Home | Business | Marketing
You've smartly decided that adding gift cards or loyalty cards is a next step in marketing for your business. One of the key items to consider in this process is the design of your card. Let's explore some of your choices. There are some common errors people make in this process, but with a little help you can avoid those mistakes. Custom or Standard? After you've chosen a card supplier, one of the first things they will want to discuss with you is your card design and whether you want to go with a custom design or a standard design. Custom cards are just that -- they are unique to your company. They pull together your identity (your logo and artwork) to maintain your branding. Standard cards are designs offered by your supplier that are already produced. Standard cards do not have to be bland in their design - many vendors offer a wide range of standard card designs that accommodate a number of specific vertical markets or categories of business. Standard cards can often be personalized with the merchant's business name, their phone number or website address - even their logo (usually in one color). Choosing the best option for business takes an understanding of your options. Custom designed cards have several key advantages. You will often see the "big box" retailers use these because they are able to carry their same branding and marketing with a custom design. These custom cards are usually very attractive. An attractive card makes an attractive gift and you can often increase impulse buys with this added eye appeal. Merchants also can try some unique things such as custom die cuts to make specially shaped gift cards. Merchants can use more distinctive materials (such as metallic inks, foils and different card stocks). There are even some cutting edge ideas where the cards have additional digital information or can even play music. The two disadvantages to a custom card design are that the price is more expensive and that the turnaround takes a little more time. For standard card designs, you can still get some special printing options such as unique die cuts, clear card stocks, and metallic inks. There will be, however, some constraints on how much the card design can be personalized. The overprint type will have some color limitations. The amount of text you can use may be more limited. And the range of standard designs is also limited. On the other hand, there are many advantages because of this. Your cost will often be lower since the supplier has pre-printed the basic designs. You also will get your cards much faster -- days instead of the weeks it takes for custom cards. Creative Considerations With standard cards, the task is pretty simple -- pick a design and choose how you will personalize it for your business. With a custom design, however, you have some additional decisions. Likely, you'll work with either your existing agency -- if you have one - to create your card design, or you'll work with your supplier. Many gift card companies have their own in-house design departments. Regardless of whom you work with to create your design, you'll need to give them some direction. In many cases, this means supplying artwork so they can base your card design on something that you already use in your business - for example - your original menu art if you're a restaurant. You can also submit the files used to create a brochure or advertisement for your business. This will enable a designer to create your card design so it fits into the rest of your marketing initiatives. Here are some tips regarding the artwork you supply for your card design: 1. DON'T use artwork from the Internet. Graphics that are used on the web are not of adequate resolution (graphic clarity for lack of a better term) for print use. 2. DON'T provide graphic images that need to be enlarged from their existing size. This lowers the quality. As you make the image bigger, the resolution gradually decreases. 3. DON'T use images that have already been printed. Any artwork that has been printed commercially has likely been converted into a series of microscopic "dots" that make up the printed image. This works well the first time the image is printed but when the same process is repeated on a previously printed image, the result is an image that has what is termed a "moir" pattern and the artwork will not print satisfactorily. 4. DO try and use original computer files from which you have printed other pieces. These original files will be perfectly clear and will allow the designer to more quickly and effectively create a quality design. 5. DON'T make your design too busy. This is probably the most common mistake made in the design process. Putting too much information into a small area minimizes the impact the card has visually. It looks cluttered and loses its message. 6. DO maximize your logo on your design. Your gift or loyalty cad serves as a miniature billboard for your business. The main thing you want a customer to remember is the name of your business. Your logo is the one constant your customers expect to see on your marketing materials and your gift cards should be no exception. 7. DO consider customized merchandising tools to complement your card design. A custom gift card affixed to a custom-designed carrier or card hanger presents a coordinated, attractive package that has a higher perceived value that will increase card sales. Whether you choose to go with a standard card with some personalization and want to begin in a week, or whether you want to go for a full-custom package and coordinate all your marketing efforts, there is nothing like receiving that first box of cards and seeing your attractive, glossy gift cards. Once you start making your customers aware that you offer gift cards, you will also love the increased revenues to your business.
Article Source: http://www.ezine-directory.info
Al Duggan is an expert in custom gift and loyalty cards and is the Vice President of Business Development for Valutec Card Solutions, LLC, a Metavante (NYSE:MV) company, the nation's largest provider of gift card programs to small to mid-sized businesses.
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
