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Simply, metal business cards ensure you make a great first impression, every time. When you hand out a metal business card, it creates an instant WOW effect, and make sure people won’t forget meeting you. You start a conversation without saying a word.
Many folks see business cards as a commodity and think they can get great value by buying in bulk at the cheapest price and distributing their paper cards to the largest number of people possible and then wait for the phone to ring or the inbox to fill up. We don’t think so.
There should be no doubt that metal business cards will boost your business. That’s why we’ve put together this ultimate buyer’s guide to metal business cards to help you understand your design options and choose the right cards that work the best for you.
“Being in my industry for 20 years and 9 of those in upper management. i deal with a lot of venders day in and day out. I get tons of business cards day in and day out, and to be honest i just chuck them ( throw away). Then one day my [redacted] rep came in. I had not seen him in a while and so he went went to give me his business card and it was metal! anyway the conversation changed from routine to less stressful sales tactic, I didn’t see him as trying to sell me. It put him on a whole different level in a second like that in my mind… Even if i didn’t like him, i still would not throw that card away, you just don’t, you are just accustom to keep something different and unique. I even went out of my way to show my colleagues.“
– Steven W. (emphasis added)
We strongly believe so, and thousands of customers agree (check out some reviews). Here are a few reasons why metal cards are worth the investment:
Well, for one, they are durable and last much longer. A metal business card isn’t going to get dog-eared in your wallet or get soggy in your coat pocket if you get caught in a rain shower.
In fact, they can withstand a lot of punishment that would frankly finish a paper business card.
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“We work in construction and our cards used to get sweaty and fall apart, the metal cards are not affected by sweat. Builders and Architects are always impressed with our cards.”
– Colter M.
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“I found My Metal Business Card on Instagram. After buying paper business cards in the past and seeing them fall apart in my wallet I needed a “commercial grade” business card. Metal business cards are the answer. Not only will the cards stand out, but they will hold up over time.”
Then there’s the ‘wow’ factor. Think about that person you will hand your metal business card to and imagine his or her desk drawer full of white paper business cards they have barely glanced at since they first grasped them out of expectant hands.
Now, here you are, with your sleek, cool and stylish metal business card.
The FEEL of the card is magical – when your new contact feels the touch and weight of metal, it’ll certainly raise an eyebrow or two and your business will be etched on their minds for some time to come.
“I only wish I would have known about these ultra-cool cards years ago. Words don’t even come close to expressing the ‘WOW’ factor they have and the repeat business I’ve been receiving because of them. Most people have never seen anything like them. The responses I receive from basically every customer whom I give one to is priceless. They are absolutely worth their weight in gold.”
–Mike S. AK, United States
Metal cards elevate your professional image to a whole new level.
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“The WOW I get every time I hand one to a potential client is PRICELESS. They separate me in a saturated market.”
“I have given my cards out to $123,975.00 of work. Each one of the contacts mentioned that the cards were very memorable. That I stood out, thats one strong reason I was awarded the projects…”
The price of metal card per piece might be higher than bulk paper cards – however, most people find they get much more VALUE from metal cards. Let’s look at three value-drivers:
1: People don’t throw away metal business cards.
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“They really do set yourself aside from anyone else handing out a paper card. My first order was better than I expected! Clients and Customers don’t feel like they can throw this away, so they sit on their desks or in their homes, and give constant “organic” advertising to anyone who sees them! I love people’s reactions to them, totally worth investing in!”
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“The reaction I receive when I hand out my cards is always WOW. I want them to remember meeting me, and they do.“
2: And they show the cards to their colleagues and friends.
“My metal business cards literally drew a crowd at Dunkin Donuts when I was showing a buddy“
– Brian T. McCann
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“My metal business cards are simply amazing. You talk about creating a lasting impression. When you are in a large group of peers and everyone is talking about you…WIN!”
No, we’re not talking about the kind of flexibility you get from bending your plastic credit card – and we’re not talking pilates either. Although it won’t bend, a metal business card is much more flexible than a paper business card because of the many different ways you can customize it.
There isn’t much you can really do with a one-size-fits-all white paper business card, but at My Metal Business Card, you can really cut loose.
Different colors, cool etching, exquisite lettering, jaw-dropping images, you can even have different shapes cut into it. All this combines to provide an unforgettable calling card for you to distribute to would-be clients.
1. “Business Cards are an outdated source of networking.” – In a hustle and bustle world where everyone is always on the move, what better way to set yourself aside from the rest than to hand out a one-of-a-kind metal business card. Not only will your first impression be second-to-none, your metal business card will help strike a conversation out of the ordinary “what do you do for work?” discussion.
2. “More isn’t necessarily better.” – Some tend to believe cramming as much information on a business card as possible is the best route. Although it may seem that way, often times simplicity is best. Providing someone with the means to contact you is usually all you need; it also leaves more room for design on the card.
3. “It’s alright if my business card has outdated information.” – This can be viewed as an initial insight on how you do business or run your company. If you present a future client with outdated information, it may appear that detail is not important to you, and you are willing to cut corners, which can possibly cost you a business connection.
4. “Business Cards are a waste of money.” – Your business card expense should be included in your marketing expense. These are powerful marketing tools, not just a card with your number on it. Producing a low quality business card may potentially lower your chances of clients actually keeping your card. Choose to invest in branding yourself with metal business cards because one new client can make it all worth it. Be proud of a product that represents you.
Metal cards don’t have to look like plain stainless steel… There are plenty of finishes available to customize your cards even further to better match your brand and style.
All our metal cards are made from stainless steel, but finished differently through our sophisticated coating process.
Stainless steel cards capture a clean, modern feel in timeless style. These cards are our most popular for a reason – they’re cost effective, attention getting, and do one job extremely well – they make you instantly standout and leave a memorable impression.
Our most sophisticated and luxurious metal business card type! Black Metal Business Cards are designed to impress with their matte black look and feel.
Black Metal cards can be made with a Matte Black finish or Textured finish. Or go for the unique Brushed Gunmetal finish!
The newest finish to our line-up and arguably the most modern! These cards are clean and fresh.
White Metal Business Cards are sure to impress with their bright, smooth-white finish. Our screen-printed colors really pop on this card finish.
Brass Finish Metal Business Cards look like they’re made of shiny brass and that makes them grab major attention. You can choose Matte Finish, Brushed Brass Finish, Textured Brass Finish for a stylish, less reflective look.
Made from 304 stainless steel with a special coating to look like polished gold, these cards are perfect for fashion and trend-conscious innovators.
The cards are available with these finishes:
Rustic meets modern with our Copper Finish Metal Business Cards. Hand your new clients metal cards that will impress and tell your brand story.
Aside from steel, we also produce carbon fiber business cards. Ultra-light weight but stronger than steel, Carbon Fiber is the new medium of choice for everything from race cars to commercial airplanes. Capture attention with one of the most recent and innovative mediums.
Our standard production time for metal business cards, metal invitations, bottle opener cards and metal tags takes two to three weeks (apart from Quick Metal Cards which can be shipped as fast as 24 hours):
Once your order has shipped, you can expect to receive your cards no later than five business days based on your geographical location from our office in Southern California. We also offer a range of expedited shipping options you can choose at checkout.
International shipping time depends greatly on the destination country. Please contact us for an estimate.
The production lead time for metal business cards is longer than paper cards as metal cards are inherently more complicated to manufacture than paper. Unlike paper business cards, metal cards simply can’t be printed on a sheet of metal and then cut out.
See the section How to make metal business cards for details.
If you come across “cheap metal business cards,” be aware that you might not receive the same quality processes that have made My Metal Business Card the world leader in metal card production. We are trusted by brands large and small because of our refined manufacturing processes. Read more below and this buyer’s guide’s section cheap metal cards on why you should balance the quality and cost carefully when buying metal business cards.
Although it can seem increasingly difficult these days, seeking substance in business, and indeed all walks of life, is a rewarding pursuit. Substance, however, is hard to quantify and, in many ways, is more of feeling than a measure.
When we think of a person as having substance, we tend to think about their professionalism and how worthwhile what they do or say is.
At My Metal Business Card, we also think about substance when it comes to the design and production of our metal business cards. Our cards are designed to be slim and easily stored, but that doesn’t mean we skimp on quality, thickness or weight.
Think of slim metal and you’ll perhaps imagine the aluminum that is used to make soda cans.
At My Metal Business Card, we want to give you something weightier than that, something more valuable – something with substance.
That’s why when it comes to metal business cards, weight is not only important – it makes all the difference. In fact, this is the main reason all of our cards are made from stainless steel and not aluminum. Aluminum just doesn’t feel valuable.
That’s why all our metal business cards are made with 304 stainless steel. It carries weight, in the literal and figurative sense. A top-quality product speaks volumes about your professionalism when you present it to a client.
You’ll want your cards to feel and look like they have substance. Only high-quality materials make your cards durable and long-lasting, much like the impression you will make to the person you are handing it to.
Next, let’s talk about the card thickness.
Very few companies make metal business cards, and everyone has their own standard thickness.
Our minimum card thickness is .5mm (or .019″ inch, or 500 microns). This is slim enough to slide into a wallet, pocket or purse, but weighty and substantial enough so that someone knows they are holding a piece of quality metal.
.5mm metal cards are sturdy, solid, and the weight is just right. Not too heavy. Not too light.
Simply put:
It should feel thick and durable.
It should give the impression of luxury and professionalism.
And our cards do just that. They give the immediate impression of value and confidence.
Don’t take our word for it, here’s a note we received from our valued and well-spoken client, Matthew Reynaud…
Question:
What was the single biggest reason that convinced you to place your order with My Metal Business Card?
Answer:
Weight a minute… Have you ever held an object in your hand and It seemed to be abnormally light? Say a cell phone or a watch for example. It is not uncommon to relate that object with being “cheap” if it perceived as being “too light”
The opposite of course is when you pick up a cell phone or a watch and it is surprisingly heavy it makes you take a second and say to yourself “oh hey this thing is serious!” That is because of a subconscious psychological effect that we have built in.
We associate things that are heavy with importance, value or significance. Please see link below for further reading on that subject. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/the-link-between-weight-and-importance.html
The other is a matter of positioning. Business cards are the equivalent of junk mail. Most go completely unnoticed no matter how fancy your artwork, simply because of information overload. However, if you can pass someone something that they are not expecting say a live hamster you have a far better chance of getting their attention.
So those two things taken into account a metal business card makes perfect sense and they are much more manageable to hand out than hamsters. Hope that helps add some value to you and your organization.
Best regards,
Matthew Reynaud
We know that seeing is believing, which is why we offer free generic samples to our clients.
Let us send you a Metal Business Card sample so you can HOLD ONE in physical form – you’ll see the weight is just right and the quality speaks for itself!
With marketing and advertising styles constantly evolving, the card thickness you need you need is directly correlated with what purpose your cards will have. Functionality can be key. Here are some contrasting points about the various card thicknesses we offer:
You may be convinced of the merits of metal business cards but feel you lack the creative know-how to come up with a cool and eye-catching design for your company’s card.
Don’t worry, you’re in safe and extremely capable hands with My Metal Business Card.
Our professional graphic designers will help you bring your vision to life. And if you are lacking in a clear vision, they’ll help you with that too.
From the initial consultation, to the final proof, you will have the helping hand of our designers guiding you every step of the way. We know how to make you look awesome.
You may have an existing image you want rendered onto a card or choose from the many of options we have on offer. Whether it is specific lettering, a certain design or color, our graphic designers will work with you to produce the metal business card that best reflects your brand’s image.
We offer two options:
Artwork Option 1. Choose our Artwork Service add-on when adding a product to cart, or choose a package with Artwork Service included (see Special Offers).
Going this route, you can upload your logo or any other files (i.e. drawings, logos, photo of your existing business card etc.) that you want included in the design of your custom metal cards or to serve as inspiration. You can also add any ideas and requirements as written notes for our designers.
Example of a more detailed client design directionWithin 24 hours and often faster (during business hours), we’ll email a digital proof made by one of our professional designers.
If you wish to change anything in your design proof, you can simply add notes and click a button to send it back to our designers.
Only after you are completely satisfied and thrilled with your design, and confirm the artwork, is the order sent to production in our state-of-the-art facility.
For unique insight and plenty of examples, read how we created business card designs for 4 of our clients: Business Card Design Case Study.
Artwork Option 2: Provide your own vector artwork with all fonts outlined.
The complete artwork layout must be provided in a vector format, and the file types accepted are .ai, .eps, .cdr, .pdf, .dxf, and .dwg. If you have your own designer, you can find the metal business card templates for your designer on our Artwork Guidelines page.
Our metal cards are available in the standard rectangular business card shape, but can also be customized into a shape of your choosing.
Why not order a business card in a shape which reflects your brand or company’s area of expertise – a wheel shape for a tire repair shop, a house shape for reality business or neat camera cutout for a photography studio.
You can further customize your cards with features such as:
Also, there are a few optional advanced features available:
You can make metal gift cards by having us add a magnetic stripe.
You can stick your card on any flat surface by adding our durable adhesive backing.
Or add a magnet to the back of your cards to place on a metal surface like a refrigerator or filing cabinet.
Or drums, for example…
We love to see clients get creative with our products! @oqvistdrums uses our Dog Tags to brand their beautifully made drums. The Stainless Steel perfectly ties together their branding and the construction of the drum.You can personalize each card with a unique name, number, or both with our Variable Data add-on. Simply provide the variable information in an Excel file with your order. We also offer other variable add-ons including barcodes and QR codes.
This also allows you to take advantage of a pro-tip…
Using the Variable Data feature add-on, you can take advantage of quantity discounts by ordering cards for multiple people in your company in the same order!
Enter each person’s information to the same order as Variable Data, and you’ll get a cheaper price per card for the higher total order quantity. Our minimum order quantity is 50, meaning you could place an order for 200 cards, split between four different persons!
Do cheap metal business cards even exist?
Probably, but beware! Let us explain…
When you decide to invest in metal cards, make sure you go all the way and choose carefully whom you trust your business with.
It may be tempting to look for the cheapest metal business cards you can find – but those often leave you short of your desired goals.
If you don’t cut corners in your customer relationships, don’t do it with your cards either.
Beware: several companies claim to sell cheap, high-quality metal cards, but customers find out later the cards are not metal; instead, they have a metal-like varnish.
Other websites offer metal business cards, but their standard thickness is much thinner than we have at My Metal Business Card. We encourage you to research your metal business card options because card thickness and the quality and feel of your cards are important.
Also make sure your metal card manufacturer uses professional graphic designers to make sure you get the metal business card you deserve. Although our expert etchers and printers can cut all manner of shapes into your metal business cards, one thing they don’t do is cut corners.
Unfortunately, though, that isn’t the case with all metal card companies, so it’s worth being aware of what you get for you money.
If you choose to get metal business cards ‘on the cheap’, you will end up paying the price further down the line.
Often, though, rock-bottom prices mean corners have been cut elsewhere and we have come across cheaper versions of metal business cards which simply don’t cut the mustard.
For a start, the cheaper metal used is much lower quality, which means it’s less durable and also lends itself to less customization.
You may also find with some cheaper metal business cards that the lettering and artwork is actually on a sticker which is then fitted to the metal. This will, of course, peel off over time, leaving you with a shoddy product.
The manufacturing process for Metal Business Cards is complex and intricate. It’s a process we have worked hard to master over the last decade.
Making Metal Business Cards is a very different process than that of paper, plastic or wood business cards.
The manufacturing process includes (but is not limited to):
And this is just a small taste of the steps required in our production standards…
Let’s take an in depth tour of How Metal Business Cards are made!
In production phase, there are two different processes we use to etch into the metal: Chemical Etching and Laser Etching. Both are available for Stainless Steel, Black Metal, Brass Finish and Copper Finish materials.
The main difference between the two is Chemical Etching creates depth, while Laser Etching lightly etches the surface of the card.
So how can you tell the difference? Simply run your finger gently across the surface of the card. If you feel a slight indentation, then it’s chemically etched. If the surface feels smooth, then its laser etched.
After your artwork is transferred to custom film tools, the metal sheets are prepared and placed on an etcher where a series of chemicals and acids hit the top and the bottom of the metal sheets.
When etched 50% from both sides, the card shape and any other cutout areas are completely cut through the metal. Chemical etching is a fast, precise and efficient method for cutting and etching metal.
Check out a more in depth video here:
It’s important to note that Chemical Etching is one of the initial processes done before coating the cards black, brass or copper.
Here are a few images showing cards created with Chemical Etching:
Stainless Steel Featuring Chemical Etching and Black Spot ColorBlack Metal Featuring Chemical Etching Prior to AnodizingCopper Finished Card Featuring Cutout Logo and Chemical Etched DesignBrass Finished Card Featuring Chemical EtchingLaser is another method we use for cutting Metal Business Cards. After your artwork is transferred to custom film tools, the metal sheets are prepared and placed under our high-powered Fiber Lasers.
The lasers are directed at the areas of the metal to be cut through. The lasers then burn through the metal surface creating a very precise, 90 degree clean cut.
Laser cutting is utilized for any product 1mm or thicker.
Any Metal Business Cards that are thicker than .8mm are laser cut, including our Metal bottle opener cards, which are 1.5mm thick.
During this process, a lower wattage laser nearly grazes the surface of the metal which etches in light silver but does not create depth.
The following cards are some of the cards done with laser etching:
We also use lasers for etching variable data. For example: each card has a different name, number, member since date, etc. Our lasers read the variable data from an Excel sheet which is quick, efficient and requires minimal set up.
When it comes down to the final product, we make sure the right processes are used to give you the best looking Metal Business Cards around!
Regardless of which way your cards are cut, we stand by our quality with satisfaction guaranteed.
We have multiple different business card templates and resources to help you:
First of all – while not “templates” per se – we have a HUGE portfolio of different finished cards on display. You can simply place an order and refer a card you really liked so that our designers can take that as inspiration for your own card design. Check out our porfolio, or any of our product pages for more images.
Our Quick Metal Cards feature various pre-cut template shapes that you can choose from. Our designers can then help you design the graphics to be laser-etched onto the cards. (Quick Metal Cards can shipped as soon as in 24 hours!)
Also, if you don’t have a logo and need one quickly, you can ask our designers to re-purpose and customize any of our pre-designed tumbler logos with your information:
If you have been working with a professional designer already, you can send him/her our metal business card template files to design your card in a format that we can use in production, allowing you to bypass our artwork service.
You can now also have our professional designer team create a unique metal business card design for you: order our custom business card design service, and you’ll receive a digital proof the next business day!
Simply, we are the world leaders in metal business cards. We have in-house professional designers ready to take good care of you. Lots of customers appreciate that you are always welcome to call us – and when you do, we answer the phone! Not in some offshore call center, but right here at our LA office.
If you are in the area, we welcome walk-ins, too!
When you buy a metal business card from My Metal Business Card, you are also supporting a small and growing business located in California. We have a hard-working and dedicated team, who enjoy many employee benefits and are committed to producing a bespoke and high-quality product for you.
We provide one-to-one consultation at every step of the process, so you will be kept up-to-date with how your metal business card is coming along.
Stainless Steel Card with Red Spot ColorIt’s true the metal business cards cost more than paper ones simply because the production process of how metal business cards are made is very much different to that of paper printing – but let’s go back to that idea of value.
When you consider the cost vs. value you receive, metal cards are actually cheaper than paper cards.
All our pricing is up front and honest, so you’ll get no nasty surprise when the bill comes. In fact, you’ll find that our rates are highly competitive and, considering the high quality of product you will receive, the value of a card from My Metal Business Card holds up well over time.
So why wait?
You can have an initial proof of your own, custom-designed metal business card in a matter of hours with our Stainless Steel Cards Starter Pack or the Black Metal Executive Pack.
Classic Stainless Steel or Luxurious Black Metal?
If you want to find out more about metal business cards and ask a few questions, give our friendly team in Los Angeles, California a call now at 714.213.8155, or use the chat widget on this site.
You can now also have our professional designer team create a unique metal business card design for you: order our custom business card design service, and you’ll receive a digital proof the next business day!
As a professional graphic designer, I often source print for my clients and on occasion, new customers approach me and ask “How much do you charge for printed flyers?”.
Thats like asking “How long is a piece of string”.
Some people have never ordered print from a professional printer before and have no idea of how print pricing works. Like most things you buy, quality and quantity correlate with the price and swaying the specification here or there will ultimately adjust the cost.
Below is a short and basic guide detailing what you need to know when ordering print design:
Print resolution is a minefield to explain, so I’ve written the guide “What is “High-Resolution” and How it Affects Your Business”, but in lamens terms, resolution is basically how much detail an image has, measured in pixels per inch.
Think of it as kind of like lego bricks.
I could build a lego plane with two lego bricks. It might need a bit of imagination to see it’s a plane but it is doable.
If I had ten lego bricks I could make it look more like a plane but if I had a thousand lego bricks I could make a very detailed model plane. However, the number of bricks I use is actually irrelevant unless I take into consideration the intended end size of the model as well.
If I need to create a 5ft model plane using lego blocks then a thousand pieces is not going to be enough. I’m going to need 50,000 lego blocks to make a detailed model plane of that size.
This is exactly how resolution works. The more pixels you have to compose an image the more detail that image will have but more detail is relative to the overall size of the image.
This is an issue because most people take photos or produce graphics on a computer where dimensions are measured in pixels. Graphic design and printers work in real dimensions such as mm and inches.
What seems like a huge image on your screen may only be a business card size image in real life and if you want to use that image on a larger A4 brochure then you’ll have to stretch it and that’s when you lose image quality because you’re trying to use 10 pixels to cover a document which is made up of 1000 pixels, pretty similar to taking 10 lego bricks to create 5ft lego plane. It’s just not going to work.
Here’s a graphical example.
To the left is a 1inch x 1inch (72px x 72 px) box at 72ppi as it would appear on your average computer screen.
To the right is the exact same box as it would appear on a full size 300dpi a4 letter.
For professional print, you need hi-resolution images, usually ones which are either a vector design or a design with a minimum 300dpi (dots per inch) file for best quality output.
The higher the dpi (or resolution) means the higher amount of pixels (or dots) used to create any set amount of space (an inch). The more pixels used, the more detail an image will have.
This may sound like jargon but when you order professional print that’s what your printer will ask you for, a design file with a minimum of 300 dpi resolution.
To create it a hi-resolution file at 300dpi, you’re going to need a professional graphic designer who uses professional design software.
This is one of my favourite techniques. A bleed edge is where the ink/design will run right to the very edge of a document page, giving the impression that it was printed from edge to edge. The truth is that it was printed past the edge of a bigger sheet of paper and then trimmed down to size so the ink/design really is edge to edge. Most home–based printers and software cannot accommodate a bleed edge, its only graphic design apps and professionall printers that can do it.
To sum up how it works, you take your basic document size (A4, 297mm x 210mm) and extend it according to the printers specified bleed dimensions. If the bleed edge is 3mm then you add 3mm to every side of the A4 document making it 303mm x 216mm. The printer then prints the document at the bigger size and then trims it down to the original A4 size.
Bleed is a great design technique allowing much more creativity and style to any document.
Its something you should know because your print design will probably have one and your printer will specify the bleed edge measurement that they need.
For a font to be usable on a computer, it needs to be bought, licenced and installed on that PC. If a designer has and uses a font for a design project and sends the design file to the printer then the printer will also need that font in order for the design to display correctly on their computers. Without the font, the design file would use a substitute font and change the final design. The substitute font may look different to the original, it may be a different size or style and with this change, it may cut off some text, alter the formatting and look different to what was originally designed by the designer. To sum up, the end printed result would not be the same as the final design file because the font changed.
Rather than sending masses of fonts around from designer to printer or illegally using unlicensed fonts, a printer normally asks for all fonts to be converted to outlines. This is the process of turning text into graphical elements. In doing so the text becomes a pure graphical element rather than a piece of text. This means that printers and designers do not need to share the same set of fonts and it also minimises the chance of anyone accidentally making a typo to the finished file because the text will no longer be editable as it’s now a graphic image instead.
The eye uses RGB (red, green, blue,) colour cones to mix and reproduce the colours we see. Screens use the same RGB colour profile to create colours but with limited capability (16 million colours). A printer uses four colours Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black (CMYK) to create all other colours within a design and print can be ordered in 1, 2, 3 or 4 specific colours. The more colours used the higher the price will be. If you choose 4 colours then you might as well select a full-colour print instead as you’ll be paying for the ink anyway.
Picking specific print colours is not an outdated process but a little old hat these days. Some large businesses need the specific consistency of colour for branding purposes and to reduce print costs but for everyday print jobs, particularly those with a digital print process, a full-colour print is pretty much a standard option.
You need to note though that these different measures of mixing colour produce different results.
If you have a blue web graphic on screen (RGB), note that it will look different (light navy, almost purple) when printed professionally by the CMYK process.
For accurate colour reproduction, your print files need to be composed using a CMYK colour space within a computer program.
Only professional design software caters for design in CMYK format and that’s what your printer will request when accepting a design file.
Adobe is the leading creative software provider in the world. Their software and file formats are industry standard for print design and professional printers (and web). You need to know the name because you need to know about their file formats as both designer and printer will use them to create and print files.
Printers don’t accept MS Word or Publisher files for professional print because they’re pieces of software intended for screen usage or home printing. Software like MS Office cannot manipulate resolution and colour profiles or utilse professional print design techniques so you’ll need to use professional software and file format for professional print reproduction.
.AI, .PDF, .IND, .EPS and .PSD are some of the most common file formats that printers accept. All are file formats created by Adobe and it’s what your designer will use to create or set up a design file for print.
When sending a file to a professional printer they need to be print ready. This means a word document with screen-shot images and text won’t suffice. You need to know how to set–up a file for print, know a professional designer who can do it for you or pay the printer to do it for you in which case they will charge you for design services.
A print ready file can only be setup using design software but as a check list, print ready files in general need to be:
Digital print is favoured by print houses for reproductions of 500 copies or less a.k.a. “a short-run” because digital print is a cheaper and quicker print process with a shorter setup time for a short run of work.
Industrial Digital PrinterAlthough accurate, the finish of digital print is “sometimes” not as good as litho. Digital print is great for photos, vector graphics and large display graphics but not so great with large areas of solid colour, but to be honest, the average Joe wouldn’t be able to tell the difference so Digitial Print is still a cost-effective and professional solution for 99% of short-run situations.
Digital print may have one drawback though. If you’re planning on having some letterheads designed and printed professionally and then overprinting them through your own laser printer, remember that some digital prints are ruined when passed through a laser at a later stage. It’s all down to the way that ink is set into the page.
For a longer print run of 500 or above copies, a litho print process is normally used. Litho is ultimately cheaper when printing a large quantity where the longer setup process is justified.
Modern day Litho Printer. Image taken from https://www.piworld.com/There are many more pros and cons for specifically using each process which are dependant on the individual job.
Each individual print house will determine and set-up the options available for you, so you don’t have to worry too much about which processes to chose unless you have a very specific requirement.
To find out more about the specific differences check out this post here: What Is Litho Printing vs Digital Printing In Plain English
The more printed copies you buy the better deal you can source from a print company. Printers usually have special offers on set items which will save you money rather than going for odd number quantities.
E.g. You may want 1000 A5 flyers, 500 business cards and 100 posters. This is regarded as three separate jobs, each setup and billed separately. Instead, a printer may offer a special package which will be cheaper such as 500 of each for one set price.
Printing companies also use clever sales tactics to make you buy a certain quantity. For example, 250 professionally designed flyers may cost £40.00 where as 500 may cost £45.00. Money wise it makes sense to buy the 500. This tactic revolves around the print houses pricing and processing structure. Obviously they want to sell more so offer a better deal on more but a qnty of 500 may also be their sweet spot for profit vs processing.
Ideally figure out a quantity that you do need and try to stick with it.
Sometimes paying an extra £5.00 for another 250 flyers is a good deal but more often then not you may just be left with an extra 250 flyers that go in the bin or cost you double to post out.
Quality can be determined in many ways from the professional graphic design to the print process or the finishing of a product, but one major factor is Paper Weight:
Paper weight is measured in g/sm (grams per square metre). Each document usually has a rough standard weight: e.g.
To simplify, the higher the GSM the thicker the material and the better quality the product should be. 70 gsm being very thin copy paper and 450 gsm being thick artborad (card). As the GSM rises, so will the price.
Don’t always go for the highest GSM, think about what your purpose of print design is and determine the cost effective solution.
Gloss and silk are commonly found in every print house and a printing company will usually have a paper type which they use as a standard. Some printing companies may expand on their paper stock to give you more options such as Conqueror, Ice White, Iridescent or Hammered stock but these paper types usually cost a little more.
Different paper stockUsing paper stock which is completely unique becomes a custom job which many printers won’t do today because paperstock has to be tried and tested through a printer to ensure it prints correctly.
If you do manage to find a printer whose a little more creative and willing to experiment with stock, then expect the price to be at least double (see custom jobs for more details).
Print materials come in various sizes e.g. Leaflets (A4, A3 folded, A5, DL etc). The bigger the size of a particular product, the more it will cost.
This is not just related to paper size though, it relates to page count. The more pages you have in a printed document the more it will cost. If you have tens or hundreds of pages in a single document then that print job will also reflect the type of binding it has. Is it stitched, stapled or perfect bound? Each option will reflect on the final quality and cost of the product.
Printing on one or both sides alters the cost but for smaller jobs, its not as big of an increase as you may think. Going back to those old sales tactics, some printing companies charge yoyu for a doublesided print job as a standard, even if you select a single side print. Switching to doublesided may not change the price at all.
All in all, anything which is custom (not listed in a price list or not regarded as standard) will cost more. A creative graphic designer could implement all of these into your marketing material but it will cost you more:
In most cases, people don’t realize that a small customization ultimately bumps up the price by a third due to the setup of the document, so if you want something even slightly different you will have to pay for it!
Buying 5000 flyers is cheaper than buying 2 sets of 2500 flyer designs. If you want 5000 flyers with two different designs, this will be considered as two different jobs and you will be paying for 2 x 2500 price rather then the price for 5000.
Sometimes print can seem incredibly cheap and sometimes, it is! But be wary of hidden costs and details such as:
Each print house vary their service so this is a just a guide as to what to think about when ordering print. Each category above will change the final price of a print run so be specific with your print requirements and budget to source the best deal for yourself.
Give us a shout if you need help with print design or ordering print
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