Business Cards:  Matte vs. Glossy Finish

One of the most consequential decisions for people ordering business cards is whether to select glossy or matte (non-glossy) finish. If your cards are going to feature complex graphic images, then a glossy finish would be the best choice. Glossy cards are also good choices for businesses that plan to use cards that are not employee-specific. Examples of these would be auto repair shops, restaurants, etc. Glossy finish generally attracts attention and makes for a more durable business card. Matte cards are best for simple designs that mainly display your company and contact information. Matte cards are also best for writing on. If you plan on distributing your cards at conventions, happy hours or other social settings, then it might be crucial to have a business card on which someone can easily jot a few notes. In these settings, it is common for attendees to distribute and receive many business cards in a short period of time. So, a few notes about a particular conversation or person written on your business card can mean the difference between getting a call back and being filed away with the other forgettable cards. The finish you choose for your business cards will reflect your personal situation and needs.

Designing Business Cards:  Simple design editor vs. WYSIWYG

A well-established online business card company will give you the ability to upload your own business card designs, as well as create them from scratch with a card creation tool. This card creation tool comes in one of two forms: a simple design editor, which allows you to type information into pre-defined fields and click to update your card with this information, and a WYSIWGY editor, which allows you to edit the content of your business card directly on the electronic representation of the card. Neither format is inherently better than the other. They both have advantages and disadvantages, which may or may not affect the ease of creating your business card. One thing that they have in common is that both display the document trim lines or will warm you if your design doesn’t fit certain parameters. Both editors should also allow you to save your design as you are working on your card. The distinctions are as follows:

• Simple design editor: This tool simplifies the design process for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time creating their business cards. To use this editor, type your business card information into pre-defined fields and click a button that will update your business card preview with the information given. This tool is typically used in conjunction with pre-made business card layouts and/or templates. Depending on the layout or template you select, you may or may not have the ability to upload your own images or logos. This is the most common type of design editor that business card companies offer. This is also the most common editor for editing raised print business cards.
• WYSIWYG editor: With this type of editor, you generally have more flexibility in creating your card. Text can be added to the document through text boxes, which pop up once you click on the area in which you want the text to appear. You can usually upload an image, background design or template. Most of the business card companies that offer a WYSIWYG design tool will also provide “rulers,” or grid lines that make the placement of text or images easy to do. Depending on the sophistication of the WYSIWYG editor, you may be able to rotate text or images, change background colors, flip or mirror text or images, and add lines or shapes. This type of editor is commonly used to edit full color business cards that feature images or graphic design work.

Business Card Proof Options & Guarantees

Some business card companies will offer a Money Back Guarantee, which means that if you are dissatisfied for any reason with the business cards you’ve received, you will be able to receive a refund on your order within a specified time period. This policy is typically not standard among business card companies. The reason is that nearly all business card companies will send you a proof (either electronic or hard copy) of your business card design before you purchase and get you to approve the design before it goes to print. If you created your design online, then you may be asked to agree to certain terms and conditions by checking a box or clicking a button. Although many business card printing companies will not offer a Money Back Guarantee, some may offer to re-print your cards for free or for a discounted price.