Smarten up your business cards with special finishes

Leaving a lasting impression is especially important nowadays, especially if your business is in a crowded market. You probably already know how important good business card designs are, especially if you are an active business networker, or if your sales people regularly meet prospects face to face.

You may already have spent a lot of time and effort on your branding, ensuring every touch point is consistent with your company’s message, with business cards that match your corporate design. However, so has everyone else, so it’s really down to the extra details to show to important prospects that you really go the extra mile when it comes to quality.

A great way to show this through your business cards is by using special finishes, rather than a standard one used by everyone else. Special business card finishes are a great way of reminding important prospects of your attention to detail long after you’ve first met them. This guide will explore a number of special finishes that can spruce up any business card design.

Die Cuts

Die cutting is when holes are cut in the paper, or for cutting corners out of the business card. You can really get creative with die cutting, especially if your logo has ‘negative space’ elements, which could be cut out for a unique look. Alternatively, other design elements on the page could be cut out. This is best used sparingly, however, to retain the card’s structural integrity. Cutting corners can also give a unique look, for example cutting out a large rounded corner from one of the card’s corners, which can work well if your corporate design includes curved lines.

Varnishes

 A varnish is a transparent coating applied to the business card. Varnishes improve the durability of a card, which means your business card will look great even after being handled often.

A range of different varnishes can be used to give different looks or textures, which is a great way to add depth to your branding. For example, if your branding has a modern look, a glossy or matte finish could be used. Pearlescent finishes give a great premium look, while a textured spot UV can create a specific texture such as leather or rubber. This could be used to create a clever skeuomorphic design, for example if your business card featured a visual leather look, this coating can be applied to make the card feel like leather too!

Embossing

Embossing is a stamping technique creating 3D elements to your business card. A section of the card can be raised above the rest of the card, while on the opposite it is lowered. This is a technique sometimes used on the covers of certain paperback books.

It can be used in a similar way to cut outs, helping to emphasise a silhouette. Use it to add extra emphasis to your logo, or give a 3D effect to an image of your product.

Double your card’s size with a fold

Do you struggle getting all the information you need onto your business card? It can be hard to avoid a messy look if you have a lot of information to share. The solution could be by doubling the size of your business card and adding a fold so it still fits within standard business card dimensions.

A folded business card means you can have a clean and clear look on the outside of the card, perhaps with your logo occupying one side and your contact information on the other side. The recipient could then fold open the card to reveal further information, for example for a map of your location if footfall is important to your business, a list of addresses if you have multiple locations, a diagram of your product if you are a product-centric business, or even a special offer or list of products.

Perforations

A perforation is a ‘half cut’, which allows the card to be easily split or separated. This process could be combined with a fold for some really creative results. You could use a perforation to allow the recipient to detach one half of the card, with one half being a coupon – great for the retail or hospitality industries, or a detachable price list. This could even be used for a duplicate set of contact details, or your head office details, so the recipient could keep one card and give the other to someone else or put it on the noticeboard in their office.

A great example of this in action is for a mechanic. The tear off half of the card could contain the head office details and come with a prompt for the recipient to keep it in their glove box. That way if the recipient’s car breaks down again, they will have your details to hand, generating you repeat business.

Incorporating these in your design

After reading these ideas, you may be wondering how to incorporate them into your business card design. It’s important to realise that not all printers can offer every service listed here.

It’s also a good idea to talk to your printer about these techniques in the early stages of your design project to ensure you know the necessary guidelines to follow. This way, you can eliminate a lot of back and forth between you and your designer, which helps speed up the process and cut costs.

Unlike a lot printers, at Swallowtail Print we produce all our projects on site in our factory rather than outsource manufacturing elsewhere. This means we can offer a wider range of printing options and ensure every project reaches your high standards, while being overseen by one of our printing experts.

By Simon Tilbrook