Category: Business Cards

Luxuriate in the Fabric-Like Feel of Suede Business Cards

One of the best ways to impress customers, clients, suppliers, and anyone you are transacting with is to present suede business cards to them. These thick business cards are laminated in such a way that the paper feels like suede fabric. Thick, luxurious to the touch, with an amazing texture, people will think very highly of your brand when you hand over these cards. This is especially true if you match the suede material with razor-sharp, professional-looking print and an excellent design. One of the best ways to impress customers, clients, suppliers, and anyone you are transacting with is to present suede business cards to them. These thick business cards are laminated in such a way that the paper feels like suede fabric. Thick, luxurious to the touch, with an amazing texture, people will think very highly of your brand when you hand over these cards. This is especially true if you match the suede material with razor-sharp, professional-looking print and an excellent design.

Just like when ordering silk, linen, or cotton cards, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when having suede business cards made:

• Which size should I go for?

The standard US size is 2” x 3.5”. A slightly larger version is the European size which measures 2.125” x 3.375”, while there are also square business cards that measure 2.5” on all four sides.

• Which type of finish goes well with my business card design?

If you’re going for a muted design, choose the ultra-soft touch matte suede finish. This has a matte, non-shiny surface that will ooze sophistication because of the suede, fabric-like finish. On the other hand, if you do want the glitter and shine, choose the raised spot UV gloss suede finish. This looks great against a black or white background, because certain parts of the card can be topped with chrome gold foil. A similar effect is made with the raised foil stamped suede effect which has a wider color palette to choose from: orange, blue, red, yellow, green, pink, or purple.

• Should I go for special features?

When you order business cards online with a suede finish, the paper stock is usually 19-pt. laminate. This has 60% the thickness of a credit card, making it really durable. If you want your card to stand out, you can opt for a unique feature like a rounded corner. You can also change the orientation so instead of landscape, the card will have vertical or portrait orientation. Just make sure to adjust the design accordingly.

True enough, suede business cards are an ultra-luxurious option that will leave your customers equating the high-quality material with the quality of the products or services that you offer.

Dos & Don’ts when Creating the Content for Personal Business Cards

 

If you think that you should include all your contact information for business card printing, think again. Unlike postcards, rack cards, flyers, and brochures, you have very limited space on the surface of a 3.5” x 2” business card. If you will include everything – even what’s unnecessary for your business, the card will look overcrowded and off-putting. Here, we have put together a list of some dos and don’ts when creating the content for personal business cards.

Do:

• Know what you are representing. If you are an employee of an IT company, for example, make sure to include the business name, official logo, and your job position. If you are a real estate agent working independently, highlight your name and profession – one example is Joe W. Brown, Real Estate Agent. If you’re a freelance interior or graphic designer, your name and profession should be highlighted as well.

• Make sure that the design reflects your brand’s image. Designers should have a creative business card, while lawyers may opt for a more formal design. When creating the overall look of your business card, pay attention to even the smallest details because of the very small space that you have. Coordinate the design with the font, colors, logo, material, paper stock, and finish.

Don’t:

• Include all your contact information. When deciding on the content of your personal business cards, you might think that it’s okay to include all your contact information – but you will end up overcrowding the card. If you’re running an online store, there is no need for you to include an office address or telephone number. If you’re an employee, do not include your personal mobile number and you may want to indicate the hours when you are available for calls.

• Skip your digital information. Lastly, do not skip your digital information. Business cards may be an old school print promotional material, but you can still modernize it by including your social media account information – especially if your audience is on the younger age range. Include your website, email address, Facebook and Twitter names, Instagram handle, etc. You can even include a QR code which users can scan so that they can be lead to your website.

With these tips in mind, you can come up with a concise, up-to-date, and accurate content for your business card without overcrowding the limited space that you have.

More than Just Shiny: The Unique Qualities of Gold Foil Business Cards

If you’d like to combine shine with substance, gold foil business cards is the way to go. As a business owner, your goal is to make a good first impression, have people remember your brand name, and for you to make a great impact overall. These are things that can be achieved by launching a marketing campaign which does not necessarily have to be all-digital – print still works. This is especially true when it comes to distributing business cards. Even if your business is purely online, the fact that you’re still using business cards and handing it over to clients will make you stand out.

So why choose gold foil business cards? Just like plastic business cards and offset business cards, this is a type of premium business card so it immediately stands out in a stack of cardboard or linen. Metallic foil business cards are made using a foil stamping method. The effect is that a certain part of the card – it can be a name, logo, or photo – is colored gold, silver, or copper. When set against dark black or white background, the metallic color will shimmer under any lighting condition.

Because of the foil stamping method used, gold foil business cards must be made using silk 17-pt. paper. It has 60% the thickness of a credit card. So when you compare a thin linen business card with a  thick, gold-foil card – which one do you think will stand out?

Another extra feature that you can consider when having this type of business card made is applying a spot UV coating. This protects the print on the card from wearing out, even after prolonged sun exposure. Foil stamped cards are also resistant to tearing, creases, and it’s even water-resistant!

When having business cards made, you really should not scrimp. Instead, go all out and use a laminating effect like gold foil stamping. With such elegant, classy, shimmery cards, your business name or brand will be stamped on the mind of whoever is holding your business card. The fact that you exerted such an effort in having elegant business cards made will make them think highly of your brand, and make them want to do business with you. What more is there to ask for?

 

Gold Foil Business Cards Offer the Ultimate in Class & Durability

When making a presentation, meeting clients, or talking with potential business partners, your goal is to impress – and there’s no better way to do just that than by having gold foil business cards. Here, we will take a look at how this type of business card offers the ultimate in class and durability.

Why It Pays to Choose Foil Business Cards

Anything that’s made with gold or is colored gold is bound to leave a lasting impression. There’s just something about this precious material that exudes class and sophistication. If you want to set yourself apart from all other businesses, you really should go for metallic foil business cards, gold in particular.

Aside from being classy, the finish of gold foil business cards has a similar effect as plastic business cards. The unique material will make your brand stand out in a sea of cardboard business cards. Quality-wise, here are more reasons why you should go for gold foil business cards:

  • You can highlight a specific part of the design – a photo, your logo, your company name, or your name. When the gold foil area of the card is hit with sunlight, it will shine and glitter because of the gold color. This just screams class and quality so anybody who holds your business card is bound to remember your brand.
  • The gold foil used prior to the lamination process is made from a high-end material that’s very reflective, so it will shimmer in all lighting conditions. To make sure that the design of the card is not too busy, stick with a black or white color palette.
  • Gold foil business cards are usually printed on 17-pt. laminated paper stock. This lasts ten times longer than typical cardboard cards.
  • The gold foil mask file, when combined with the protective silk coating, is resistant to creases, wear, and tear.

Metallic foil, suede, luster, plastic, and offset business cards are examples of specialty cards that you must consider when having a set made for your business. As compared to beige, barely-there, cardboard-thin cards, something that’s more substantial – especially if printed with gold – will make people notice you and your brand.

 

Effective Ways to Utilize Spot UV Business Cards for Marketing Your Brand

Whichever industry your business is in, it is a must to include spot UV business cards as part of your print marketing campaign. With the proliferation of digital ad campaigns, printed materials will really set you apart. It’s something tangible that will leave a lasting impression to your customers. The good news is that there are many companies specializing in printing spot gloss business cards. You just need to find one that will give you high-quality offset prints, without charging you too much for the service.

Another thing that you need to consider when using business cards to market your brand is its design, overall look, and the material used. Remember that you have only a few seconds to leave a good first impression to your customers. When you hand over a thin, barely readable business card with your contact information in it, the person you have the card to might not even bother keeping it. On the other hand, when you carefully present a thick, impressive business card with a special coating like spot UV – it looks and feels really luxurious. The impression is that the attention and expense you put into having the card made will translate to the way that you conduct your business, and offer your products or services.

Now, when it comes to spreading the word about your brand with the use of business cards, it’s all about creatively presenting it to your existing and potential customers. When you print business cards, here are a few tips on how to effectively utilize them for marketing:

  • Liberally distribute your cards to existing and potential customers. When you’re meeting a supplier, for example, you can give him or her half to a dozen of your business cards and guess where those will end up? In the hands of people who are already connected to your business network. The only value of business cards is when they’re handed out, so don’t be stingy about it.
  • As a form of courtesy, also ask for the card of your business contacts when they do ask for yours. Networking is an important part of business, and exchanging cards is one of the most classic yet effective ways to give your brand a boost.
  • Design the card in such a way that there’s a place for someone to write a short note about you or your brand. You can leave the entire back part of the card blank, or only print on 50% of the back’s surface so that they can have something to write on.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to always follow up. What was your goal in distributing the card in the first place? If it’s to increase the orders in your food business, for example, you can make a quick call or send a casual email to your new business contact. If you gave it to a supplier for a potential business deal, don’t hesitate to place a phone call for a follow-up.

By knowing how to properly print and distribute business cards, you can use it as an excellent tool in spreading the word about your business.

 

Standard-Sized Spot UV Business Cards or Something Else? Know Which One will Work for Your Business

If you want your contact information to stand out in a stack of thin, cardboard cards, then you really need to think about having a set of spot UV business cards made. These can be ordered from printing companies that offer offset printing services. What’s the advantage of going for offset over digital printing? Take a quick look:

  • Offset printing delivers more professional-looking business cards and other printed promotional materials.
  • Offset printing uses state-of-the-art printing presses that can print out dozens or even hundreds of copies in a short period of time. As such, it’s the better option for bulk orders.
  • The print from offset printers last for a longer period of time as compared to digital prints.
  • With offset printing, you can come up with more printing or lamination effects. With spot UV business cards, for instance, high gloss is applied on a specific part of the card which could be the company logo. It leaves the rest of the surface flat and matte. When you run your fingers through the embossed, high-gloss parts of the card, it feels luxurious to the touch and looks really impressive.

 

Next, when it comes to size, should you go for standard or something that’s bigger or smaller? When you print spot gloss business cards, the standard size available is 3.5” x 2”. If you want to print business cards that really stand out, you can go for this standard size – but wit a portrait orientation on the design. This makes the card look upright, but it would still fit into a stack of other standard-sized cards.

 

However, if you really do want to veer off the standard size, you can have European-sized business cards especially made. This is a bit larger, measuring 2.125” x 3.375”. You can also go for square instead of a rectangular business card. These are available in 2” x 2” or 2.5” x 2.5” sizes. Slim business cards are also available, as well as mini-business cards and folded business cards you’re your business is creative in nature, then you can probably go for odd-sized business cards. But if you want to stick with the classic while still making your brand stand out, go for spot UV business cards which are made through offset printing.

 

Know How to Use Spot UV Business Cards as Membership Cards

If you ordered a set of standard-sized spot UV business cards, then you are already on the right path in advertising your brand. Business cards are an effective way of branding, and it can be part of your print marketing campaign. Let’s say that you just launched a business and you are in the process of gathering new clients. The cheapest way to advertise is to print business cards, letterheads, flyers, brochures, envelopes, and notepads. When you distribute notepads at a trade show, for example, make sure to also include business cards in it. The more people to get their hands into your printed promotional materials, the easier it will be to gain new customers and make your brand more well-known.

 

Now, how can you make sure that your business cards will leave a lasting first impression? By simply choosing a variant that’s as impactful as spot gloss business cards, you are well on your way towards making an excellent marketing statement. Your goal in printing out the cards in the first place is to leave a great first impression. If you hand over a thin, barely noticeable business card to a supplier, imagine how disappointing it must be to see such poor quality. Meanwhile, investing in a business card that’s made of thick grade paper, with luxurious printing effects like spot UV treatment – it will make an instantaneous impact.

 

Another thing to think about when you print business cards is its distribution. If you have a food business, for instance, you can include one business card in every takeout bag or delivery box. Simply putting your cards out there will give your business influx a good boost.

 

If you want, you can also turn your business cards into a discount coupon or a membership card. Using the previous example of running a food establishment, you can tell your customers that the business card will qualify them for a 10% discount when they order food to go or when dining in. You can also create a membership program where a specific group of customers will be entitled to freebies or discounts. Offering such benefits to your existing and potential clients will develop loyalty to your brand, increase your profit, and make your business grow significantly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why It Pays to Order Spot UV Business Cards through Offset Printers

You’re thinking about ordering 250 pieces of spot UV business cards but you don’t know where to start. You know that there are a couple of options available: digital and offset. Digital may sound modern and cheap – but can it handle complex printing jobs like cards with spot gloss lamination? Not necessarily. There are laminating effects that can only be handled by offset printers. This is just one of the many reasons why it pays to order spot UV or spot gloss business cards from companies that use offset printing.

Top 3 Advantages of Offset Printing

 When placing an order for any number of spot gloss business cards, you must first ask the printing company if they can achieve such a laminating effect in the first place. Spot gloss or spot UV is a type of additional lamination applied to a specific surface of a matte business card, for example. If you have a black-and-white card, the spot gloss effect can be applied on the logo or an image on the design of your card. The rest of the card’s surface will be matte, while the areas applied with spot UV treatment will look embossed and ultra-glossy.

Not convinced yet? Here are the top three reasons why it pays to go with offset printing when having a batch of spot gloss business cards made:

  1. Offset produces long-lasting prints.

In New York City, a lot of printing methods have come and gone but offset printers have stood the test of time. Why? Primarily because offset printing uses state-of-the-art printing presses which are huge. The mere bulk of the printers mean serious business, and it can deliver longer lasting prints as compared to digital desktop printers. This means that customers get the best value for their money.

  1. Offset printers create more professional-looking prints.

It’s quite easy to spot the difference between digital and offset prints, especially when it comes to business cards. The next time someone hands over their business card to you, look closely at the way that the letters are printed. If you can still see the dots, especially on parts of the card printed in bold letters, it means that it is probably printed using digital desktop printers. If the color is solid, smooth, and sleek, it is most probably made using offset printing presses.

  1. Offset printers can handle bulk printing jobs.

The regular printer that you have in the office may be able to churn out a dozen business cards for you – but an offset printer can produce hundreds – even thousands – of prints in a matter of minutes.

To sum it all up, offset printing has the obvious edge as compared to digital – so look for a company that offers offset printing services if you need to have a batch of business cards printed out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Spot UV Business Cards Look its Best with Offset Printing

If you want a set of business cards that stand out, you might want to consider ordering spot UV business cards. When compared to a stack of thin cardboard or thick black-and-white cards, something that’s shiny and thick will immediately catch someone’s attention. Your goal in printing out business cards in the first place is to make a lasting impression, and spot gloss or spot UV business cards will accomplish just that.

 How Spot UV Business Cards are Made

 When looking for a printing service provider, you have two options: digital and offset. Why is it recommended that you go with offset when ordering a set of spot gloss business cards? To answer this question, it’s good to have a quick look at how spot UV cards are made in the first place.

Offset printing involves the use of digital layouts, film stripping, and color separation. Once the digital steps are done, a huge printing press is used to offset print the material – be it brochures, business cards, postcards, or banners. The process used to come up with this type of business cards is spot gloss lamination. Here, a high-gloss layer is applied to a specific part of the card. Let’s say that you have a standard-sized card and the design includes your business logo in the upper right corner, enclosed in a box. You can use spot gloss on your company logo to highlight that part. It will look shiny and embossed from the surface.

Since the rest of the card has a matte finish, the part where high-gloss is applied will truly stand out. Not only that but when you run your fingers through the card, the glossy part will feel ultra-smooth and luxurious to the touch. This is something that cannot be done using regular desktop printers, so offset printing is the best choice for spot gloss business cards.

One last thing – when ordering a set of offset Business cards, you must create additional files in solid black and solid white. The areas in black will get the glossy treatment while the white areas will be printed in matte white. To achieve the full effect, it is also not recommended that you use thin fonts or shadow effects. Solid letters in block colors or bold logos and images will make the gloss treatment stand out.

 

 

 

 

Factors to Consider when Looking for a Business Cards Online Service Provider

There are numerous benefits from ordering business cards online. First, you don’t have to physically go to different printing companies just to order a set of business cards. You can take your pick from the many companies online and process your order through their website. Second, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for convenience. Simply check out the reviews of the printing company you’re considering going with – and do a bit of research. From there, you can easily decide which one to order business cards from.

 

Just to delve a bit deeper into the process of looking for printing companies, here are a few more things to consider:

  • The printing process used

Does the company use desktop digital printers or huge printing presses? If it’s quality you are after, it is better to go with offset printing. This uses state-of-the-art printing presses, the process of which is called offset printing. As compared to digital, offset produces more professional-looking results and there are more lamination effects that can be achieved. If you want something that’s luxurious to the touch, for example, the can print silk business cards that have a special laminate. This makes the surface of the card feel like fabric to the touch.

 

  • The length of experience that the company has

When taking advantage of any type of service or product, it is a must for you to look at the length of experience that the company has in the business. The longer that they’ve been in existence, the more expertise they’ve gained over the years.

 

  • The material used and the printing effect

Of course, you also need to look at the quality of the material and the printing effect applied on the business card. What kind of paper stock is available? How many laminating options and printing effects can you choose from? If you’re looking for soft touch business cards, most printing companies would offer suede and silk variations.

 

  • The quality of customer service offered

Finally, make sure that the printing company provides high quality customer service. Since most transactions are purely online, see to it that they are highly responsive to your messages. Make sure that they will send you a digital proof of the business card design, and even offer color suggestions if the grey that you used is too light or too bright for the effect that you want, for example.

 

Take these things into consideration when looking for a company to print your business cards to get the results that you want.