You've decided it's time to take your marketing to the next level and add gift cards to your business -- a wise choice. Now, you are ready for the next step, and choosing the right card design is an important part of the process. Here are some do's and don'ts and common mistakes people make when designing their gift cards.
A Custom Card or a Standard Card?
After you have teamed up with a gift card provider to help launch your program, you will discuss various design options. One of the questions will be whether you want a custom card design or whether you can utilize a standard design. Custom cards help marry your existing marketing initiatives and branding as completely as possible.
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).
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.
Standard cards can also utilize unique printing features like metallic inks, clear card stocks and die cuts. However there are limitations as to how much a standard card can be personalized. You may be limited in terms of how many characters of text you can use. There are usually only certain color options for the overprinted type. And the number of standard card designs available is a limitation. But there are advantages to standard cards as well. Standard cards are usually less expensive for most businesses because the vendor has printed a large quantity of each design. Standard cards can be personalized and shipped in a matter of days instead of the several weeks it takes to design and produce custom designs.
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.
Some additional Do's and Don'ts for providing you artwork:
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 supply images that will need to be enlarged. That, in effect, also reduces the resolution and your images will appear fuzzy or out of focus.
3. DON'T utilize images that have been commercially printed. These images usually have "dots" that comprise the printed areas. When you reprint these images, they often develop a "moire" pattern that makes for low quality.
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 coordinate your card with custom merchandising tools. Creating an attractive package with custom designed gift card hangers, card carriers, display racks -- all of these tools help not only to raise the perceived value but sell more cards.
Whether you opt for a personalized standard card you can begin to sell to customers next week or a custom-designed card/hanger combination that will coordinate with your other marketing materials, there is nothing quite like opening up that box and seeing your colorful gift cards for the first time. Whatever you choose in terms of design, be sure to make your customers aware that you offer gift cards as soon as they arrive at your door. Soon you'll enjoy additional revenues and new visitors to your business. - 15615
A Custom Card or a Standard Card?
After you have teamed up with a gift card provider to help launch your program, you will discuss various design options. One of the questions will be whether you want a custom card design or whether you can utilize a standard design. Custom cards help marry your existing marketing initiatives and branding as completely as possible.
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).
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.
Standard cards can also utilize unique printing features like metallic inks, clear card stocks and die cuts. However there are limitations as to how much a standard card can be personalized. You may be limited in terms of how many characters of text you can use. There are usually only certain color options for the overprinted type. And the number of standard card designs available is a limitation. But there are advantages to standard cards as well. Standard cards are usually less expensive for most businesses because the vendor has printed a large quantity of each design. Standard cards can be personalized and shipped in a matter of days instead of the several weeks it takes to design and produce custom designs.
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.
Some additional Do's and Don'ts for providing you artwork:
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 supply images that will need to be enlarged. That, in effect, also reduces the resolution and your images will appear fuzzy or out of focus.
3. DON'T utilize images that have been commercially printed. These images usually have "dots" that comprise the printed areas. When you reprint these images, they often develop a "moire" pattern that makes for low quality.
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 coordinate your card with custom merchandising tools. Creating an attractive package with custom designed gift card hangers, card carriers, display racks -- all of these tools help not only to raise the perceived value but sell more cards.
Whether you opt for a personalized standard card you can begin to sell to customers next week or a custom-designed card/hanger combination that will coordinate with your other marketing materials, there is nothing quite like opening up that box and seeing your colorful gift cards for the first time. Whatever you choose in terms of design, be sure to make your customers aware that you offer gift cards as soon as they arrive at your door. Soon you'll enjoy additional revenues and new visitors to your business. - 15615
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.
