Business Card Design
QUANTITY Much of the cost of printing business cards is in the setup. To keep your costs down, print as many cards as you can in a single run. If you anticipate hiring more people over the next year or two, it may be cheapest to print cards for existing employees plus a large batch of templates with your basic company info (logo, slogan, address, URL) but no name, title, etc. When you add new employees, you can print their name, email, and phone numbers on the templates in a smaller batch. How many people need cards right now? QUANTITY* NAME (SEE NOTE BELOW) Total (A) Number of new hires planned (for blank templates) (B) Number of cards per new hire (C) Total blank templates (D = B*C) Total cards to print (A+D) *Typical quantities
100: Too few; not recommended because setup costs are disproportionately high; 250 will cost very little extra 250: A good size box if you’re not going to pass out a lot of cards 500: Two good size boxes 1000, 2000, 3000+
QUALITY Your Value Proposition Your Design Theme
Corporate Identity Business Card Design
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COLOR Before selecting paper, it’s best to determine how you will use color on your cards. QUESTION
VALUE
COMMENTS
Number of colors in your logo (A) Number of additional colors you may want on the card (B)
Total number of colors (A+B)
Black is considered a color as well; white is not EX: If black isn’t in your logo and you think the text should be black, you’ll need 1 additional color If you have 4 or more colors, you’ll probably be better off with 4-‐color printing – see below If Y, you’ll need 4-‐color printing
Do you need to print a photo on the card? Are any of your colors metallic?
N
Y
N
Y
Metallic inks can’t be replicated effectively in a four-‐color process; you’ll need to add a spot color to your job, which adds cost
PAPER Paper makes a huge impact. Here are some standard weights and finishes for you to consider; you’ll want to discuss your options with your printer and get samples. A flimsy, poorly-‐printed card doesn’t help you convey professionalism – in fact, it may do more harm than good. Even at low volumes, the incremental cost of going with higher quality printing and paper is almost always worth the investment per card. If you are printing on both sides of the card, your paper will need to have the same finish on both sides and must be opaque so the printing doesn’t show through.
WEIGHT
“Card” or “cover” stock is traditionally used for business cards. WEIGHT
COMMENTS
80#
Most companies use this paper for their business cards. It is fairly lightweight. Average quality. Good heavy paper that feels far more substantial, high quality. Great for double-‐sided printing. Midpoint between 80# and 120#. A better choice than 80# if you’re printing on both sides.
120# 100#
CONSIDER? Y
Y Y
FINISH Corporate Identity Business Card Design
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Uncoated stock has a matte finish and is traditionally used for business cards and letterhead. It comes in a variety of colors and finishes. FINISH
COMMENTS
Wove
Smooth surface Very slight grain in one direction Texture in both directions similar to linen fabric. Very traditional feel.
Laid Linen
CONSIDER?
Y Y
Y
You can also add a clear varnish to uncoated paper to provide extra depth and interest. VARNISH
COMMENTS
Matte
A dull finish and slightly grainy texture that softens your design because it diffuses light. Provides a glossy finish and sharpens images. Means the varnish is printed over a selected image, not the entire page. Helps an image stand out against its background.
Gloss Spot
CONSIDER?
Y Y Y
Coated stocks have a coating on one or both sides. They absorb less ink so images are sharper and colors are brighter. A coated stock is appropriate for business cards with 4-‐color printing, bright colors or sharp creative design. COATING
COMMENTS
1-‐side
If you’re printing on both sides, you’ll need a paper that’s coated on both sides Has low reflectivity providing a soft look A glossy finish makes images sharper and more reflective
2-‐side Matte Gloss
CONSIDER? Y
Y Y Y
ADDITIONAL FINISH OPTIONS OPTION
COMMENTS
Embossing
Embossing creates a raised 3D image that conveys strength and tradition. You should use a heavy uncoated stock. However, you can’t print on the back side of the card. In addition to an
Corporate Identity Business Card Design
CONSIDER?
Y
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OPTION
Foil stamping
COMMENTS incremental cost per card, you’ll need to have a die made (could be a few hundred dollars). Also requires a die. Hot foil is stamped into the paper. Can convey elegance and tradition, but be careful – it can also look dated.
CONSIDER?
Y
CONTENT If you’re going to print blank templates for future employees, design your cards so that the individual employees’ information is in a separate section that can be printed later. What do you need to include on your cards? STANDARD INFORMATION VARIABLE INFORMATION (same on all cards)* (varies by employee) Logo Employee name Slogan/tagline Title Company address Employee phone number Company phone number Cell number Company fax number Email address URL Other Do you need additional graphics (other than your logo) on the card? No Yes – describe: Will your content fit cleanly on one side of a card, or will you need a double-‐sided (or larger format) card? FORMAT
Single-‐sided, standard size Double-‐sided, standard size Consider a unique format – larger size, hinged/folded, etc.
DESIGN Based on your value proposition and brand strategy, you may not need to be overly creative with the design of your cards. Some printers have a catalog of standard design, color and font choices that may work for you. Corporate Identity Business Card Design
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You can start by considering a unique size or shape for your cards OPTION
COMMENTS
Modified size
For example, you can use a shorter but wider card or a square card Print the cards in a vertical rather than horizontal format A die is used to cut these cards out of a larger sheet of paper and may require you to purchase a die, although your printer may have one already. You could round all of the corners, a single corner, or opposing corners. As with the rounded corner option, you can use a die to create a card in virtually any shape – round, curved edges, or completely custom shapes.
Vertical orientation Rounded corners
Unique shape
CONSIDER?
Y Y Y
Y
What other design elements are most important in conveying your brand identity?
BRAND CONSISTENCY
When you’ve finished with your requirements, make sure they’re consistent with your brand strategy. ENTER YOURS IS THE TEMPLATE CONSISTENT? Brand position Y N Needs more work Five brand personality traits Y N Needs more work Y N Needs more work Y N Needs more work Y N Needs more work Y N Needs more work
SELECTING A PRINTER
Once you have your requirements started, it’s best to get quotes from three printers. [Vendor Selection can help.] Corporate Identity Business Card Design
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Corporate Identity Business Card Design
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