Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 1

In this lesson, we will create a business card, using Microsoft Word. I created a new template for my business card. It can be viewed at: http://janes-place.com/bus_card.htm

Choose the information you want to place on your card before beginning.

Here's how I did it:

Go to 'start' --'Microsoft Word' -- 'file menu' -- 'page setup'. Choose the 'Margins Tab'. Type in 1.25 for the Left and Right margins. That way, two cards will fit on a 8 1/2 x 11in. sheet, side by side. Click 'ok'.

In the 'Format Menu' choose 'Columns'. Where it asks for the number of columns, use the arrows to go down until the number 'two' is in the box. Go down to 'Width' and type in 2.75in. The 'Spacing' will adjust automatically. Be sure the 'Equal Column Width' and the 'Line Between' boxes are checked. Click 'ok'.

Let's save it, at this point. Go to the 'File Menu' and choose 'Save As'. You can save it in the same folder we saved the Letterhead, if you choose. I saved mine with my letterhead in 'Business Stationery'. Give the file a name. I named mine -- 'My Business Card'. Click 'Save'.

Go to the 'Table Menu' and choose 'Insert Table'. Set the number of 'Columns' and 'Rows' to 'one'. Click 'ok'.

A long, thin box will appear. Move your mouse cursor to the bottom line, until it turns into a double-headed arrow. Click on the double-headed arrow and drag it down to the 2in. mark on the left hand side ruler. If the ruler isn't visible in your document, go to the 'View Menu' and click on 'ruler'.

Click inside the box and add your picture. You have two options here:

1) You can use 'ClipArt', by going to the 'Insert menu' -- 'Picture' -- 'ClipArt. Choose your category and find the graphic suitable for your business, click 'ok'. The image will appear in your document.

2) You can use your company logo, if you have one, or another picture on your hard drive, by going to the 'Insert Menu' -- 'Picture' -- 'From File'. The pictures on your hard drive (saved in 'My Documents' -- 'My Pictures' will appear). Scroll down the list until you find the one you want to insert. Click on the picture you have chosen, to highlight it. Then click on the 'Insert' button. The picture will appear in your document.

To move the picture around inside your table, click on the picture. You will see a four arrow symbol. This allows you to move the picture up, down, right or left, by dragging it to the position you want. I wanted my picture to appear in the left, top position, so I moved it to that position. If you want your picture centered, click on it and click the 'center' button on the tool bar. [The center tool will be lines of text centered. It is the second picture of text shown.]

To change the size of your picture, click on it, then on one of the corners and drag it to the desired size.

About The Author

Jane Fulton is Owner & Webmistress of http://janes-place.com 'Home For Newbies & Beginning Marketers'. She has been helping them for almost 4yrs now. She publishes a newsletter, Newbie & Affiliate SOS Newsletter. It appears online twice a month. If you like these 'How To' type of articles, subscribe to her newsletter at: http://janes-place.com/sos.htm

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