A business card can often be the difference between a lasting first impression and lost business. This crucial item of business stationery needs to be eye-catching and informative — but it also needs to convey quality and attention to detail.
Unfortunately, there are some problems with business cards and fundamental errors that a lot of businesses still make when designing and printing their cards — errors that often result in lost revenue.
There are a few common errors you need to avoid. Once you know what they are, addressing them is relatively straightforward.
The most common problems with business cards
Generic Designs
If your business cards look just like those of your competitors, you will struggle to make a memorable first impression. Cheap cards with laser-printed text and images might save you in the short-term, but they could be telling prospective customers that quality and attention to detail aren’t important to your organisation. To solve the issue, choose a high quality card and a speciality printing technique such as letterpress or blind embossing.
Poor Use of Colour
Anyone can order cheap business cards from machines at service stations or websites, but they often lack colour. If your brand logo or identity is defined by vivid colours, it’s imperative that your business cards display those colours as accurately as possible. By turning to a specialist printing company, you can ensure colours jump from your cards and really catch the eye.
A Lack of Tactile Appeal
A great business card shouldn’t just look great, it should feel great in the hand too. If you’re buying cheap cards from an online ordering service or a motorway service station, they probably feel two-dimensional. A specialist printing company can use high quality card and a range of printing processes to create a premium feel. Engraving, embossing and thermography are just a few of the processes that can be utilised to create three-dimensional cards.
Poor Quality Paper
Cheap paper is often instantly recognisable. It looks and feels substandard, and that’s a terrible image to promote during an initial meeting. Poor quality paper can also make clear and vivid printing difficult, so it’s always worth investing a little more in something that will set the right tone. Choose a printing company that offers a range of techniques suited to thick, premium paper.
A Lack of Definition
Cheaper printing methods don’t deliver the same level of clarity and definition as the likes of die-stamping and blind embossing. You need the text and images on your business cards to look great in order to create the best possible impression, but there’s also a practical issue to address.
You may want to, for instance, add a QR code to your business cards that links the recipient’s mobile to your website. QR codes need to be perfectly defined and sharp — which is something more advanced printing processes can deliver.
Opting for the cheapest possible business cards is often a false economy. The problems created by cheap materials and inadequate printing processes have the potential to lose you business — so why take the chance?
If you’re having problems with business cards, let Baddeley Brothers help you design something that will ensure you leave the best first impression.