Visiting Cards

VISITING CARD PRINTING
AND PERSONALISED BUSINESS CARDS

Make first impressions count with elegant visiting cards which speak volumes about you. With such a wide range of cards available there has never been a better time to create a positive impression with our range of handsome visiting cards and luxury business cards. Whether you express your creativity and individuality with a visiting card design through a colourful combination of ink colour and card colour or stick to the more traditional combinations, you are sure to find the right business cards to suit your personal taste from our varied and comprehensive selection.

What is a visiting card and what are their origins?

At its inception it was a small card upon which was printed the name of the bearer, sometimes ornamented with an artistic design, which was used as a “calling card” by the aristocracy and wealthier members of society. From the middle of the 17th century, if you desired to visit someone in their own home but had not received an explicit invitation to do so, the convention was to first leave a calling card, either in person or via your servant, at their home. This system was used only by those social classes that employed household staff and servants as it relied upon the door being answered by a servant and not the master. Admission was not expected at this point, but, if a visit was welcomed, a similar card would be expected to be left at one’s own home. If no card was forthcoming, it would be assumed that a personal visit was discouraged.

How have visiting cards evolved since?

This “social semaphore” was an indispensable tool of social etiquette that had its heyday in the 18th century. Rules of etiquette governed both the size of card and the information displayed upon it with Ladies and Gentlemen using different sizes and following different conventions. Where once there were a myriad of different card sizes the most popular size today is that of the credit card, due to its convenience, and over time the visiting card has evolved into today’s social card which now includes considerably more information. As well as the giver’s name, cards now regularly contain a mobile number and an email address, and, as time goes by and etiquette becomes ever more relaxed, residential addresses are now increasingly included too.

How did business cards come into being?

Cards that we have come to know as business cards started life as “trade cards” and were essentially small adverts by which a tradesperson would advertise both their trade or wares and also the whereabouts of their premises in order to help clients find their way there. Over time these cards have become smaller in size but still typically feature the bearer’s name, the name of the company, often including a logo, and full contact details, including address and telephone numbers and nowadays email and web addresses too, as well as social media handles, all of which are essential. They are usually presented during formal introductions as both a convenience and a memory aid for the recipient and it is considered good form if offered a card to proffer your own in return.

How do I go about ordering either type of card and can I have a bespoke visiting card design?

We have created a number of examples for our visiting cards containing typical content. Choose a design that is closest to the style of card that you are looking for and provide us with your personal details by following our step-by-step ordering process for your chosen starting business card design.  In reply we will either prepare a preliminary setting proof which we will email to you for your review or first contact you if we have any queries that need resolving. Once you have approved the proof your cards will go into the production cycle, which varies in length according to the design chosen, and on completion we will advise you that your cards are ready for either collection from our offices in Chelsea or despatch.

If you are looking for some matching personalised stationery sets then we have created 12 sets of designs which mirror each other, so your visiting cards would match your personalised cards as well as your personalised writing paper or alternatively view our collections of personalized stationery.

Delivery options include anything from a same-day courier for clients who live in Central London, a next day delivery service provided by DHL for those living further afield within the UK, to international shipments delivered via FedEx. Please expect the latter to take anything from 1-3 days if sent International Express but longer if sent Economy or to more remote regions of the World.