The print-on-demand boom has led to an explosion in the number of printers competing in the now-lucrative business card market. How do you choose which ones are best for your needs? We’ve got a few tips on finding business card printing services that will make you the exact cards you were looking for.
Check out online reviews
Reviews aren’t always the most reliable metric for assessing the level of satisfaction you might get with a business card printing service. Ratings can often vary between different sites simply because reviewers value different things. Fake reviews are also quite commonplace, and even larger companies may engage in the practice. Some excellent business card printing services may also fly under the radar of these sites simply because they don’t invest in online marketing.
However, review sites are a good way to have an approximate feel of a printer’s service levels might be like. The most valuable reviews tend to be in the four or three-star range, as they usually offer balanced insights into how a printer serves its customers.
Learn about the printer’s specialization
Some printing services try to do it all, while some have a very specific focus on certain print products and techniques. Business card printing services that specialize just in business cards and directly-related items like stationery are far more likely to pay attention to the small details that make a business card great, compared with print companies that try to serve everyone in the market.
Check out their available options
Some business card printers may not offer the specific options you want for your card, instead opting to offer only the options that more customers are likely to buy. It’s not that these services are no good, it’s just that offering more options can complicate a business’s supply chain and order process, so they have made the decision to not have certain options available.
However, there are plenty of specialized business card and stationery printers out there who do offer a wide range of options, including embossing, engraving, and special stocks and finishes. If you’re interested in a specific type of print technique, it’s better to seek out these businesses rather than larger printers.
Ask for samples to check print quality
Many business card printing services today will send you product samples for free, or for a very nominal rate. This can help you get a good feel for the quality you can expect from your own business cards. “Feel” is particularly important in the literal sense, as samples are the only way you can understand the heft and texture of different business card options.
Value
Value and price are related, but they’re not the same thing. First, consider what gives a business card value. A business card has value if it inspires confidence or is able to stimulate positive emotions such as delight in others. It has value if it can impress recipients enough that they decide to keep it. It has value when it helps reinforce the values and mission of your brand. Lastly, there’s value if you are proud to give away your cards.
In the end, there isn’t necessarily much value in a business card printing service that only offers you large quantities for a low price, and nothing else. But if quantity is what you need, then you shouldn’t leave those options off the table.
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