Glossy Vs. Not: A Business Card's Tale

Business cards tell a certain story about your business. Let's face it -- it's all about presence. The thickness of the card, the typography, whether or not you use a clipart, glossy or nay -- all are important and are vital to the success of a business card.

Take glossy, for example. A lot of business owners don't include a glossy finish to their cards because of cost. What they don't realize, unfortunately, is there are a couple of ways to getting a glossy look without the varnish.

The first type is a glossy finish. I'm not being a smarty-alec; that's what the finish is called. The paper stock is treated with a glossy finish, so once printed, there is a small shine to the cards without a lot of extra cost. The stock does cost a little more than a matte bond stock, but it's worth the extra pennies.

The next type is an aqueous finish. This type of glossy is a water-base, so you'll have a little more shine than the glossy paper stock, but not as thick or costly as the next step. Before opting for this finish, check with your print shop to make sure they offer it.

The next type is a UV coating. This is a little thicker, akin to a varnish, but colorless and odorless. Usually this type of finish is recommended if the business cards spend a lot of time out in the sun to protect the four-color printing. The biggest reason most business owners opt for this type is...you guessed it....PRESENCE. They want their card to appear rich, feel rich, look rich. This option gives the impression the business owner really pays attention to their image, lending credence to the belief the business owner will give same attention to your needs, too.

It's all about what choice appeals to you the most. Again, before settling on a glossy (or not) option, check with your print shop to make sure they offer what you're looking for. NEVER ASSUME all print shops are the same. But, I'll save that for another topic.

Now it's your turn! What type of finish do you have on your current business cards? What did you like about it? Will you reorder with that finish in mind again?

Happy designing!

Cheers,
Lisa