great way to break through the clutter,” said Alexander, whose cards have won design competitions and have been featured in Inc. magazine.

His personal card is intricately layered with multicolored papers and complex cutouts.

“The more creative your card is, the more oohs and ahhs you'll get from people you hand it to,” said Alexander. “One glance tells people right away how you think.”

Although everyone thinks online marketing dominates, Alexander said he heard that Twitter employees were handing out paper business cards at last year's South by Southwest (SXSW) music, film, and digital media festival.

“I'm not saying down with digital—we use everything digital in our daily work,” he explained. But in this super high-tech world, Alexander sees great value in a well-designed, fun, and informative business card.

Here are some tips for coming up with the perfect card:

• See what's out there and figure out which cards resonate with you.
• Save business cards that you like to share with the designer.
• Ask people whose cards you like to refer you to their designer.
• Contact an art school to see if you can work with a promising design student. Students are often looking for real-world experience, and their rates are generally lower than a professional's.