Now that you've made the wise decision to incorporate gift and/or loyalty marketing into your business, you've got a number of decisions to make. One of the first - and most critical - is the decision regarding the card you will offer to your customers. In this article, we'll examine your options and explore some common design and artwork mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.
Standard or Custom Designs?
Once you've decided on a supplier, they will discuss card options with you. There are two ways you can go here - custom or standard. Custom cards are unique to every business. Custom cards incorporate the business' identity in terms of using their logo and artwork that reflects the business' look and feel.
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).
The question is deciding which option is the best for your business? There are a few items you need to take into consideration before you can make that decision. Let's take a look at some of the pro's and con's of each option. Custom cards are the choice of large retailers since they are specifically designed to maintain their branding. They are attractive cards, which can increase impulse buys if promoted well at the point of purchase. Custom cards also give opportunity for uniquely shaped designs, including special die-cuts (cards in unique shapes) and even some advanced features such as cards that will play music or have additional digital info. The downside to some of this is that these cards will cost a bit more and are not as quickly produced.
There are many unique printing features you can do with standard cards, such as adding clear card stocks, using metallic ink, or even some die cuts. Personalization is limited with a standard card. The amount of text you can use, the color choices on overprinted text, and the number of standardized designs available are all some of the typical limitations. However, there are many advantages. Standard cards don't usually cost as much since the card supplier has large quantities in stock. Standard cards also have the advantage of speed to market since the turnaround time is days instead of weeks.
Artwork 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 good ideas of things to do and not do when going through this design process:
1. DON'T take the art from your website. These graphics often aren't of high enough resolution to use for printing.
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 send original files that you have on your computer -- the kinds of files you send out to get printed. These files will usually be clear and of high quality, and they are perfect for a designer to create a quality integration into your card's design.
5. DON'T make the design too complicated. Placing too much info into this small space often reduces the overall visual impact that the card will have. This is a fairly common error people make. Don't make it cluttered and lose your impact in the process.
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 look into using custom merchandising vehicles. By coordinating your package (which might include a custom card on a custom card hanger or card carrier) you help increase your perceived value...and that helps improve 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.
Standard or Custom Designs?
Once you've decided on a supplier, they will discuss card options with you. There are two ways you can go here - custom or standard. Custom cards are unique to every business. Custom cards incorporate the business' identity in terms of using their logo and artwork that reflects the business' look and feel.
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).
The question is deciding which option is the best for your business? There are a few items you need to take into consideration before you can make that decision. Let's take a look at some of the pro's and con's of each option. Custom cards are the choice of large retailers since they are specifically designed to maintain their branding. They are attractive cards, which can increase impulse buys if promoted well at the point of purchase. Custom cards also give opportunity for uniquely shaped designs, including special die-cuts (cards in unique shapes) and even some advanced features such as cards that will play music or have additional digital info. The downside to some of this is that these cards will cost a bit more and are not as quickly produced.
There are many unique printing features you can do with standard cards, such as adding clear card stocks, using metallic ink, or even some die cuts. Personalization is limited with a standard card. The amount of text you can use, the color choices on overprinted text, and the number of standardized designs available are all some of the typical limitations. However, there are many advantages. Standard cards don't usually cost as much since the card supplier has large quantities in stock. Standard cards also have the advantage of speed to market since the turnaround time is days instead of weeks.
Artwork 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 good ideas of things to do and not do when going through this design process:
1. DON'T take the art from your website. These graphics often aren't of high enough resolution to use for printing.
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 send original files that you have on your computer -- the kinds of files you send out to get printed. These files will usually be clear and of high quality, and they are perfect for a designer to create a quality integration into your card's design.
5. DON'T make the design too complicated. Placing too much info into this small space often reduces the overall visual impact that the card will have. This is a fairly common error people make. Don't make it cluttered and lose your impact in the process.
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 look into using custom merchandising vehicles. By coordinating your package (which might include a custom card on a custom card hanger or card carrier) you help increase your perceived value...and that helps improve 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 custom gift and loyalty cards and is the VP of Business Development for Valutec Card Solutions, LLC, a Metavante (NYSE:MV) company, the country's largest provider of gift card programs to small to mid-sized businesses.
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