A business card can express something of the personality and interests of the person who gives it. This may be as simple as choosing a small image that represents your line of work:

Or it could be communicated via the choice of font and color:

In Japan, the business card or "meishi" is quite an important item in terms of how it is exchanged and received. The card should be held at the bottom two corners, face up and angled so that it can be read by the person receiving it. The recipient takes it by the top two corners using both hands. Placing one's fingers over the name or other information is considered rude. Upon receiving the card, one is expected to read the card carefully, noting the person's name and position. It's an acknowledgement of the status of the person giving the card - definitely a different experience to the more Western approach to distributing business cards!

- Jana