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).
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.
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.
Here are some good ideas of things to do and not do when going through this design process:
1. DON'T try to use the images right off your website. These are often not of high enough quality and resolution for card 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 utilize previously printed images. Art that has been printed commercially has been converted into small "dots" that create the image. When you reprint these previously printed images, you often get a moire pattern that makes for poor quality images.
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 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. - 15359
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).
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.
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.
Here are some good ideas of things to do and not do when going through this design process:
1. DON'T try to use the images right off your website. These are often not of high enough quality and resolution for card 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 utilize previously printed images. Art that has been printed commercially has been converted into small "dots" that create the image. When you reprint these previously printed images, you often get a moire pattern that makes for poor quality images.
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 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. - 15359
About the Author:
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.
