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.
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.
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.
Creative 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 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 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 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 utilize your logo. Carry your branding through to your design. Your logo is recognizable to your customers, and your gift card acts as a small billboard. Take advantage of your logo.
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 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. - 15431
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.
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.
Creative 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 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 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 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 utilize your logo. Carry your branding through to your design. Your logo is recognizable to your customers, and your gift card acts as a small billboard. Take advantage of your logo.
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 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. - 15431
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.
