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.

Standard or Custom Designs?

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.

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.

Some additional Do’s and Don’ts for providing you artwork:

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 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 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 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 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.

Al Duggan is an expert in custom gift and loyalty cards and is the Vice President of Business Development for Valutec Card Solutions, LLC, the country’s largest provider of gift card solutions to small to mid-sized companies.

categories: gift card,giftcard,gift certificate,loyalty card,marketing,promotion,business,retail

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.

A Custom Card or a Standard Card?

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).

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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

Custom or Standard?

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 designs, on the other hand, are ready-made designs that your gift card supplier has in stock. Many gift card providers have designs that cater to specific categories of business. Therefore, they do not have to be bland. These standard designs also can be personalized by adding your business name, website and telephone numbers and even a logo (but usually in a single 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.

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 tips regarding the artwork you supply for your card design:

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 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.

There is nothing like opening that first box of gift cards and seeing your colorful designs ready for selling. Whether you go with a full-custom design or with a standardized card (so that you can start selling in a week), get started soon. Start pulling in those additional revenues and promoting your gift cards as soon as your customers arrive at your door.

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You’ve thought about it and realized that it is finally time to add gift cards to your business — a smart decision. As you sit down to begin the search for a supplier, you quickly realize that there is a lot to consider. How do you go about making a choice that’s the right fit for your business? With several areas to consider, it’s best to break the decision-making process into a few, specific areas. Asking a few key questions can help you make the proper selection.

Where Do I Begin?

Great question. Chances are you’ve already received calls from Independent Sales Organization (ISO) reps who offer a variety of services you need – credit card and check acceptance, transaction processing equipment (terminals), payroll services and even gift cards. You may have received responses from gift card companies after requesting a call by virtue of an online lead form. You’ve heard the pitches – but how do you choose the right gift card company for you?

Begin with a few simple queries for your ISO or gift card seller. If you are talking with an ISO, figure out which of the gift card suppliers they represent and learn a little more about them. Some suppliers focus solely on gift card programs and, therefore, may be more experienced to help their clients/businesses in finding the perfect program for their needs and purposes. Other companies may offer gift cards in addition to a host of financial services.

Look closer. Ask whether they are using a proprietary gift card system and platform or whether they are licensing a system from someone else. Ask them what their stated uptime is. (It can be aggravating to have a system go down for some technical issue right when you are trying to process or sell a card to a customer.) Ask what kind of customer service program is in place. Is their phone support available on their dime? How about email? Is there an all-hours, all-days service coverage in place if a problem comes up?

You’ll also want to take a look at the transaction processing programs offered by the companies you are evaluating. Many offer “flat-fee” programs that include all program activity for one monthly fee for a large block of transactions. Other programs may bill on a “per-transaction” basis where the monthly fees are reduced or eliminated and the merchant pays a small fee when a card is activated, value is added, it is redeemed, or when a customer checks a card balance. Often the best way to choose between these options is to estimate card sales and the resulting transaction activity and compare the costs of each plan.

Once your gift card program is launched, you’ll need to track results. To this end, you should inquire about the types of reports that will be made available to you and how you will be able to view and access these. Essentially, the more reports you can see, the better. Once you get used to what all the reports and data mean, you will be able to have a firmer grasp on how well certain aspects of your program are functioning.

How about the Equipment or Hardware?

Perhaps it’s not an obvious concern, but you will want to make sure that the Point-Of-Sale (POS) system and hardware is compatible with your setup. One of the first things to ask is whether the gift card processing software will work with your terminals and be integrated into your Point-of-Sale system. Gift card software applications are tied into your credit card terminal or POS system, so you will want to find a company that works with higher number of these systems. The more systems and terminals they are compatible with, the stronger and more legit they are in their market.

It May Be in the Cards

When it comes to the design of your card, there are a couple ways to go: standard or custom. Many gift card suppliers will have a set of pre-made card designs which are targeted toward a range of different business categories or even specific holiday events. This allows for quick turnaround, sometimes just a week, before you can offer your customers gift cards. With standard cards, you often have the ability to add a logo, text and a business name to the design. So, if you are interested in this type of card design, be sure your supplier has a wide range of designs available to you. Some gift card companies also provide you with web-based tools to help you visualize your card design. These may allow you to personalize your card with fonts and color schemes and view your card design before you make a commitment to a gift card program.

If speed to market isn’t quite as vital, you may wish to look into a full-custom card. Although the expense may be higher and turnaround a little slower, you will have the advantage of completely controlling your branding and image. You can develop a card design that fits with the personality of your business and coordinates with your marketing plans. Some card suppliers will even have designers available who can put together the type of card you desire at a worthwhile price. Ask about the design-approval process, whether it can be handled rapidly and is web or email-based.

A Few Final Questions to Consider

Promoting your card doesn’t stop at the design. Find out whether your gift card company has additional marketing materials and tools available for you. Often useful are such things as card hangers, card carriers, signage and posters, display racks and card envelopes. All of this can help increase sales at your place of business and make a big impact in the success of your program. Also ask about additional gift card presentation products that you can up-sell to your consumers.

A great final question is “How does this company communicate with merchants?” Most major gift card companies offer newsletters and email notifications designed to make the merchant more effective and notify them about new products and services. The gift and loyalty marketing business is dynamic and growing. It pays to partner with a company that will keep you informed of industry trends and tips to increase your sales.

Bringing in a gift or loyalty program will likely be a very good decision for your business. But once you start processing cards with your chosen partner, it can be difficult to convert your program to another supplier. Take some time before you make your choice to ask the right questions. Choosing the appropriate vendor will ensure your new program operates exactly as you hope and expect it will.

Whether you’re a new business just opening or a growing business with a substantial bank of customers, you have one goal in common: you want more. More traffic. More loyal buyers. More revenues. And everyone through the door or on the phone has a plan to get you there. Confusing? Sure it is, but no one said your climb to the top would be easy.

One of those strategies you will need to make a choice on is gift cards. Are they for you? Can they really help your business? It may not appear to be an easy choice to make from the outside, but achieving “more” in your competitive market often requires you to explore effective ways to build your profits and increase customer loyalty.

There are certain categories of business — such as restaurants, spas and beauty salons, and specialty retail — where gift cards have supplanted long-standing paper gift certificates as the preferred means of pre-selling products and services. If you’re in these types of businesses, chances are you already have a gift card program in place. But plastic gift cards have found their way into many, if not most, non-traditional businesses as their general popularity grows among consumers. Automotive and motorcycle dealers, grocery stores, even pet-sitting services have had great success with gift card programs. But is it right for YOU? Here are three reasons you need to consider a gift card program for your business, regardless of what you sell.

Gift Cards Are Desired by Your Customers

It’s often said that gift cards aren’t a creative gift. The demand for them, however, tells a different story. Plastic gift cards were among the top of the most-asked-for gift items (clothes and media/electronics are the other items in the top three). Whether it’s because of a gift card’s ease of use and delivery; or because the gift-givers want to introduce their friends to a service they like; or because there are more and more creative choices that will be appreciated by the recipients … gift cards continue to rise in popularity. More and more consumers expect business establishments to offer gift cards. If they don’t, they often find a competitor that does.

It’s All About Image

A gift card program goes beyond the card itself. Your image and brand is reinforced to consumers in a variety of ways. A gift card becomes a pocket-sized, shiny billboard that promotes your image with class. Larger gift card manufactures can provide you with multiple design solutions — from simple, standardized designs ready to be shipped to full-color designs that carry your logo, colors, brands and imagery. Along with the gift card, you also have a variety of methods to promote it. On-site merchandising tools can include custom card displays, card carriers and hangers, attention-grabbing posters and more. It’s very simple to build an integrated gift card promotional campaign that not only markets your card, but reinforces your brand.

Driving Your Revenues

I’m going to take a wild guess that you probably wouldn’t turn away more revenues, increased traffic, and additional loyal customers, right? A gift card program addresses all of these aspects of growing your business. A single gift card will represent at least two visits (maybe more) to your business — the first visit when a consumer purchases the card, the second visit when the card bearer returns to use the gift. Additionally, these card bearers also may be new to your business. A percentage of them will return to your business. And many will even tell their friends about your business. You’ve just leveraged an existing customer into creating new customers. And the purpose of all these consumers with gift cards is to buy something … and quite possibly something more expensive than they would have without the added benefit of the card.

There is a vital benefit that every gift card program provides your business. It’s a sale that’s booked. The card may be purchased today, but redeemed tomorrow, next week or never. Regardless, that is money in the bank. Money you can use today for your company. This is an ideal situation for any business, and a good gift card program is a superb way to achieve that.

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You can enjoy the JcPenney free shipping facility for gift cards, opticals, portraits, custom decorating, jewelry, baby products and much more. JcPenneys free shipping is also available to send flowers as a gift to your beloved. However, this offer does exist for a particular time period only and not throughout the whole year.

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Jcpenneys maintains its popularity with it’s the free shipping coupon scheme. JcPenney.com has a massive on line shopping facility and it is here where you can get your free shipping code. Once things are bought online they naturally have to be shipped from one place to another. And with free shipping, it’s hard for it’s customers to resist.

Many of the customers are of the opinion that shipping goods is an avoidable expenditure. They are of the opinion that if they buy some of the products they will have to pay for the shipping which would be almost half the cost of the product. Not good.

This was anticipated at JC Penny and they very shrewdly offered free shipping to it’s customers, thereby taking the shipping cost burden off the customer’s shoulders. Thus the idea of free shipping caught on rapidly with it’s customers.

Items purchased from J.C. Penneys can be returned at any J.C.Penney store. They can also be sent back via mail. The items purchased from the store can be returned within a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. In such cases the buyer is liable for additional shipping expenses. Credit payments through American Express, JC Penney Master Card and visa are also accepted.

In most cases you could make use of this free shipping for a purchase of over $99. The request for free shipping is done through coupons which are available on the JCPenny website and on other sites where they have shopping partners. There is a certain code on the coupon which has to be entered while billing.

The products are shipped freely either to the home or office of the purchaser. Shipment is not done to Canada. The prices of the certain J.C. Penney products can be lower when compared with other companies because shipping costs are not charged with the customers. Certain products are normally shipped within 24 hours.

JcPenney provides the free shipping of products either to your home or office as per your wish. You may be tired of shopping at stores and spending an incredible amount on for shipping of larger items. JcPenneys free shipping facility relieves you from those issues. You can enjoy the immediate response from the promoters and you can enjoy the extra cash in your wallet.

James Cash Penny an American, popularly known as J.C. Penney was the founder of the now famous department chain store. He established this departmental store in the year 1902. It now has an exhaustive range of goods.

You can enjoy JcPenney’s free shipping facility for gift cards, opticals, portraits, custom decorating, jewelry, baby products and much more. JcPenney free shipping is also available for sending flowers as gift to your beloved. However, this offer does exist for a particular time period and not throughout the whole year.

To survive in this world of cut throat competition in the dog eat dog world of business, companie have to continuously innovate new marketing techniques. They have to regularly lure their customers with different schemes that appeal to them and gets them to use their services.

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Coupons links are available on the JC Penney website. The items that are to purchased should be added to the shopping cart. The coupon code should be entered in to the promotion code box. The discount rates will be shown along with the summary of the order copy.

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