Business cards are not just a piece of paper with your contact information. Real estate business cards are crucial elements for networking and promoting your listings. Because these small papers are the first representative of your brand identity.
The design and content of your business card are definitely important, but the choice of paper type also matters. It is the type of paper with different textures and thicknesses that creates a unique and desirable impression. This blog post explains the best business card papers for real estate agents and the best finishes for ideal marketing results.
Read More: The Do’s and Don’ts of Real Estate Business Cards
Why Paper Quality Matters for Real Estate Business Cards?
High-quality paper type is a sign of your professionalism for the potential customer who receives your business cards. They leave a lasting impression, share crucial details, and help broaden your network. A proper paper type shows your attention to detail, influences clients’ perception, and potentially leads to referrals. Here’s why your real estate business card type is important and how it affects your business:
- Reflecting Your Brand Image: The paper type you choose can greatly affect how your brand looks. Choosing a thin or low-quality paper might make your business appear cheap or weak. On the other hand, selecting a premium paper with a high-quality finish can create an impression of luxury, value, and trust.
- Enhancing Durability: Using strong, thick paper doesn’t just look good – it also keeps your card safe from damage, making it less likely to tear, bend, or fold. Durable business card paper helps the information on your card stay readable, even after months or years.
- Winning the competition: With so many business cards available in the market, it’s important to stand out and leave a unique impression. Using a top-notch paper helps you make a differentiation and be more memorable.
Read More: How to Make Real Estate Business Card Stand Out in a Crowded Market?
Overview of Common Business Card Paper Types
Essentially, your business card serves as a tiny display panel for your real estate company or yourself. The thickness and weight of common business card paper types—also known as point (pt) or cover stock—determine their classification. You can choose from a variety of cardstock types for your business card, including:
- 14-point stock (14 pt): With a good mix of thickness and flexibility, the 14-point stock is the most common and standard option.
- 16-point stock (16 pt): This is a more robust, thicker, and higher-quality option that feels more upscale.
- 18-point (18 pt) stock: For business cards with a more upscale feel and better quality, this thicker cardstock option is commonly used.
- 100-pound stock: This type of paper is thicker than regular printer paper, but it is thinner and more flexible than 14- or 16-point.
Paper Coatings: UV, Spot UV, Soft Touch—Which Is Right?
Depending on the desired look, durability, and budget, one can choose between UV, spot UV, or soft-touch paper coating. A protective layer is provided by UV coating, and certain areas are highlighted with high gloss by spot UV. Soft Touch provides a smooth, supple texture. Soft touch is best used for a 3D effect on gloss paper or plastic, while spot UV works best on darker substrates. Here is the detailed breakdown:
- UV Coating: Provides business cards with a long-lasting, scratch-resistant coating that guards against deterioration. The type of UV coating used determines whether the finish is glossy or matte.
- Spot UV Coating: Gives particular parts of a print, like text, images, or logos, a glossy highlight. This coating brings attention to the highlighted areas and produces a visual contrast. It improves print quality and produces a high-end appearance.
- Soft touch: By giving paper a smooth, velvety finish, soft-touch coating gives it an elegant, tangible feel. reduces the colour of the ink and gives the print a tactile quality.
Read More: Choosing the Right Business Card Finish: Raised Spot UV or Raised Foil?
When to Use Premium Card Stock for Property Listings?
For real estate listings, premium card stock works best when you want to make a lasting, polished impression. Business cards and some other marketing materials for real estate listings look great on this kind of card stock. Your business card will stand out from the competition in a crowded inbox or on display if you use thicker, more resilient card stock.
The rationale is that heavier card stock gives off a sense of quality and sophistication and feels more substantial. It is appropriate for business cards that will be handled frequently because it can tolerate more handling and exposure to the elements. It also makes printing text and images sharper and more colourful, especially when coated stock is used.
AgentPrint offers the best quality products for all paper types and finishes you need to improve the quality of your real estate business cards. Choosing an experienced print partner will create the best marketing results.
Read More: How Can I Make My Business Card Stand Out?
Common Mistakes Agents Make with Card Materials
When choosing the right paper for your business cards, you should consider several important factors and avoid some vital mistakes:
- Thickness is important: Business card thickness can affect the quality and durability of your cards. Choosing a thin, low-quality cardstock affects its readability and durability.
- Printing and Finishing Techniques: Different paper types may require specific printing techniques or finish options to achieve the desired effect. Choose a trusted print partner, and match your paper type with the print method and finish choice.
- Print quality: To make sure the card looks professional, take into account the printing process’s quality. Ignoring this factor will result in unpleasant business cards and more cost to reprint new ones.
- Inconsiderate Branding: For an expert-looking business card, you should showcase the agent’s brand identity in the general design aesthetic. Make sure the card conveys the agent’s brand and value by taking into account its overall impact and purpose.
- Cost and Budget: Premium paper types are generally more expensive compared to standard options, so it’s essential to consider your budget. AgentPrint offers a FREE shipping option to a valid brokerage office address for orders over C$90 (excluding taxes, fees, and after any promotions and discounts). This could be a good option to cut your printing costs.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best paper type for your real estate business cards is an important decision that can make a big difference in how your brand is seen. Understanding the different features of paper types helps you create cards that indicate your brand’s values. You can pick from basic options like glossy, matte, or uncoated paper, or you can try more special choices like spot UV or soft touch. Picking the right paper for a real estate business card will catch people’s attention and leave a good impression on clients and other connections.