Your Business Card Is Precious
When it comes to actual cash value, your business cards aren’t worth that much. If they are, then you may be paying too much for them.
Jokes aside, a well-designed, high quality business card can be worth more than its weight in diamonds if it successfully makes paying clients out of those who receive it. Not sure if your business cards are up to snuff? Let’s learn how to assess business card quality with the eyes of a journeyman jeweler.
Business Card Clarity
One of the four C’s of diamond quality is clarity. The jeweler places the stone under magnification and looks for inclusions, which are internal crystals that clutter the appearance of the diamond and diminish its value.
Looking at your business card, how many inclusions do you see? Are there too many? Does your business card appear cluttered with little crystals of unnecessary information or superfluous graphics, or is the necessary information eye-catching like a sparkling diamond?
Make sure your printing company designs your business card so it’s easy to understand the essentials at a glance.
Business Card Color
When it comes to diamonds, the less color there is, the more valuable the stone becomes. But for business cards, color is often an important design element. However you choose to use color in your business card design, make sure it enhances its visual appeal rather than detracting from it.
Generally, it’s best to keep it simple, with a minimal color palate that is compatible with the essence of your business. If you’re not sure which colors to choose, a quality print shop will be able to help you make the right choice.
Business Card Cut
As you’re probably aware, quality printed business cards don’t necessarily have to conform to the standard, landscape-orientation rectangle. In fact, you can create cards in a wide array of shapes and sizes. They can be square or octagonal, or just about any other shape you can dream up. You can create business cards that fold into neat shapes or cards that have cool cutouts. We’ve even seen business cards that function as cheese graters or bicycle wrenches.
But there are a couple of considerations you should make before opting for an unusually sized or shaped business card. First, will it be easy for people to keep in their purses, pockets or wallets? Second, if it’s inconveniently shaped or sized, will it be appealing enough that people will hold on to it anyway?
If you can answer a resounding “yes” to either of those questions, then go for it.
Business Card… Carat Weight?
OK, business card weight isn’t measured in carats, but like diamonds, heavier cards are usually thought of as being “better,” in many professional circles. Standard cardstock weight for business cards is 80-100lb, but opting for a heavier stock can give your business card an appealing heft and substance.
Remember — the first thing a person is going to do upon receiving your business card, is to hold it in their hands. Sure, they’re going to look at the printed matter on your business card directly after, but how that card feels in their hand is every bit as important as how it looks.
There are exceptions to the rule that says, heavier is better. If you’re trying to convey a light and airy vibe with your business (let’s say you sell windows, for example), then you may want to opt for high-quality translucent vellum. And remember — if your business card is poorly designed, quality paper won’t make it shine, no matter how heavy it is.
[Photo Via: LaDepeche]