Canva Series: Make A Virtual Business Card To Use As An Email Signature
With so many people working from home and businesses functioning virtually, traditional business cards are becoming a thing of the past.
Still, business cards can serve a purpose, they just have to be adapted to work with the changing times. This is where Canva comes in.
Instead of physical cards, I’m going to go over how to create virtual business cards. And in place of handing these out, they can be used as an email signature.
This is the start of our Canva series which will include posts on How to Use Canva To Create Your Own Branding and How to Create Your Own Planner Template.
Why Are Business Cards Important?
For a long time, and before the internet, business cards were used in formal business introductions. It was a way to network and say “this is me, and this is how you can reach me.”
Today, social media allows us to connect without ever having each others’ phone numbers or emails to begin with. This is great for expanding our networking circles, but having someone’s basic business and primary contact information is still an important part of being professional.
Why Should I Create A Virtual Business Card?
So much information comes our way each day, and that makes it hard to filter out what’s important and what’s not. This can especially be difficult when searching for old emails or specific information. The same goes for any person or business you may be in communication with, too.
By creating a virtual business card to tack onto the end of your emails, whoever you’re communicating with will have an eye-catching last impression to remember you by. Your important business and contact information will be visible, identifiable, and easy to track down. An added bonus? Having this will probably set you apart from others in their inbox.
For more tips on creating your own branding, check out my previous blog post.
How To Create Your Own Virtual Business Card:
STEP 1. Log Into Canva
Sign up or log in to Canva. On the homepage, head to the top right corner and click the purple button that says “Create a design.”
Type in “business card.” Multiple business card options will show up, and while you’re welcome to choose from any of the available options, I recommend (for the sake and succinctness of this blog post) selecting the first “business card” option that measures 3.5 x 2 inches.
Depending on how much information you want to include, you can also create two pages to serve as the “front” and “back” of your card.
STEP 2. Design
Once you have the business card design open, browse the available templates on the left-hand side. As mentioned in my last Canva blog post about LinkedIn banners, try searching for templates relevant to you and your job. Search things like “photography” or “modern” to help you find a template that matches your job and style.
Or, if you’re familiar with Canva and want to go a little rogue (this is what I do), start with a blank template and get creative by making your own design. Be sure to include any brand colors, fonts, or design elements if applicable.
If you have two pages or “sides” to your virtual business card, be sure to give them the same, or similar design elements to ensure a cohesive look.
Need Help With Your Job Search?
Enroll in our online course, Find a Job Fast: The Job Search Accelerator For Career Professionals
STEP 3. Information To Include
Just like a physical business card, you’ll need to include the following information.
For a one-sided virtual business card:
Job title at and/or company name
Your first and last name, and pronouns
Email
Phone number
And, if applicable: your website, social media handle/s, and a logo
For a two-sided virtual business card:
(Note: This is the option I recommend for freelancers or anyone with their own small business.)
The first page → highlight you/your business
Name of business (this could be your first and last name, too)
A motto, tagline, or BRIEF description of your business and what you do
The second page → contact information
Your first and last name, and pronouns
Email
Website
Phone number
Social media handles
STEP 4. Setting Your Virtual Business Card As Your Email Signature
Head to your Gmail inbox. In the top right corner, click the settings icon and select “See all settings.”
Under the “General” tab, scroll down to the section labeled “Signature” and click the “+ Create new” button.
It will ask you to name your signature; this doesn’t really matter so just put a general name like “virtual business card.”
In the blank text section, click the icon to “Insert image” and select your PNG or JPEG file.
Once uploaded, click the image and adjust the size. I recommend the medium size.
Adjust any other settings to your preference.
Save your changes.
Voila! You’ve just created your own unique virtual business card. It’s just one more way for others to remember and identify you.
Related:
How to Use Canva to Create a Stand Out LinkedIn Profile Banner
Tips For LinkedIn Banners That Don’t Make You Look Narcissistic
5 Tips To Elevating Your LinkedIn Profile Headline To Get Noticed Fast
Meet The Writer!
Hello! My name is Lea Rose and I am an avid writer with a love for all things international. I recently graduated from UNC Charlotte with degrees in Communication Studies as well as Dance Performance and hope to be a full time travel writer one day. My writing primarily focuses on the ways places and experience shape us as individuals. Please feel free to check out my blog or connect with me through LinkedIn or Instagram @writtenworldblog.
