How to Make a Map on a Business Card

By Elizabeth Smith

  • Overview

    Business cards are a must-have piece of collateral for any businessperson, from an individual service provider to an employee in a large corporation. A business card provides vital contact information, including the location of the business and your phone number. If your business is dependent on foot traffic, or if you'd merely like to assist customers in locating your office, a map on your business card could be a valuable tool.
    • Step 1

      Choose a map building tool. You can use a number of tools to create the initial map of your business. If you have drawing software such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop, you can create a simple map. As a bonus, you can also create your business cards in these programs, making the process more simple.
    • Step 2

      Choose a map section. It is important to include on your map streets that will be easy to find. Pick a section that includes at least one recognizable or high-traffic street. When choosing your map section, it may be helpful to use tools like Google Maps or Mapquest; you can input your address and zoom in until you see the section you'd like.


    • Step 3

      Draw your map. Using your chosen software program, draw a map to represent the section you've chosen. To do so in Adobe Illustrator, for example, create a square or rectangle document by selecting "New" from the File menu. Select your dimensions and click "Okay" to create the document. Then, use the pen tool and the line tool to draw streets. Use the text tool to add street names, and use the shape tool to draw small boxes that represent landmark buildings. Be sure to include a star or your logo to mark your business location. Save your file.
    • Step 4

      Lay out your business card. In the same program, or any other program of your choosing, lay out your business card. Standard business cards measure 3.5 by 2 inches. Include your logo, contact information, name, title, and be sure to leave room for your map. Choose colors that will be easy to read when they are printed, and be sure to use fonts that are large enough to be legible.
    • Step 5

      Insert your map. To add your map to your business card, insert the file. In Illustrator, for example, select "Place" from the File menu and navigate to the file location on your computer. Once the file is placed, you can resize the map until it works well with your layout. Make sure that your map text is large enough to read, and verify that the directions will be easy to follow. If possible, test your card on several people to be sure that they understand it, as well.
    • Skill: Moderately Easy

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