spot gloss business cards – BlockbusterPrint.com Blog

Key Characteristics of Effective High-End Business Cards

Are you thinking about distributing high end business cards to your clients? If yes, you are on the right path because high-quality cards equate to a better impression of your brand in the minds of your customers and clients. As compared to thin, barely readable business cards, spot gloss business cards that are made using the offset printing process is the better choice. Not only will customers be impressed with your brand, but they will also equate it with the quality of services or products that you are offering.

So how can you say that a business card is high-end? Here are some of the characteristics of high-end business cards:

• It is readable, accurate, and well-designed.

Even if you are in the creative field, there is no need to go gaga over crazy-looking fonts – especially if they are not readable. Your goal in creating a business card is to indicate all your necessary contact information, so it should be readable. High end business cards are also designed in such a way that it reflects your image as a brand. More importantly, the information should be accurate and complete. You can skip the office address if you are a purely online business. If you’re a real estate agent, you need to include your contact number and email address. Also think about including your social media information, especially if this is one of the main ways that you interact with customers.

• Close attention is paid to the even the smallest details when printing out the card.

Another key characteristic of high-end business cards is that they are printed with close attention to detail. The US standard size of spot gloss business cards is 3.5”x 2”. With very little space, every typographical error or printing mistake will painfully stand out.

• There are special features to make the card stand out.

In a stack of plain linen business cards, what will make high end business cards stand out? Unique features like rounded edge, or plastic or recycled paper material are a few examples. Spot gloss business cards are also considered high-end cards because gloss is added to outline specific areas like logos or a name. Do take note that some features are only available if you will go with offset printing, so it is better to choose offset printers in the first place.

If you want attention-grabbing, high-end business cards, go for something like spot gloss business cards that will truly make your brand stand out.

Effective Ways to Utilize Spot UV Business Cards for Marketing Your Brand

Whichever industry your business is in, it is a must to include spot UV business cards as part of your print marketing campaign. With the proliferation of digital ad campaigns, printed materials will really set you apart. It’s something tangible that will leave a lasting impression to your customers. The good news is that there are many companies specializing in printing spot gloss business cards. You just need to find one that will give you high-quality offset prints, without charging you too much for the service.

Another thing that you need to consider when using business cards to market your brand is its design, overall look, and the material used. Remember that you have only a few seconds to leave a good first impression to your customers. When you hand over a thin, barely readable business card with your contact information in it, the person you have the card to might not even bother keeping it. On the other hand, when you carefully present a thick, impressive business card with a special coating like spot UV – it looks and feels really luxurious. The impression is that the attention and expense you put into having the card made will translate to the way that you conduct your business, and offer your products or services.

Now, when it comes to spreading the word about your brand with the use of business cards, it’s all about creatively presenting it to your existing and potential customers. When you print business cards, here are a few tips on how to effectively utilize them for marketing:

Liberally distribute your cards to existing and potential customers. When you’re meeting a supplier, for example, you can give him or her half to a dozen of your business cards and guess where those will end up? In the hands of people who are already connected to your business network. The only value of business cards is when they’re handed out, so don’t be stingy about it.
As a form of courtesy, also ask for the card of your business contacts when they do ask for yours. Networking is an important part of business, and exchanging cards is one of the most classic yet effective ways to give your brand a boost.
Design the card in such a way that there’s a place for someone to write a short note about you or your brand. You can leave the entire back part of the card blank, or only print on 50% of the back’s surface so that they can have something to write on.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to always follow up. What was your goal in distributing the card in the first place? If it’s to increase the orders in your food business, for example, you can make a quick call or send a casual email to your new business contact. If you gave it to a supplier for a potential business deal, don’t hesitate to place a phone call for a follow-up.

By knowing how to properly print and distribute business cards, you can use it as an excellent tool in spreading the word about your business.

Standard-Sized Spot UV Business Cards or Something Else? Know Which One will Work for Your Business

If you want your contact information to stand out in a stack of thin, cardboard cards, then you really need to think about having a set of spot UV business cards made. These can be ordered from printing companies that offer offset printing services. What’s the advantage of going for offset over digital printing? Take a quick look:

Offset printing delivers more professional-looking business cards and other printed promotional materials.
Offset printing uses state-of-the-art printing presses that can print out dozens or even hundreds of copies in a short period of time. As such, it’s the better option for bulk orders.
The print from offset printers last for a longer period of time as compared to digital prints.
With offset printing, you can come up with more printing or lamination effects. With spot UV business cards, for instance, high gloss is applied on a specific part of the card which could be the company logo. It leaves the rest of the surface flat and matte. When you run your fingers through the embossed, high-gloss parts of the card, it feels luxurious to the touch and looks really impressive.

Next, when it comes to size, should you go for standard or something that’s bigger or smaller? When you print spot gloss business cards, the standard size available is 3.5” x 2”. If you want to print business cards that really stand out, you can go for this standard size – but wit a portrait orientation on the design. This makes the card look upright, but it would still fit into a stack of other standard-sized cards.

However, if you really do want to veer off the standard size, you can have European-sized business cards especially made. This is a bit larger, measuring 2.125” x 3.375”. You can also go for square instead of a rectangular business card. These are available in 2” x 2” or 2.5” x 2.5” sizes. Slim business cards are also available, as well as mini-business cards and folded business cards you’re your business is creative in nature, then you can probably go for odd-sized business cards. But if you want to stick with the classic while still making your brand stand out, go for spot UV business cards which are made through offset printing.

Know How to Use Spot UV Business Cards as Membership Cards

If you ordered a set of standard-sized spot UV business cards, then you are already on the right path in advertising your brand. Business cards are an effective way of branding, and it can be part of your print marketing campaign. Let’s say that you just launched a business and you are in the process of gathering new clients. The cheapest way to advertise is to print business cards, letterheads, flyers, brochures, envelopes, and notepads. When you distribute notepads at a trade show, for example, make sure to also include business cards in it. The more people to get their hands into your printed promotional materials, the easier it will be to gain new customers and make your brand more well-known.

Now, how can you make sure that your business cards will leave a lasting first impression? By simply choosing a variant that’s as impactful as spot gloss business cards, you are well on your way towards making an excellent marketing statement. Your goal in printing out the cards in the first place is to leave a great first impression. If you hand over a thin, barely noticeable business card to a supplier, imagine how disappointing it must be to see such poor quality. Meanwhile, investing in a business card that’s made of thick grade paper, with luxurious printing effects like spot UV treatment – it will make an instantaneous impact.

Another thing to think about when you print business cards is its distribution. If you have a food business, for instance, you can include one business card in every takeout bag or delivery box. Simply putting your cards out there will give your business influx a good boost.

If you want, you can also turn your business cards into a discount coupon or a membership card. Using the previous example of running a food establishment, you can tell your customers that the business card will qualify them for a 10% discount when they order food to go or when dining in. You can also create a membership program where a specific group of customers will be entitled to freebies or discounts. Offering such benefits to your existing and potential clients will develop loyalty to your brand, increase your profit, and make your business grow significantly.

Why It Pays to Order Spot UV Business Cards through Offset Printers

You’re thinking about ordering 250 pieces of spot UV business cards but you don’t know where to start. You know that there are a couple of options available: digital and offset. Digital may sound modern and cheap – but can it handle complex printing jobs like cards with spot gloss lamination? Not necessarily. There are laminating effects that can only be handled by offset printers. This is just one of the many reasons why it pays to order spot UV or spot gloss business cards from companies that use offset printing.

Top 3 Advantages of Offset Printing

When placing an order for any number of spot gloss business cards, you must first ask the printing company if they can achieve such a laminating effect in the first place. Spot gloss or spot UV is a type of additional lamination applied to a specific surface of a matte business card, for example. If you have a black-and-white card, the spot gloss effect can be applied on the logo or an image on the design of your card. The rest of the card’s surface will be matte, while the areas applied with spot UV treatment will look embossed and ultra-glossy.

Not convinced yet? Here are the top three reasons why it pays to go with offset printing when having a batch of spot gloss business cards made:

Offset produces long-lasting prints.

In New York City, a lot of printing methods have come and gone but offset printers have stood the test of time. Why? Primarily because offset printing uses state-of-the-art printing presses which are huge. The mere bulk of the printers mean serious business, and it can deliver longer lasting prints as compared to digital desktop printers. This means that customers get the best value for their money.

Offset printers create more professional-looking prints.

It’s quite easy to spot the difference between digital and offset prints, especially when it comes to business cards. The next time someone hands over their business card to you, look closely at the way that the letters are printed. If you can still see the dots, especially on parts of the card printed in bold letters, it means that it is probably printed using digital desktop printers. If the color is solid, smooth, and sleek, it is most probably made using offset printing presses.

Offset printers can handle bulk printing jobs.

The regular printer that you have in the office may be able to churn out a dozen business cards for you – but an offset printer can produce hundreds – even thousands – of prints in a matter of minutes.

To sum it all up, offset printing has the obvious edge as compared to digital – so look for a company that offers offset printing services if you need to have a batch of business cards printed out.

Why Spot UV Business Cards Look its Best with Offset Printing

If you want a set of business cards that stand out, you might want to consider ordering spot UV business cards. When compared to a stack of thin cardboard or thick black-and-white cards, something that’s shiny and thick will immediately catch someone’s attention. Your goal in printing out business cards in the first place is to make a lasting impression, and spot gloss or spot UV business cards will accomplish just that.

How Spot UV Business Cards are Made

When looking for a printing service provider, you have two options: digital and offset. Why is it recommended that you go with offset when ordering a set of spot gloss business cards? To answer this question, it’s good to have a quick look at how spot UV cards are made in the first place.

Offset printing involves the use of digital layouts, film stripping, and color separation. Once the digital steps are done, a huge printing press is used to offset print the material – be it brochures, business cards, postcards, or banners. The process used to come up with this type of business cards is spot gloss lamination. Here, a high-gloss layer is applied to a specific part of the card. Let’s say that you have a standard-sized card and the design includes your business logo in the upper right corner, enclosed in a box. You can use spot gloss on your company logo to highlight that part. It will look shiny and embossed from the surface.

Since the rest of the card has a matte finish, the part where high-gloss is applied will truly stand out. Not only that but when you run your fingers through the card, the glossy part will feel ultra-smooth and luxurious to the touch. This is something that cannot be done using regular desktop printers, so offset printing is the best choice for spot gloss business cards.

One last thing – when ordering a set of offset Business cards, you must create additional files in solid black and solid white. The areas in black will get the glossy treatment while the white areas will be printed in matte white. To achieve the full effect, it is also not recommended that you use thin fonts or shadow effects. Solid letters in block colors or bold logos and images will make the gloss treatment stand out.

Suede, Foil Stamped, Spot Gloss Business Cards: Which Do You Prefer?

Are you considering ordering spot gloss business cards? This is a type of business card that offer an extra oomph, leaving customers impressed with what you have to offer as a company. By going for something that’s luxurious and extra special, you can easily achieve your marketing objectives.

Take Your Pick from these Luxurious Business Cards

Traditional business cards are sized 3.5” x 2” and are made from thin or thick cardboard material. But if you want to veer away from the traditional, there are many types of luxurious business cards to choose from. Here are a few options:

Suede business cards

Just like silk business cards, suede business cards feel like fabric to the touch. If you want to give your customers a glowing impression of your brand, this is definitely something that you must consider printing for your business. Made with 19-pt. paper, it has 70% the thickness of a credit card. The soft suede effect is achieved by using velvet lamination, something that cannot be done using simple desktop printing. If you want an organic theme for your business card, suede is the way to go.

Foil stamped business cards

Another luxurious business card option is foil-stamped cards. If you’re a lawyer, for example, and you want to impress clients, gold foil business cards is your best bet. Gold, silver, copper, or colored foil is used – not metallic ink – to ensure that a real metallic lustrous effect is achieved for the card. 17-pt. paper stock is used, and it is best to design the card with dark colors in mind to make the metallic glint pop out.

Spot gloss business cards

Finally, there’s the spot gloss business cards. As the name suggests, these are cards which have glossy ink applied only to certain spots on the card. It could be the logo, the name, a box with an image, etc. The combination of matte and glossy ink makes the spot appear raised or embossed for a fully impressive effect.

No matter which among these luxurious business cards you end up ordering, you are bound to leave a lasting impression to your customers because they’re extra special.

A Preview at How Luxurious Spot Gloss Business Cards are Made

There is absolutely nothing wrong when you go with traditional business cards – but why stick with it when you can go for something extra special like spot gloss business cards? Just like

silk business cards and gold foil business cards, spot gloss cards has an extra layer of printing that makes colors pop and the design stand out. Here, we will have a quick preview of how these ultra-specialty business cards are made.

Outlining the Process behind Making Spot Gloss Business Cards

There are many companies specializing in printing business cards, brochures, flyers, rack cards, and similar products. When looking for one, make sure that spot gloss business cards is included in their products list, or you might not achieve the same effect.

Now, here’s a quick preview at how luxurious spot gloss business cards are made:

Offset printing is used, not digital.

Companies that specialize in printing brochures use state-of-the-art printing presses that apply the offset printing process, as well as features like Heidelberg color technology. Although there are cheaper digital printers out there, it is better to go with offset printing if you want superior and professional-looking results.

After the first layer of printing is done, a second layer of glossy printing is applied on specific areas of the card.

The first application of ink on the business card paper has a matte effect. Then, specialized ink to achieve a high-level of gloss is applied – but only on certain areas of the card. If you want to outline an image, the logo, or a specific part of the card, this is where the gloss is applied. The combination of matte and glossy ink raises the part of the card that’s printed in spot gloss, making the colors pop and highlighting the name, logo, or image.

Thick paper stock is used on standard-sized business cards.

Because there are two layers of ink applied, it is best to use thick paper stock for spot gloss business cards. Printing companies recommend using thick 16-pt. or super thick 17-pt. paper. You may also want to place your orders in advance to give the printing company plenty of time to perfectly finish the process.

Indeed, spot business cards are an excellent option if you want your brand name to really stand out.

Get that Super Cool Effect from Spot Gloss Business Cards

If you want to up the ante in representing your brand, why not distribute spot gloss business cards? This is a super cool printing effect that can only be achieved using the offset printing method from companies with state-of-the-art printing presses. If you’re going for something cheaper like digital printing, it might be difficult – if not impossible – to achieve the same luxurious effect.

How is the Spot Gloss Effect Achieved?

Just like gold foil business cards, a specialized printing process is used to achieve the spot gloss effect. As the name implies, gloss is applied to certain parts of the business card. If you have a standard-sized 3.5” x 2” card, for example, a high-gloss layer can be applied to the logo. If the design is black-and-white, gloss can be applied on the white parts of the card to highlight certain aspects of the design. The application of a glossy layer makes the colors pop. Since the rest of the surface has a matte effect, running your fingers through the parts with the glossy layer makes the business card feel extra luxurious. It adds another dimension to the design, making your brand stand out.

Here’s a quick list of other things to remember when ordering spot gloss business cards:

Consider adding gloss to logos, illustrations, a name, or just the parts of the card’s design that you wish to highlight.
The spot gloss effect works best with a thick card stock, so go for thick 16 pt. or super thick 17 pt. paper.
The ‘gloss’ part is a combination of matte and glossy layers, making the area raised – which is something that you need to consider when creating the design. If you want to highlight a name, for example, make sure that it’s in a large font – otherwise, the glossiness of the design might be indistinguishable.
Similar products are silk business cards, silver or gold foil stamped business cards. All these add that extra layer of dimension to otherwise plain contact cards.

All in all, if you want your brand to stand out, you really must consider going with super cool spot gloss business cards.

Highlight Your Name or Logo with Spot Gloss Business Cards

When having something like spot UV business cards printed out, it is important to pay close attention to even the smallest details. There are many professional-looking business cards out there with odd sizes, a portrait instead of a landscape orientation, or a material that’s out of the ordinary. But if you want a classic effect that will still make you stand out, the spot gloss effect will achieve exactly that.

How are spot gloss business cards made? These printing jobs are taken on by professional offset printing companies. Unlike digital desktop printing, offset printing is a bit more complex because different coating can be used to achieve a specific effect. With spot gloss UV cards, for example, a special varnish-like coating is applied on top of the card. For this, an additional file in solid black and white is required.

The spot UV effect appears in such a way that the rest of the card’s surface has a matte coating, while a specific part has a glossy finish. Let’s say that you want to highlight the logo of your company which is encased in a square illustration. You need to create an additional file for this in solid black and white. During the printing process, that portion will get the spot UV treatment. Everything that’s in the square logo will appear glossy, while the rest of the card has a matte, silk, or satin finish.

To achieve the best results with a spot gloss business card, follow these quick tips:

Do not go with thin fonts or shadow effects. Highlight an entire portion or logo. If you want specific letters to appear glossy, choose a block or thick typeface.
For spot UV gloss cards, a silk 17-pt. paper or any thick paper is recommended. This way, the gloss effect of a particular area in the card is what will stand out.

When you print business cards with a spot gloss effect, choose an offset printing company and make sure that you know how to layout the design in such a way that the highlighted part will stand out. All in all, spot UV cards are a great way to put on the spotlight your business name or company logo.