Cards

A business card or visiting card is a small printed document that displays a person's basic information, for example:

  • Name and surname
  • Position or title
  • Company name and logo
  • Address, telephone and email
  • ...

It is a common marketing tool used by professionals and also widely used by individuals.
Nowadays, business cards are essential as they are a very useful way to disseminate a brand and make new contacts, and, despite technological progress, they are still used by countless companies. They help to increase the brand's credibility and they reflect professionalism and integrity.

Format

The standard size of a business card in Europe is 85x55 mm, coinciding with the size of ID cards and credit cards.

It is the ideal size to be stored in wallets, although - logically - it is not the only size that can be used. In fact, any other measurement is valid for this type of product, always respecting the reasonable and practical size that its use advises.

The most widely used format in South American countries is 90x50 mm.
Other widely used measurements are 85x45 mm or square measurements such as 55x55 mm or 60x60 mm.

Horizontal and vertical formats are used interchangeably in the design of the card, according to the designer's taste.

Printing

Business cards can be printed on one or both sides in one of the following ways:

  • colour (four-colour)
  • in black
  • in two colours
  • in Pantone colours
  • a combination of all of them

Sometimes companies and institutions have a corporate image manual in which they indicate the exact colours (usually Pantones) to be used during the printing of their stationery, in this case: Business cards.

Medium

The media for printing cards varies greatly. Although the most commonly used are coated, laid and offset paper and card.

It is also very common to find special paper, in the search for originality and visual impact.
There are many different types of high quality paper and card that are pleasant to the touch that can be used to print cards.

The weights to be used in the cards focus on higher weights, between 250 and 350 grams, in order to give the card certain sturdiness.

Tips

Most cardholders and wallets have standard measurements for storing cards. If we adhere to these measurements, we will ensure they can be stored correctly, thus preventing the cards being lost or ending up in the bin.

On the other hand, if we make the card too small, we reduce the space we have to design and place information and it could become illegible or too full.

Business cards are a product that lends to the use of effects and finishes such as: embossing, UV varnish, stamping, die-cutting shapes...
With this type of effects and finishes we will improve the company's image and increase its brand value.

It is also very common to protect the card by plastic coating it to considerably increase its durability, although this prevents us from easily writing on its surface with a pen, for example.