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Business Cards

Professional Business Cards

Professional business cards should reflect your experience and highlight your expertise in the most effective manner possible - and it's not necessary to spend a lot of money on them, either.  (If you know where to look.)

Business professionals understand the value of business cards, and they know the demands and constraints of their prospects and customers.  These professionals understand that people's memories are faulty and that their prospects are busy.  They realize that their own prospect pool is limited.  So business professionals rely on business cards, still the most popular marketing and networking tool of small business.  Business cards are affordable, portable, versatile and a marketing tool that few business people can function effectively without.

But with thousands of business card printers online - and perhaps dozens more in your community - how do you know which ones print professional quality business cards?

First, let's discuss what a professional business card is NOT.  It is not flimsy, homemade, adorned with generic clipart or sporting an ad for someone else on the back.  A professional business card IS attractive, easy to read, logically organized and gives the recipient a compelling reason to hang onto the card.

Not telling you anything you don't already know?  Okay, here's the tricky part.

Comparing Professional Business Card Printers

When you're doing research for a new business card printer, it's tough to make accurate comparisons.  For example, card stock and printing processes vary, and those specifications are difficult to ferret out unless you know what to look for. 

Research into the most popular online business card printers in May 2007 found that the card weight ranged from 10pt to 14pt (10pt, or 80# paper, is thinner than an index card). One business card printer used cards that were smaller than standard. 

While most printers added UV coating to business cards for free (which adds sheen and increases durability), some charged for it. Predesigned backgrounds (templates) are convenient; some printers offered few as 100, others offered more than 10,000 to choose from.  Some printers allow you to add your own artwork for free, some charge for that capability.

Shipping times varied from 3 to 14 days. And prices for 1000 full color business cards ranged from approximately $34 to $140.  Customer service issues are even harder to evaluate, although guarantees and membership in good standing in organizations such as the Better Business Bureau and Bizrate offer some reassurance.

In short, a PROFESSIONAL business card printer:

• prints industry-standard-sized cards on sturdy stock;
   

• does not charge for common upgrades such as UV coating or uploading artwork;
   

• charges fair prices and ships quickly;
   

• treats customers fairly and courteously; and
   

• offers a comprehensive range of design and printing options for real estate professionals to create materials.

One online business card printer that meets the above criteria is Prints Made Easy.  They also offer free, fast feedback and "proofing" expertise from their graphic design experts and  the ability to save business card design projects on a secure server.

Better yet, they offer a money-back-guarantee not only on business cards but on the arrival dates of any order.  You choose a shipping method and they guarantee your business cards will arrive by the specified date, an almost unheard-of convenience for customers.

That's professional service that you'll appreciate.