There is a scene in both the novel and film adaptation of “American Psycho” in which the protagonist proudly shows off his newly-minted business card to his colleagues. He is crushed to find that not only are his colleagues able to produce similarly impressive cards, but that one has a card printed on a heavier card stock that even includes a watermark. While the scene is somewhat comical due to the seeming overreaction of the protagonist, the fact of the matter is that card stock does matter significantly.
Business cards should convey an immediate sense of the person they represent, says Luke Weil, CEO & Co-Founder at Andina Acquisition Corp. According to Weil, the simplest way to convey an impression is through the quality of the cardstock. Business cards are tangible reminders of an interaction or an idea, and the use of quality cardstock conveys an immediate sense of importance and attention to detail.
Weil says to start with a quality cardstock and then try to take a minimalist approach to the information that is included. Depending on the nature of the business with which the cardholder is involved, creative design approaches can be considered to make the card truly memorable. A perfect example of this, says Weil, is the business card used by Wildfire Experiential and Events, a company that distributes cards on which a match can be struck.
