Designing And Printing Thank You Cards: Everything You Need To Know

Think about the last time you received a personalized thank you card. It made a lasting impression, right? When you send a thank you card, your recipient feels exactly the same way when they receive it. Whether you’re sending a card after a business transaction or wedding, or just to show appreciation, a well-designed and high quality thank you card makes your message that much more powerful.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most important steps for designing and printing thank you cards that are both beautiful and memorable.

Why Custom Thank You Cards Matter

Taking the time and effort to send personalized thank you cards makes a big difference in your personal and business relationships. Let’s dig into why they’re so important.

A Personal Touch

When emails and text messages are the norm, writing a handwritten note on a physical card stands out. It shows that you care enough to express your gratitude, which makes the recipient feel valued.

Whether you’re writing a thank you note after personal events such as birthdays or weddings or for business milestones such as completed sales or new partnerships, sending custom thank you cards strengthens your relationships and leaves a lasting impression.

When To Send Thank You Cards

Are you wondering if you should send a thank you card? This question has a simple answer: if you’re wondering, the answer is yes. There’s no reason not to.

Thank you cards are perfect for following up after personal events such as birthdays and weddings, particularly if you’ve been given a gift. Send business thank you cards after meetings, client interactions, or closing deals.

Personalized cards increase your professionalism, and showing your gratitude impresses donors and potential clients and makes current clients and employees feel valued. After hosting an event, a great thank you card lets your attendees know that you value their attendance. Of course, a thank you note is also the perfect way to acknowledge a gift. When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to send one!

Designing Your Thank You Card

Designing your own custom thank you cards for business or personal use might feel like a big task, but it’s actually quite manageable. Here’s how to go about it.

1. 1. Define your message.

   Before diving into your design, you first need to clearly define the message you’re trying to send with your card. Do you want to create a formal tone, or is a casual, friendly note more appropriate for your audience? If you’re writing a thank you note after a personal event such as a wedding or baby shower, use a warm, heartfelt message. If you’re creating business thank you cards, on the other hand, opt for a more professional tone. Optimizing your message for the occasion makes your thank you cards feel meaningful and authentic.

2. Choose the right design elements.

   Your design influences how recipients understand your card. Therefore, think about the following design ideas.

   • Color schemes. Your color palette will set the tone for your card, so make sure that your colors complement your message.
   • Fonts. Ensure that your fonts are both readable and aesthetically pleasing. For a wedding thank you note, a beautiful script might fit the bill, while a modern, sans-serif font might be a better pick for business thank you cards. No matter which fonts you pick, be consistent throughout your card.
   • Imagery and graphics. Adding images or graphics can help your card stand out. Be creative; this could include a company logo or photo of the office staff for a business card, or a photo of the happy couple after a wedding or anniversary celebration. Make sure that your imagery complements your message instead of overpowering it.
   • Layout and spacing. Balance your design elements with white space to ensure that your card is easy to read while also being visually interesting. Simpler is often better.

3. 3. Go the custom route, or find a template.

   When designing your card, you can choose to start from scratch or use a template. When you design your thank you cards from scratch, you have full creative control. On the other hand, when you use a premade template, you save time and can get started without needing any design skills of your own. Many templates, such as Canva templates, are easy to customize, so you can create a personalized feel while letting someone else do the heavy lifting.

   As you’re designing, keep in mind that the most common note card sizes are A2, A6, and A7, so it’s generally a good idea to create a design for one of those sizes.

Preparing Your Design For Printing

Once you’ve created your design for your custom thank you cards, it’s time to get them ready to print. Here’s what to do.

Save A High Quality File

First, once you’ve finished your design, be sure to keep it safe. Save a high resolution file of your design, preferably as a PDF. Make sure your design is set as a high resolution file of 300 DPI or higher. This will ensure that your final printed card is crisp and clear.

Find A Printing Partner

If you don’t already work with a printing partner who meets your printing needs, now’s the time to find one. Working with a professional printing company ensures a high quality final product, so look for companies that have experience printing thank you cards.

Read customer reviews to make sure they provide great services, and reach out to the company to ask about their printing process, turnaround times, and other services they offer. They should be able to answer all of your questions and make you feel confident in their ability to print your cards.

Choose The Best Paper

Once you have a printing partner, figure out which of their products best fits your needs. This means choosing a paper, which will have a large effect on your cards’ look and feel. When you choose matte paper, you receive a sophisticated-looking card with a smooth, non-reflective finish. With glossy paper, your card will have a shiny finish that makes colors pop.

Opting for a thicker paper makes your cards sturdier and demonstrates your dedication and seriousness, while choosing a thinner paper can be a more affordable option.

Think About Finishing Processes

Funnily enough, the printing process isn’t always finished once your cards have been printed. Then, it’s time for any finishing process you’d like to add. This can include embossing, UV coating, die cutting, and more, all of which add additional levels of visual and tactile interest to your cards. Feel free to ask your printing partner which finishing processes they offer.

Get Your Custom Thank You Cards Today

As you can see, designing and printing your own custom thank you cards is a meaningful process that’s manageable for everyone. Whether you’re sending a card for a personal or professional occasion, taking the time and effort to print custom cards creates a lasting impression.

When you’re ready to get started printing your very own thank you cards, let ZoePrint help bring your vision to life! We print high quality thank you cards, and our easy online ordering system makes the process simple. Our design team can also help you with your design or create a design from scratch for you.

To start sending thank you cards that make sure your message is remembered, order online or ask ZoePrint for a custom quote today.