Get Your Business Rolling: Tips for Designing Auto Repair Business Cards That Work
All successful mechanics need quality auto repair business cards to help their businesses thrive.
Even in today’s digital age, auto repair is still very much a face-to-face industry. So, when you’re done making a good first impression on a potential new client, being able to hand over your company information on a piece of card may make all the difference.
The next time that person is having car trouble, they don’t have to turn to the Internet to find a repairman. They remember that positive impression you left, they have your business card to hand, and, voila, a new, loyal customer is born.
So, what’s the best and most affordable way to get your new business cards?
Below, we’ll outline our top three suggestions:
Top 3 Auto Repair Business Card Options
1. Print-on-Demand
The fastest, simplest, and often cheapest way to get high-quality marketing materials that make a good impression on potential customers is to turn to a reputable online print company.
VistaPrint, PSPrint, and Moo.Com all offer professionally-designed business card templates that you can customize with your logo, contact information, and other key details and then have your cards printed and shipped in a matter of days.
Typical Costs
100 x 2″ x 3.5″ standard business cards cost:
- GotPrint – $9.80 + shipping
- VistaPrint – $14.40 + shipping
- Moo – $42 + shipping.
Prices vary depending on quantity, card style, and card quality.
Design Time
Most print-on-demand companies make it easy to design and order your cards in under 20 minutes.
Print and Shipping Time
Standard delivery usually takes 3-4 business days, though most companies offer next-day delivery charged at a higher price.
2. Online Graphic Design Tools
If the relatively limited customization options offered by the likes of VistaPrint don’t give you the creative freedom you need to create truly one-of-a-kind business cards, try an online graphic design tool like Canva instead.
This beginner-friendly platform allows you to pick a beautifully designed template with a pre-made automotive theme and use an extensive library of graphic elements and design features to customize every last detail.
Alternatively, if you haven’t yet designed a logo for your auto repair business, BrandCrowd is another option.
With this service, you create a logo based on one of the hundreds of professional designs and then automatically import it onto a host of essential marketing materials, including business cards, letterheads, and more.
Typical Costs
Designing business cards on Canva is free. The company charges $18 for 100 standard-size business cards with free delivery.
BrandCrowd’s Premium Logo Pack costs $15 monthly and includes high-res and vector logo files, business card designs, and other marketing materials. Printing costs start from a minimum of 250 cards for $29 with free delivery.
Design Time
Depending on the complexity of your business card design, you could spend between 30 – 60 minutes creating your cards.
Print and Shipping Time
Designing business cards on Canva is free. The company charges $18 for 100 standard-size business cards with free delivery.
BrandCrowd’s Premium Logo Pack costs $15 monthly and includes high-res and vector logo files, business card designs, and other marketing materials. Printing costs start from a minimum of 250 cards for $29 with free delivery.
If you’re not sure which of our two recommended tools to use, you can learn more about each one by reading our guide to Canva here or our BrandCrowd review here.
3. Hire a Freelance Designer
If you don’t have the time, or simply the creativity, to make your own business cards, the third most affordable option is to hire a freelance graphic designer.
The best places to look for such skilled pros are freelancer marketplaces like Fiverr or UpWork.
Here, you can search for business card designers according to specific parameters like their reputation, cost, and delivery time, read feedback from their previous clients, and pick one to work with.
From there, all you have to do is send them your logo, company details, and a brief, and receive a finished design by an agreed deadline.
The only downside to this is that on top of paying your designer, you’ll also have to arrange and pay for your own printing.
Typical costs
Sellers offering business card designers on freelancer marketplaces charge an average of $25 – $100, depending on their skill and experience.
Printing costs will vary according to how and where you choose to print.
Design Time
The average turnaround time for a professional design is between 2 – 3 business days, though you can pay more to get it done quicker or less if you’re happy to wait a little longer.
Print Time
You should be able to get your cards printed and delivered within 2 – 5 business days.
Designing Your Auto Repair Business Cards: Which Option is Best For You?
After reading this guide, you should be much clearer about the best way to get quality automotive business cards to promote your business.
If you’re still on the fence, here are our final recommendations:
If you want complete control over the look and feel of your cards, take advantage of the extensive array of customization tools offered by graphic design services like Canva or BrandCrowd.
If you don’t mind doing the work yourself but want to do it in the quickest and easiest way possible, go with an online print service such as VistaPrint or PS Print.
However, if you’d rather hand the job off to somebody else so that you can focus on growing your business, outsource to a freelance designer on Fiverr, Upwork, or a similar marketplace site.
Speaking of growing your business, check out our top low-cost marketing ideas for more affordable ways to attract more customers. Or, if you’re not at that stage yet, see our guide to starting an auto repair business.
