IndesignPerfect

Make a lasting impression with a professional, print-ready business card.

A great business card is more than just contact info—it’s your brand in your pocket. Adobe InDesign gives you the perfect tools to design sleek, sharp, and print-ready cards with ease.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to design a standard business card in InDesign, step by step—from setting up the document to exporting a professional PDF.

📐 Step 1: Set Up Your Document

Standard Business Card Size:

• Size: 3.5 x 2 inches (U.S. standard)
• Bleed: 0.125 inches (on all sides)
• Final document size: 3.75 x 2.25 inches (including bleed)

Create the Document:

• Go to File > New > Document
• Set Width: 3.5 in and Height: 2 in
• Add Bleed: 0.125 in on all sides
• Uncheck Facing Pages

Click Create

🧱 Step 2: Build the Layout

Add Safe Margins:

Drag guides inwards ~0.125″ from each edge to create a “safe zone” for text. This keeps content away from the trim edge.

Insert a Background:

• Use the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a full-bleed background
• Set fill color (branded color or image)
• Send to back (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + [)

✍️ Step 3: Add Your Content

Common fields to include:

• Full name
• Job title
• Company name
• Phone number
• Email
• Website or social handle
• Logo

Use Paragraph Styles to ensure consistency and quick edits.

Tip: Keep fonts legible and sizes appropriate (no smaller than 8 pt for body text).

🎨 Step 4: Style and Polish

• Use brand colors and brand fonts
• Add your company logo (Place > select file)
• Align everything using the Align panel
• Double-check spacing and contrast

Use Character Styles for emphasis (like bold phone numbers or italic titles)

📤 Step 5: Export a Print-Ready PDF

1. Go to File > Export
2. Choose Adobe PDF (Print)
3. In the Export dialog:
   • Set Pages: All
   • Under Marks and Bleeds, check:
     • Crop Marks
     • Use Document Bleed Settings
   • Under Compression, leave default (high quality)
4. Click Export

Now you’ve got a clean, print-ready PDF with crop marks and bleed—ready to send to any commercial printer.

💡 Pro Tips

• Ask your printer for a spec sheet to match requirements
• Always embed or outline fonts when required
• Test print on your home printer to check margins
• Save as an InDesign Template (.indt) to reuse for future cards

👋 Final Thought

Designing business cards in InDesign gives you total control over layout, typography, and print precision. With a solid design and print-ready export, your card becomes more than just contact info—it becomes a miniature brand ambassador.