Three and a half by two inches. That is the size of a standard business card. This may not seem like much room, but within that space there are infinite possibilities. A business card is more than just a list of your pertinent contact information–it is your first impression. As a professional, it is important to keep in mind how you wish to present yourself to potential new clients. Although it is easy to get a set of free business cards from those online bulk facilities (which we will not name – you know who you are and shame on you!), customizing a business card with Catch Fire Marketing will allow you make the right first impression.
Brand Identity. When creating your business card, the first things we look at are your branding identity standards. The design of your card should be cohesive with other materials your company has created. The “look and feel” is important to pay attention to. For example, you don’t want your card in green and purple if your logo is orange and blue. Your business card should match brochures, flyers and even your website’s look to make your business recognizable to your audience. If you were a pet shop and picked a pre-designed template for your business card, the lady who walks dogs around the neighborhood may have the same design which can confuse your audience if they happen to encounter both of you. At Catch Fire, we customize each and every design to match your brand identity.
Paper. Some bulk facilities standardize their cards on a 10 point card stock, but here at Catch Fire our standard is 14 point and we offer an upgrade to 16 point (the higher your points, the thicker the card stock). Adding weight to your business card can go a long way; when a potential client feels the weight of your card, it can give your company the overall impression of quality.
Corner Options. Have you ever considered standard corners vs. rounded corners? What if you only wanted 2 rounded corners? Should the corners be rounded by an eighth inch or a quarter inch? We can help you determine which option will work best with your design.
UV Coating vs. Matte Finish. Another thing to think about is if you want a UV finish or a matte finish. UV coating gives the card a glossy finish and a matte finish is dull. While gloss can be flashier, a matte finish is very smooth and will allow people to write on your business card. Also, the UV Coating reflects light were as a matte finish won’t. One of our favorites is to have a UV Coated front side and a matte finish back side.
Spot UV. Yes, there are plain business cards and there are business cards that amaze. The Spot UV option is a great economical way to show your clients you mean business. The option of Spot UV allows you to pick which graphics to highlight by adding in a gloss coating. For example, you may choose to have your company’s logo in Spot UV to call attention to your business or you may choose to have only your name appear in Spot UV to call attention to you (this option is popular with realtors as most of their prospective clients are already familiar with the real estate companies).
Silk Laminated. This option goes great with Spot UV or silver and gold foil business cards. Silk Lamination is a special laminate that gives your business card an extra smooth surface which feels soft to touch.
Foil. Adding gold or silver foil to your business card can really help you connect with your high end clients. For example, if you are a jeweler and want your customers to remember the elegance they experienced while visiting your shop, you might consider printing your logo in a gold foil. Foils don’t have to just be gold and silver – you can foil any color under the rainbow to call out the details of your design.
Catch Fire Marketing Business Cards
