An age-old question. Ask anyone and answers are as varied as favored pizza toppings. Fact is, there are no straight answers but strong opinions. Those against might call you narcissistic or taking a bit of a gamble since your perception of yourself is most likely positive. But people might have a different opinion judging you from your photo. Those in favor ague to be more memorable and connected with the client. A photo is giving a bit of yourself to make a stronger connection.
Here is my take on this delicate issue. May I present three points to consider. If you can check off all of them, it’s a resounding “go for it”.
This free business card design can be found here. More Remax here
1.) Are you the approachable type?
I think this is the elephant in the room. What is the perception of yourself? How do people see you? I don’t mean if you are attractive and good looking, but what is the immediate response when people see you? We visually size up a person within seconds and create a mental image. This very fact can work greatly in your favor or against. There is rarely a middle ground, we either like or dislike. Most people think highly of themselves and don’t quite assess their approachability. Are you asked for directions? Do people smile when they see you? How do little kids approach you? Ask a bluntly honest friends opinion. Now, it's not bad if you are not the expected sunshine. You might be the quiet more introverted type and that’s perfectly fine. If you feel your image is not the “calling card”, leave it out. Analogous, you might ask yourself whether to add your photo to your resume. You’ll need to ask yourself similar questions. There too you’ll have to consider industry standards and a slew of other positives and negatives. In conclusion, when in doubt, leave it out.
2.) Is your industry appropriate for a photo on the business card?
Real estate agents (exp. Remax, Coldwell Banker), car dealers, Lyft / Uber, personal drivers and beauticians all might benefit by having a photo on their business card. These are all professions where we make a more personal connection. On the other hand, I think a software engineer or math tutor would be ill-served.
3.) Is your photo professional?
I’m a firm “do it right or not at all” believer. A badly lit image, messy hair and shabby clothing are a sure way to a rejection. If you plan to remove the silhouette of your image, follow a few simple rules. Have your photo taken against a white background if the final product will be against white and the opposite for dark backgrounds. Take the image at a high resolution as it makes it more precise for background removal. Keep in mind, professional printing presses print at 300dpi and require high resolution for great quality.
A few last thoughts. If you are in doubt, why not have two sets of business cards? The price is negligible and might be well worth it. One thing I have learned over the years, always use the right tool for the job, and you’ll get better results. Never cheap out, as people catch on quickly. Your image on your business cards may serve as a mental bridge, for better or worse.
Background removal for only $20. Buy Now >
We supply the final version to you in PNG format at the same resolution you provided us. Please send us a high-resolution file.
