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Building a Gift Card Program: Card Design Tips
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.
A Custom Card or a Standard Card?
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 card designs are pre-made designs that can be personalized in a variety of ways. These cards do not have to be boring or bland. In fact, many gift card suppliers make available a variety of different designs for a variety of different business categories or vertical markets. These standard cards also can be personalized with your business name, your retail website, your phone number or other items, including your logo (although it may be in one color).
So which is right for your business? There are some things to consider before making your choice. Custom cards have many advantages - they look more like the cards offered by "big box" retailers because they are designed specifically for the business using them. They usually have more eye appeal, which can result in more impulse purchases if displayed properly to the consumer. Custom cards allow the merchant to consider unique design options like specialty die-cutting (unusually shaped cards), distinctive materials (foils, metallic inks and specialty card stocks) and even some trendy ideas like cards that play music or contain digital information. Disadvantages? Custom cards usually cost more to produce and they take longer to make.
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.
Some Things To Consider About Your Artwork
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 than must be enlarged. This will, again, not give a high enough resolution to the images as they lose quality when enlarged.
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 find your original computer files of these various materials and use these. These originals will likely be of high quality and will allow the designer to quickly convert the images into a good design.
5. DON'T clutter your design with too much info. It's a very common error that people make, trying to hit every marketing point. Keep the design simple to keep your visual impact high.
6. DO take advantage of your logo. Your logo is a constant branding image that your customers actually expect to see on your various advertising and marketing creative. A gift card or loyalty card is like a pocket-sized billboard for your company. Take advantage of your logo. You want your clients to remember your name.
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.
About the Author Al Duggan is an expert in gift and loyalty cards and is the VP of Business Development for Valutec Card Solutions, LLC, the country's biggest supplier of gift card programs to small to mid-sized businesses.
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