Category: Business

Business card enhancement features like spot UV, embossing, and foil stamping can truly help differentiate your business in the minds of your customers and clients. But which one is the best? Read on to find out.

Embossed Business Cards

Embossing is where certain elements of your business card are raised by virtue of them getting pushed through from the opposite side of the card. The effect is similar to a credit card, where the account number is raised on the front and recessed on the back.

Embossing works well for text or even a water seal type of logo effect, however it does have limitations.

For one, you do not want artwork in the embossed area; you want the embossed areas to be clear of artwork on both sides or else the artwork and embossing will become jumbled and will look awful.

Additionally, most printers are not able to precisely line up embossing with ink. The exact embossed areas could shift 1/16 1/8 during the production process. So for example, if your card has a black background, the embossed areas must be black as well. You would not be able to have, say, white text embossed because it is not feasible for the embossing to line up with the underlying white text perfectly every time.

If you want your business card enhancement feature to allow for color that is different from the cards background color, consider either spot UV or foil stamping.

Spot UV Business Cards

Spot UV is where specific areas of your card are treated with a glossy coating. This effect does not impact the underlying color, it only makes the treated areas slightly raised and shiny relative to the non-glossy business card stock.

Typically, spot UV does not have the same alignment problems as embossing. With todays technology, spot UV can be precisely lined up against any ink-based design element. So here, if you had a black background with white text, you could have the text treated with spot UV so that it is shiny, raised, and white.

Spot UV works only on non-glossy cardstock, as doing spot UV on glossy business cards will not create a visible effect (everything is already glossy). Silk business cards are the best option for spot UV, because they are non-glossy and extremely durable.

Foil Stamped Business Cards

Foil stamping is where specific parts of your card are coated with a layer of metallic foil. It is typically offered in gold, silver, green, red or blue.

The foil stamped areas are not limited to only the cards background color like embossing. However, although color can be utilized, you are limited to the foil colors offered by the printer.

Also, foil stamped business cards are usually subject to the same shifting that could occur with embossed business cards, so it is important not to have any artwork in the stamped areas.

Which One Should You Use?

Generally speaking, none of these enhancements are available on glossy business cards. All 3 are most effective on silk business cards, so if you plan on utilizing a silk cardstock, your options are wide open.

Of the 3 options discussed, embossing is typically the least preferred because of the aforementioned color and artwork limitations. Additionally, embossed business cards are usually the most expensive of the three.

Foil stamping is also relatively expensive, but at least this feature offers more color options. The downside is that the foil can sometimes flake, peel or appear blotchy. Additionally, foil stamped business cards tend to become worn at an accelerated rate as they get pulled in and out of a wallet.

Most often, spot UV business cards provide the best bang for your buck. This option is by far the least expensive of the three, offers the full gamut of color availability, and is not subject to the same flaws as foil and embossing.

Strategy
Review your business’s strategy. Does it make sense? Can it be executed? Is it too “pie in the sky?” How does it address your markets and your businesss core strengths? A clear strategic plan is the basis for success in good times and in bad times. Look at the big picture and determine the strategies needed to be set in place for success.

Execution
The best strategic and business plans are worthless without execution and metrics. Do you have metrics in place to measure performance against financial AND operational targets (objectives)? Which objectives are hitting the mark and which are not? Why? Who is accountable? What is being done to address the weak areas of performance? A business is only as strong as its weakest employee.

Customers
During a questionable or stalled economy it seems as if businesses of all sizes are quick to put customers (those who pay the bills) last. This is a definite no-no! It is time to re-evaluate what the business is doing to delight customers and prove that they come first. Customers are the companys best asset and it costs much less to keep existing customers happy than to find new ones. No matter what the business product or service offered, customers have choices. Take the steps necessary to make your business their FIRST choice. Ask THEM if their needs are being met and what improvements can be made within the company or organization to keep them satisfied and wanting to come back.

Cost and Expense
Businesses are quick to cut expenses and people when there is softness in the economy. This is so easy, that even a child with a lemonade stand can do it. But it is often NOT the right answer. First look at where resources are deployed. Most resources should be involved in driving revenue and overall customer satisfaction. Keep your overhead costs to a minimum and watch your bottom line expenses. If that means redeploying and retraining, then it should be done. Secondly, before there are lay offs cut the outside contractors and consultants and perform what you can in-house. Also, cut salaries and bonuses at the top of the organization first. The biggest cuts should be among the biggest bosses (not the customer) facing employees and sales force. Finally, ask for input, the people on the floor and in the back office usually know where the biggest opportunities for REAL efficiencies exist. Ask them, and when you do, be sure to act on their recommendations and recognize them for their ideas.

Speed
I am amazed by what the USA did to mobilize resources in a very short time during World War II on the home front. Factories went from making automobiles and refrigerators to making military tanks and aircraft in huge quantities in an amazingly short time period. Imagine what it would have been like if they had had computers. So why does everything (except perhaps the Internet) take so long today? The time frames required to develop new products and services are often years rather than months. Look at timelines required in your business today and cut them by 25% to 50% while maintaining the same level of quality if not better. It can be done and this will definitely be a competitive advantage for your business.
For example our company determined how to quick turn our design and graphics production timelines without sacrificing the final product or service. We implemented our philosophy to under commit and over deliver, and actually did it! We analyzed how much time was needed for all types of production and cut it down by 25%. Once successful, we then took another approach and cut the time down again, still delivering the same quality product and excellent service to our customers while maintaining our quality of assurance systems in place.

Innovation
It is a natural tendency of most businesses, no matter what size, to take fewer risks when times are lean and mean. This includes new and innovative ideas for products, services, marketing and the way business is done. The BEST time for risk taking and innovation is when the economy is challenging and other businesses are cutting back. While most businesses are tightening their belt, businesses that take risks and push innovation stand out among their competition. Innovation is not limited to research, development or marketing. It should encompass all functions and aspects of any business that show others that you have what it takes to survive and are taking the risk that most businesses wish they could. Either step forward into growth or step back into safety.

Terms such as flat, downturn, recession, and stalled economy drive chills through most business people at any level. Money is tighter and market opportunities shrink, but there are winners and losers in both good and not so good economies. By addressing these areas of strategy, execution, customers, cost and expense, speed and innovation, any company (regardless of size, market or industry) can be a winner during recession. It is all about being an effective leader in an economy where there is doubt about the future.

Correct management is definitely the key for a business to survive crises like the current economic climate. In order to execute correct business management, several strategies need to be observed, executed and measured. Businesses must smarten up, market, manage their people, and follow their vision.

Engaging a printer to produce your custom business cards is a fantastic idea. The quality of the finished product will always be much better than a business card printed from a personal computer or stationary store, and most industry printing companies offer a wide assortment of quantities, card materials, and enhancement features (such as spot UV business cards). Some will even create your high-resolution, print-ready artwork for you, thereby eliminating the time and hassle of creating your own card files.

However, in order to optimize your print job, it is important to avoid or at least consider some of the potential problems that could create a less-than-perfect finished product.

Pitfall #1: Cards with Spot Colors

Accurate color reproduction is by far the most common problem seen throughout the printing industry. Most times, problems arise when a CMYK printer attempts to print a Pantone color. Pantone or spot colors are typically highly customized colors that fall outside of the normal CMYK 4-color printing process.

CMYK is a process whereby thousands of colors can be created by mixing various percentages of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K). Open any full color magazine and you will see CMYK printing. The vast majority of printers in the market utilize a CMYK process that is not compatible with spot colors.

Usually, whenever a CMYK business card printer attempts to print a spot color, a color shift occurs. In other words, the shade of the color might come out differently than the artwork file dictates. It might be possible to match a spot color to a CMYK color by utilizing a Pantone swatch book, but this is more of an art than a science and there is still no guarantee that the spot color will be accurately reproduced in a CMYK printing environment.

If you have a logo or some other design element that utilizes a Pantone color, attempt to locate a Pantone printer. Otherwise, you will have to recreate the logo in CMYK mode as closely as possible to the Pantone color.

Pitfall #2: Cards with Black Backgrounds

Whether you are printing a black business card or mixing black paint at the local Home Depot, black is by far the most difficult color to reproduce due to its deep, dark nature. A common problem with black cards is that they turn out gray, or that the black bleeds into other areas of the card.

This problem can be solved by following the best practice of utilizing a rich black for your cards background. Rich black incorporates other colors of the CMYK spectrum into the black color. A black background consisting of 100% black (C=0%, M=0%, Y=0%, K=100%) will almost certainly result in oversaturation and produce unexpected results.

A rich black incorporates values of C, M, and Y into the mix. To the naked eye, the black will look the same, but rich black is much more printer-friendly. The specific rich black CMYK mix varies depending on printer preference, but a good mix is C=40%, M=30%, Y=20%, and K=100%.

Pitfall #3: Business Cards with Borders

Artwork containing a border is a tricky proposition because even if the cardstock is perfectly lined up in the equipment, a slight shift could occur during the trimming process. Thus, the border may have one side larger or smaller than the others, or it might be off center on some of the cards.

Theres really not much you can do about this because this shifting possibility is an industry-accepted standard. Just realize the possibility, and if the risk of uneven borders seems too great, remove the border from your custom business card artwork.

Pitfall #4: Cramming Multiple Enhancement Features on the Same Card

Enhancement features refer to such bells and whistles as spot UV, embossing, foil stamping, scoring, perforation, and more. It is not advisable to put more than one of these options on a single card because it puts too much stress on the cardstock.

You should only consider multiple enhancements with thick cardstock (15pt or higher). However, no matter how thick the cards are, the possibility for flaws is still high. Spot UV could crack, foil could flake, or embossing could show up unclear, among other possible problems. Your best bet is to stick with a single enhancement like spot UV business cards.

Pitfall #5: Hidden File Problems

Whenever you submit your files to the printer, pay careful attention to their file specifications. Many business card printers will check your files to ensure they are in-spec prior to production, but its not a good idea to rely on this because you just never know.

Hidden problems include things such as transparencies, overprint, and embedded fonts. Transparencies are basically layers in your file that could cause unexpected results. Always flatten your files. Also, always turn off overprint, and outline any and all embedded fonts to ensure they are not converted to an unwanted default font during production.

Conclusion

Hiring a business card printer for your custom business cards is an excellent idea, but occasionally printing problems could occur. By following the advice in this article, you can eliminate 99% of these potential problems.

When in doubt, ask your printing company for specific advice, especially if you are printing spot UV business cards or some other enhanced product. Most printers are highly accommodating, and are more than willing to provide advice to avoid problems down the road.

Are you looking for the absolute and most professional looking business card? Are you looking for a card that suits your high profile clients who attend million dollar business meetings? Do not worry nor panic. Silk Business Cards are the best choice for you. These kinds of business cards are of very high quality and are laminated with silk. The silk lamination protects the card from bending and creasing. They are the worlds smoothest business cards with considerably perfect thickness. Silk cards are 17pt and this makes it 60% thickness of a credit card, which make them the thickest cards you can ever own.

The silk Business Cards are highly durable and last up to six times longer as compared to regular cards. The 17pt thickness is an exclusive feature that makes you business card to impress all your clients. It is a feature that makes these business cards to belong to a distinct class.

What Makes Silk Business Cards The Best Choice?

Silk cards are perfect and distinct from any other cards around the world. They are designed with unique features that make the silk cards to be the choice for very visionary business operator. The following features make the silk business cards to be distinct:-
Silk lamination that makes the cards look elegant
Durability of the cards
17pt thickness which is a unique feature
It has an optional foil stamping feature that allows you to place your own desire foil type such as silver foil, gold foil or colored foil
You also add a UV gloss layer to the card which makes a pretty separation between the finishes, silk and gloss
During printing, you do not have to budget for a first impression since it is priceless.

These features make the silk business cards to be the only perfect choice for anyone who values quality, class and making a permanent impression to all clients. The price is highly affordable to ensure that you get a quality service at a favorable price. If you order these business cards online, you are sure to get the satisfaction you desire. It takes approximately 48 hours from the time you submit an order to the time you receive them. Business cards have remained a very strong marketing tool over a long time and nothing seems to overtake it.

What Are Premium Business Cards?

Premium Business Cards are rated the best business cards of all time. They are durable since the cards are designed and printed with great thicknesses that allow them to remain useful for long periods before renewal. This means that the cards are convenient, elegant and cheap. If you want to choose a premium quality for your cards then it will be a great idea if you choose a thickness of 16pt and 17pt, which is 50% to 60% the thickness of a credit card. These cards are of the best quality and they will impress all you clients. Choose a premium business card today and you see the difference.

When you are getting ready to order business cards there are some things that you should think about. First consider what you would do if you were to get two business cards from two of the same types of businesses. One of these business cards is going to be black and white and have the basic information while the other is going to have the same information and be colorful and glossy. It is likely that you are going to be more impressed with the glossy business cards. This is something that you should remember because both of these are going to contain the same basic information like the contact person, website, email address, phone number, and physical address. Plus they are going to announce the business and what the business is known for. If you are more likely to pick the glossy version than that means that a lot of other people are going to be keeping your business cards if this is your choice as well.

Today the glossy business cards are one of the more popular choices because the economy is not doing well and there is so much competition for businesses and jobs. So if you do not have much money to invest in advertising for your business then this is one upgrade that can really help you to improve your business and get your investment back. They are going to get you far more business than the plain or standard versions are and they are going to get you noticed more. In fact it is important to know a few statistics when it comes to business cards like that twenty percent of them are thrown away within twenty four hours of when someone gets them. This can be a problem for your business because it can cost a lot of money for you that is basically being thrown away. When you choose the glossy coated ones they are likely to last longer than the normal version and they are going to be more impressive to those who receive them.

There are two different versions of glossy business cards. Some of these are just regular business cards that have been printed and then covered in a glossy coating making them thicker and causing them to last longer. Others are just printed on glossy paper and these are not going to last as long. In fact the first are going to be resistant to water and sun and will actually keep from aging but the others are going to still have problems with fading and yellowing and will not hold up against water. So if you are going to spend the extra money you should make sure that you are choosing the ones that are coated with the glossy coating.

Finally remember that this is going to help you to be able to get the most color on your cards as well. You will find that this is going to help the colors to be more vibrant and more noticeable. Plus it is going to help you to have the best overall effect for your business so that you will be happiest with the purchase that you have made when you order business cards.