If you want people to get the right idea about you and your company, you need to have the right business cards. You want their impression to accurately convey the professional approach of your work. If you want people to trust that you do quality work, you need to present them with a quality business card.

OK, so we have all been in the situation where we run out or misplace our stash of business cards and the instinctive response is to rush out and order some cheap digital business cards on thin card to tide you by. I print these every day for our customers, but when this becomes routine for them I believe the image of their business suffers.

Research the market:

Recently, and apologies for the upcoming rant here! I have seen TV adverts from a certain low cost online only printing company (you probably know the one) advertising 500 business cards for around £12. Great you’d think… right?

Firstly the prices displayed to “hook” in the interested viewer are just the standard print price, no card stock, special finishing costs or delivery is displayed. I tested this company to see what I actually got for my money and the results were very interesting indeed. The “standard” price included a thin 300gsm card and printing to just one side. The quality was questionable to say the least and my design was poorly reproduced giving a very “budget” looking image.

I have been handed this quality of business card more times than I can remember at networking events and expo’s and actually had people apologise about the quality of their card as they hand it over! This reflects quite badly as to the quality of their business and my interest in dealing with them.

At Digiprint we have worked hard to provide a “best quality all of the time” service and our “standard” range is equivalent to most other printers “premium” range cards.

So How did the price stack up when I added all of the items to as closely match said budget printing company to the digiprint quality for 500 business cards? Well by adding double sided print, upgrading the card to premium (which is still only 330gsm, our card is a 450gsm as standard) and adding the soft touch lamination to both sides and delivery their price came to £66. Our price was £44 with free collection from our studio or £6 delivery. So what seemed like a great deal was not so great after all.

Overall scores:
Digiprint Quality = 100%
Price saving of £22 over “online budget offer”

But what makes a good business card?

Our top 5 business card tips:

1. The paper you choose for your cards can make a huge difference in how your card is perceived. Thick 450gsm business cards will impress anyone you hand them out to and will stay looking smart for longer than a lighter business card. Using good paper shows your customers and clients that you are willing to invest to get better results and higher quality products. Finishes such as Spot UV, embossing, soft touch lamination and foil blocking can add style and sophistication to your business cards.
2. Your company name should be centre stage, along with your logo if you have one (if you don’t, talk to us). Brand recognition is key in business and you’ll need to ensure that people know who you are. Maybe add a photo of yourself so customers remember you, we do business with people, not marketing or brands.
3. Don’t assume that people can guess what you do from your company name. Having a company name like, “Handy Man Services” is probably quite straight forward but if your company name is not obvious or abbreviated, then spell it out for people. Perhaps include 2-3 short bullet points about your services or list some of your products.
4. Lots of negative space – but it does not have to be white – and simple type can go a long way. The “keep it simple” design philosophy is often one of the best when it comes to small spaces. White space also allows people to note details on your card enabling them to remember you e.g. (“Met on [date] at [location]”).
5. Create contrast with colour. Stick to one or two colours for the text on your business cards to give them a modern and sophisticated look. Keep your colour scheme consistent throughout your marketing (stationery, leaflets, website) to develop a professional image of yourself.

Final bonus tip, Never give away just one card. Always give a potential client at least two cards. Ask them to pass on your card to anyone they feel may be in need of your services or products. In return, ask for extras of their card to hand out. They’ll be more likely to promote you if they know that you’ll be returning the favour.

Ben Gregory, Director digiprint group.