More than any other type of professional, real estate agents need business cards. 

Because while it’s true that much of the home buying process has moved online, 88% of buyers still purchase their home through a real estate agent — and it’s your personal brand as an agent that matters most.

After all, do you really want to bank on a potential client getting your email address down correctly when you’re sharing it between sets at the gym? In the park with screaming kids, or in a coffee shop while waiting for that first morning hit of caffeine?

Agents who stay ready always have a business card on hand. In fact, our pal PJ Zaji closed his first four deals with clients he met passing out business cards at a department store parking lot!

So how do you make sure your business card survives the recycle bin long enough to do the job? By giving it unforgettable style and character.

Brace yourself. The job sounds easier than it is. The best real estate business cards pull  double duty as branding tools, just like a website or social media page. The difference is, you’ve got multiple pages and posts to make your case online, but a standard business card measures 3.5 x 2 inches, meaning you’ve got just 7 square inches to make a lasting impression.

Table of contents

• Do Real Estate Agents Really Even Need Business Cards?
• 12+ Examples for a Super Cool Real Estate Business Card
• Design Your Business Cards for Max Impact
  

Do real estate agents really even need business cards?

First, let’s address the elephant in the room. In this day and age, it’s tempting to limit your marketing exclusively to digital channels. 

With every blog post, email and social media channel as a potential lead source, it’s easy to dismiss business cards as outdated and irrelevant. 

But at the end of the day, real estate is still a people business.

In the game of real estate, you can meet folks who want to buy and sell houses almost anywhere. And even if digital is your marketing go-to, you’re likely to pull in a hefty share of leads from networking at community events, chance encounters, and referrals.

In fact, the same NAR survey mentioned above also unearthed a few other key insights:

• 73% of buyers interviewed only one real estate agent during their home search.
• 77% of sellers contacted only one agent to sell their home
• 91% of buyers would use their agent again or recommend them to others
  

With those odds, why wouldn’t you want a business card that stands out and keeps you top of mind with prospects, clients, and leads?

So yes, real estate agents definitely need business cards. What they don’t need are business cards that get tossed in the nearest trash can. 

Realtor business cards as advertising

To keep your business card in your customers’ hands, think of it in the same way you think about your advertising. It needs to grab attention, appeal to the audience you target, and provide information about what you do and how to best contact you.

You might only have seven square inches of space, but you’ve got plenty of elements to help tell your story. 

• Graphics: Graphics such as fonts convey a style, and you can use graphics to reflect your own personal style, the types of homes you specialize in, or the types of clients you work with. If you specialize in modern condo living, you might choose a modern graphic. If you’re targeting families or retirees, you might want a graphic that’s more warm and traditional. 
  

• Artwork: A picture is worth a thousand words, and a great photograph of a home you’ve sold tells buyers and sellers your experience aligns with their needs. Using a photograph of yourself on a business card can signal to prospects that you’re fun, approachable, energetic, and more.
  

• Color: Designers know there’s a psychology to the use of color. Like graphics, you can use color to highlight your personal style and specialties.
  

• Text: Short taglines can also make a business card more memorable and support the branding you’ve already established for your business.
  

• Card Stock: No matter your business model, you’ll want to choose a card stock with heft to demonstrate that your business card warrants attention. If you’re in the luxury market, you can choose a luxury business card stock with texture such as linen or suede to help get your message across. 
  

We’ll talk more about some of these design elements later, but before you start working on the actual design, you’ll need to figure out what story you want your business card to tell about you, your business, and the types of customers you work with. 

Want a super cool real estate business card? These examples will help you nail it

Now that you know what goes into a winning business card, it’s time to dig deeper into the process of creating your very own one-of-a-kind card. 

We’ve paired core branding and design principles with awesome examples of real estate business cards to help you visualize your own unique look.

The customer comes first

The first principle of marketing is to know your customer. If you haven’t yet written down the traits of your typical or ideal client, now is the time.

Remember, you’re going to use your business card to make a connection, and you can’t very well do that if you haven’t identified the core traits, wants, and needs of the clients you aim to connect with. 

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Here’s an agent who knows exactly who his clients are. From the company name to the agent’s photo, plus catchy text that highlights his local experience, this business card sends a clear message: ‘We’re part of your community and we share your values.’

Of course, most Realtors don’t have a singular client focus. But even if you target two or three types of clients, you can still design your business card with elements that would appeal to most of them. 

Here are the areas to home in on:

What product types or neighborhoods do you specialize in?

Does most of your business come from condo and townhome listings and sales? Do you focus on luxury homes above a certain price point? Specialize in certain neighborhoods? Make that clear!

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This luxury business card not only distinguishes the agent as a Las Vegas specialist, the tasteful use of goldleaf sets a tone of elegance for luxury clients. 

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What types of clients do you typically represent?

Do you work mostly with middle-income families? Upscale singles? Retired couples? Your prospects should instantly feel at home when looking at your business card.

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Though straying from the standard 3.5 x 2-inch business cards isn’t always a good idea (odd-sized cards won’t fit in a wallet or card holder), this memorable house cutout design will likely stand out to most suburban families.

Business card & note combo: "I'm not just a real estate agent, I'm also your neighbor."

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What’s your unique selling proposition?

‍If you’ve got a business model that’s distinctive, why not highlight that on your business card?

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This broker’s company name and business model is what sets it apart. No wonder “3% Realty” is featured prominently in the card design. 

Once you’ve identified your target market, it’s time to start choosing elements for the design and content of your business card.

Start with the basics

No matter which brand style or philosophy you want to reflect with your real estate business card, there are a few standard factors that should always be included.

Your business card should include:

• Your name
• Your title
• Your company name
• Your company logo
• Your office and cell phone numbers
• Your email address
• Your website URL
• License information if required in your state
  

If you’re active on social media, your contact information should include your handle on those sites as well. Many agents report that social media is one of their best sources for leads, so you want to be 100% sure prospects know how to connect with you on the platforms you use.

If you have a Realtor designation, you’ll want to include the NAR logo for it. Also consider using the logos for other associations you belong to or awards you’ve received.

Photographs: When you got it, flaunt it

Real estate is a personal business, so it’s no wonder most agents rush to “personalize” their business cards by stamping their headshot on it.

While we absolutely recommend using a photo of yourself on your real estate business card, it’s also important to consider what that photo actually says about you. 

How many times have you seen a business card with this agent photo: Agent turned slightly away from the camera with head tilted forward, hands folded across chest, big smile?

Hiring the best photographer, wearing your best threads, and flashing your brightest smile won’t make an impression if your business card still looks like everyone else’s.

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Facing directly into the camera makes a statement that says, “I’m energetic, approachable, and easy-going.” 

Go ahead and get graphic

There are literally hundreds of fonts out there, and each one sets a different tone. If you’re working with a graphic designer, they’ll help you choose a font that expresses the style you want to convey. If you’re going the DIY route, you’ll want to carefully review the available options.

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One look at the choice of graphics on this business card, and you just know the broker is focused on selling high-end, classic homes. 

Don’t mix and match fonts and styles. If your logo is clean and contemporary, choose a modern font that’s sans serif—meaning it doesn’t have squiggles (or in the design world, ‘feet’ or ‘tails’) at the ends of the letters. If your logo is more traditional, you can go for a serif font—one with ‘feet’.

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This business card gets its modern message across with a very contemporary sans serif font, stark black and white colors, and lots of white space.

Again, it doesn’t matter which style you choose as long as you select one font family and stick with it.

Get a vibe going with color

Color evokes emotions and sets a mood. Choose one that suits both you and your business. 

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Chose a color that's right for you.

• If you're passionate about what you do, go ahead and say so with a bold color like red. 
• If you’re sophisticated and exclusive (and maybe your favorite product type is a downtown loft) consider using black. 
• A grey card can indicate someone who’s professional, solid and reliable.
• Blue might be the right choice for a thoughtful broker with quiet confidence.
• If you want a fun and unique business card, try using coral or another color mix that conveys creativity.
  

A few words about adding text to your real estate business card

Some brokers choose to put their favorite quote or motivational message on their business cards. While adding text can help make a connection with clients, too much text will clutter your business card, make it hard to read, and your favorite saying probably won’t get read anyway. 

The best Realtor business cards use text sparingly. They might include a short tagline because it’s part of the company branding, but no long missives — no matter how motivational.

This card is an example of good use of text that enhances branding, minus any clutter.

It’s also tempting to put all the things you do on your business card—sales, leasing, investments, land, and on and on. Unless you are working with a very creative designer who can find a way to integrate all of that without the clutter, it’s best to stick with your title to convey what it is you do best.

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This clever solution includes a full rundown of the broker’s services and even manages to get a tagline into the mix without cluttering up the card.

Embrace your brand

If your company already has a strong, well-established brand, you’ll want to make that the focal point of your business card, either by devoting a lot of space to the logo or the company name.

But if your marketing objective is to brand yourself first and foremost, you can opt to make your name, team name or even your photograph, the most prominent element on your business card.

Teams within brokerages have a special challenge when it comes to highlighting their brand. Highly successful teams often promote their team name, rather than the name of the brokerage. But they still feature the broker’s logo, without taking attention away from their own team branding.

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This team leader devoted one entire side of the business card for its own branding and placed the KW logo on the other side.

Summing It All Up: Design your business cards for max impact

Your business card should make a compelling statement about who you are as a person and a business. To do that, you’ll have to choose one element and make it the centerpiece of your card, while also finding a way to communicate all the right details.

It’s a tall order, but getting your real estate business card right can mean higher perceived value in the eyes of your customers and more repeat business and referrals.

With just a small space to work with, real estate business cards are all about saying a lot with a little. Use these branding fundamentals and real business card examples to help you focus in on a business card design that will let people know exactly who you are and how you can help them.