Business Cards

Although this is a preference that ultimately depends on the business as well as the role of the individual, there are nonetheless some typical features shared by most business cards. They include:

? Name of the business
? Logo
? Employee name and role
? Contact details – be it email, phone, physical address, website or a combination thereof
? Some will also use a tagline

The standard UK business card size is 85mm x 55mm.

There is no right or wrong answer to this. Consequently you can do whatever you wish! Printing on both sides compared to a single side only will have a slight increase in cost, but typically it isn’t much more.

The three most common stocks (card paper) are:

? Standard: 450gsm
This is a heavyweight stock that is going to last the distance as well as make a good first impression.

? Premium: GSM
This includes some lovely Special Finishes, for instance:
Triple Layer (also known as Triplex) – the name we give by placing three layers of card together, making a weight of 810gsm. Luxury! You can even add colour to the middle layer. This is such a stunning result and is particularly popular with creatives who need to make a visually-striking impact. It will certainly be noticed – we love it! Spot UV and Metallic Foil Effect are also other special finishes that are really popular.

Uncoated paper essentially resembles normal paper and does not reflect, it gives an almost recycled look to it as it is a dry finish. Colours tend to be a little softer and of course the card is that bit more vulnerable to damage as a result of the limited protection. On the other hand, coated versions come with a sealant over the surface that helps to make it shine. Options for coated include matt, glossy or satin.

OK, so this is an age-old consideration.

Ultimately, the choice is absolutely yours to make and there is no right or wrong.

? Glossy – reflects light and creates a shiny effect. Colours really pop on this finish, photography especially.

? Matt – diffuses or even absorbs light so the effect is softer. Matt paper uses the same porous clay-based coating as glossy, it just uses less of it. As a result, this option has less protection than glossy but has a very sophisticated look.

Speciality paper or laminated finishes are also an option here.

? Soft-touch lamination – this gives the surface a real velvety feel and can soften colours and make them look silky. This is really such a lush finish – wow!

? Plastic – need a hard-wearing card that is going to handle a lot of wear and tear? Using a high-quality PVC plastic might therefore be the way for you. Used for the likes of loyalty, store cards and membership cards.

There are a few factors that influence the answer to this question, for instance:

? Unit number – the more units / quantity, usually the better deal relatively speaking

? GSM – this refers to the weight of the paper/stock, and we’ve already seen above that the quality of stock will have an impact

? Finish – glossy, matt, speciality