"If you are just starting out with your own home-based business, one of the essential tools you need for marketing yourself is a business card. But business card printing can be a serious hassle. What information should go in your card? Where should it go on the card? Full color or black and white? These questions and others are essential as you figure out what works best for you.

Let's start with the most important pieces of information that should be included during custom business card printing and work towards the less essential.

1. Name – This includes both your name and the name of your business. Since this is your own business, your potential customers need your name and your company's name. If that is all they have, then they will probably be able to find you. Of course, you will have more on your card than just your name and your company's name, but if you omitted one of these two items, then you could be seriously crippling the ability of your customers to find you. Make the name of your company and your name the most prominent part of your business card printing project, as these will be the items that the customer sees at first glance.

2. Contact info – At a minimum, you should put an email address on a business card. Most businesses and individuals have an email address or system by which they can contact you if an email is all they have as a means to get in touch. Next, include a phone number. Multiple phone lines such as office, mobile, and pager numbers are not necessary. If you do have all of these phone numbers and wish your customers to have those available, go ahead and put them on your card starting with your office line, followed by your mobile number, followed by a pager. Fax numbers are also often included if available. Put these on the bottom of your card.

3. Title – A title lets the customer know who they will be contacting. In a small business or sole proprietorship it is not uncommon for the owner to use a title such as CEO or president. You can use the title to reinforce your company's core competencies. For example, if you are a creative firm, you may use the title Chief Creative Officer as a way to help your customer know both your position and a little bit more about your company. Put the title underneath or very near the name of the individual to make sure the customer can make the connection between a name and the title.

4. Tag line – A tag line is a short phrase that emphasizes or reinforces your company's values. While not essential, a tag line can help remind the customer what it is you do. In theory, the customer has pulled your card out to find you because they already remembered what you do and are simply trying to get your contact information. Still, when they first see your business card, it is important to have a tag line to drive home how your company can help your customer.

"