| What’s in a title? A lot, especially if it is placed on a | | | | earns the suffix M.D., but should you write ‘Dr. John |
| business card. Business card titles are one of the | | | | Doe, M.D.’? Some people do. Here are some of |
| main highlights of this identity card. | | | | the common errors in title-writing that you should avoid: |
| Look at how much information is written there. | | | | 1. Do not include both your degree and your title. |
| There’s your name, company or organization, | | | | Choose one. |
| phone number, cellphone number, office address, email | | | | For doctors, either write ‘John Doe, M.D.’, or |
| address and your title, of course. Given the very | | | | ‘Dr. John Doe’. If you are done with your |
| limited space of business cards, usually set at 2” x | | | | doctorate degree, write ‘Dr. John Doe’ or |
| 3.5”, you need to put in only the most significant | | | | ‘John Doe, PhD’. Lawyers, on the other hand, |
| information about you. And these are not just to tell | | | | can write either ‘Atty. John Doe’ or “John |
| people about your contact details. It is also a | | | | Doe, Esq.’ |
| powerful tool to build a big impression, especially if you | | | | The same follows if you have different titles like CPA |
| have a nice title to go with a sleek business card. | | | | and Esq. Do not write ‘Atty. John Doe, CPA’. |
| Notice that you really can’t include anything much | | | | 2. Do not place ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’ before |
| other than the data mentioned above. This means | | | | your name in business cards. |
| that, unlike brochures, postcards, flyers and other | | | | Don’t write Mr. John Doe’ on your business |
| advertising tools, you cant say much about who you | | | | card. ‘Mr. John Doe, M.D.’ is especially a big |
| are, what you do and what you are offering. With | | | | no-no. This also applies to other writings. Do not |
| business cards, recipients pretty much have a lot of | | | | use ‘Mr.’ if you want to include your title or |
| deducing to do from the info found in the card, | | | | degree in your name. |
| especially from the business card titles and logos. | | | | 3. Not all Abbreviations and Acronyms require |
| Selling points | | | | periods. |
| Having an office space in a posh and renowned | | | | PhD should actually be written as Ph.D. but more |
| commercial district leaves a mark. Being in a | | | | recently, the former has become accepted and widely |
| company that belongs to the Fortune 500 list is even | | | | used. The same goes for MD. Some of the other |
| more impressive, but having a highly regarded title | | | | proper abbreviations and acronyms include: D.Ed. |
| position either because of your educational | | | | (Doctor of Education), D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental |
| achievements like getting a Doctor of Philosophy | | | | Medicine), RD (registered dietitian), RN (registered |
| degree, or due to your well-deserved rise in the | | | | nurse), CEO (chief executive officer) and COO (chief |
| company hierarchy as vice president certainly speaks | | | | operating officer). |
| a lot about who you are and what you are capable | | | | So remember, before you venture into online printing |
| of. So isn’t it important that you write it properly? | | | | for your next set of cards, check if the business card |
| Of errors and misconceptions | | | | title is written correctly. It should be an asset, not a |
| A person with a degree in Medicine is a doctor, and | | | | turn-off. |