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With the right business card ideas, you can transform from a resident wallflower into a networking pro. Business cards can help you make a good first impression, whether you’ve just met a potential new client or are making the rounds at a conference. Use the following business card design tips and tricks to help your cards stand out.

Here are nine business card ideas to help you grow your network:

Business cards should be crisp and easy to read. In terms of design, that means leaving a fair amount of blank space so the card doesn’t look overwhelming.

Simplicity in design isn’t just how you arrange the elements of your card. It’s also important when it comes to the font you choose. Plain, sans serif fonts are best for business cards because they’re easiest to read at a glance.

The color palette you choose will vary slightly depending on your profession. For example, more serious professionals, such as attorneys or accountants, might prefer a simple black and white design. However, if you’re an artist or content creator, don’t be afraid to go more colorful.

Whatever palette you go with, make sure the font has a strong contrast with the background. For example, yellow text on a white background would be extremely hard to read.

If your business has a logo, you’ll want to include this. Make sure you follow any design procedures from your company when it comes to placement, sizing and color.

If you don’t have a logo yet, consider adding in some other imagery to add visual contrast to the card. For example, shaded lines or an oversized letter emblem could look nice next to your text.

The weight and feel of your card can ultimately make or break whether a person throws it in the trash. Heavier cards printed on 14pt or 16pt cardstock will look much better than thin cards printed on photo paper.

The finish of your cardstock is also important. Glossier finishes can look good with colorful logos or images while matte finishes are best for text-based cards.

If you’re looking to build your network, find new clients or spread the word about your products, make that clear on your business card with a tagline. If you have the space, include a few words about what you’re looking to do professionally.

For job seekers, they might include some of their skills or their primary objective. Salespeople, on the other hand, might include a list of products they can help customers learn more about.

It’s entirely possible to create business cards on your own—see our guide on how to make business cards at home for more tips. That said, professionally designed cards can look higher quality, especially if you choose a top-ranked business card printing service, such as Vistaprint or Moo.com.

Overall, homemade cards are typically best if you have a small budget and want to test out a small batch of cards. However, if you need unique features like embossing, foiling and rounded edges or if you simply value quality over cost and know you’ll need hundreds of cards, go with professionally designed cards.

Where you work can play a big role in what your business cards look like. If you’re in a creative field, you might want an eye-catching card design. For example, a hairdresser that specializes in natural hair care might try a square business card made of hemp to help it stand out. In more expressive industries, anything that can mark you as unique or creative can be a big benefit.

However, other industries might want a more reserved aesthetic. A real estate agent, for example, wouldn’t want a flashy card featuring a collage of all the houses they’ve sold—that would come off as cheesy and unprofessional. Instead, a simpler card featuring their contact info would be more useful for clients.

One big trend right now is adding a quick response (QR) code to your business card. The benefit of this is that the QR code can link to your portfolio, showcasing all of your talents. If you’re in a service-based business, you could also have it lead to customer reviews or a list of your offerings.

The QR code trend isn’t ideal for everyone, though. Professionals who don’t have a web presence, such as a neighborhood handyman, might not find it useful. If you primarily deal with clients who don’t use smartphones or have a good grasp of technology, it will likely add a layer of confusion.

One step beyond a QR code is a near-field communication (NFC) business card. These come loaded with a chip that sends someone your website or contact info whenever they tap it on their phone. That way, they don’t need to take your business card physically because they’ll have your electronic record. Usually, you’ll just have one or two of these cards and allow people to tap them as necessary.

NFC cards can be great if you have a booth at a tradeshow and are hanging out all day. But they’re not so great if you’re passing someone quickly who you’d want to connect with professionally.

Though some may consider them old-fashioned, business cards still have plenty of perks for the modern business owner or entrepreneur. Here’s a quick look at just how you can benefit from having quality business cards in your arsenal.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of business cards is how easy they are to hand out. Whether you’re at a tradeshow, networking event, coffee shop or business meeting, it’s simple to pass your card to someone you just met. It only takes a few seconds, and they’ll be able to reference it later if they want to get in touch.

When you use the business card ideas we discuss below, you’ll look professional and resemble a legitimate brand. Business cards lend an air of sophistication, especially if you’re a newer business that hasn’t yet earned a credible reputation.

Business cards generally have a small profile, meaning they easily fit inside of a wallet or business card holder. They’re not big and bulky, such as flyers or other promotional materials, so you won’t need to carry around a burdensome backpack all the time.

Business cards don’t cost a lot, but considering all their applications, they’re more than worth the investment. You can hang them on cork boards at your local coffee shop, leave them in gift baskets you donate to charity or even send them in a direct mail campaign.

Now that you know why you should have a business card, it’s time to consider how to design it. You’ll want to make sure you include all of the following information on your card:

Interested in learning more about creating business cards? Learn how to create your own business cards.

Designing a business card can be fun because it lets you showcase your individuality while also showing your passion for your work. The business card ideas we mentioned above should help you create a card that stands out in your industry so that you can make all the connections you desire.

To make a catchy business card, play with contrasting colors and shapes. For example, most business cards are rectangular and white, so consider a card with rounded edges that has a bright color. Make sure to consider your industry and also choose colors that go well together.

Three ways to network with a business card includes handing them out at tradeshows or conferences, leaving them at local businesses or including them in donations for charity auctions. This way, you can spread the word about your business without coming off as over the top.

Kristy Snyder is a professional writer and editor living in Pittsburgh with over 10 years of content creation experience. In addition to being a Content Editor for Clever Real Estate, she has contributed to numerous leading financial and tech websites, including Bankrate, The Simple Dollar, NextAdvisor, and more. Connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more about her work.

Kelly is an SMB Editor specializing in starting and marketing new ventures. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she manages a column at Inc. Magazine.