Phone Card Printing Services, No longer Profitable.
For the next few years phone cards continue to prosper. By 1998 most major telecommunication companies had released their own brand of phone cards. Cards were no longer using the magstripe and had completely switched over to an access number and PIN.
Like the dot com boom, the phone card market exploded. Industry-wide revenues reached 12 million dollars. While sales for future years were expected to double. Just one year later in 1999 calling card sales reached an unpredicted high of 25 million dollars. Sales continued to grow reaching 650 million dollars by 2004. Between 2005 and 2008 sales continued to rise exponentially soaring over 4 billion dollars.
Now in days with pre-paid mobile phones and internet service providers users no longer are in need of prepaid phone cards, production of phone cards went down considerably, phone card manufacturers are changing their core business for a more attractive card product like plastic cards
Gift card sales booming during the holidays
Most shoppers will buy at least one
Finding nearly endless choices, consumers are embracing
the idea of gift cards, making the presents people will receive this holiday
season just as likely to come in an envelope as in a box.
Gift cards continue to top lists of most popular
purchases this season, spurring billions in sales for merchants. The category
is growing quickly and moving toward a day when, some believe, the plastic cards could be replaced by electronic ones.
Cards that can be used to buy at stores, restaurants, gas
stations, spas, movie theaters and other outlets have become big business, with
purchases expected to reach $138 billion in the United States this year,
according to estimates from CEB Tower Group. That's a 10 percent jump over gift
card spending in 2014, and Tower Group analysts expect similar growth through
2020, when sales are expected to leap to $178 billion.
More than four in five shoppers — 81 percent — plan to
buy at least one gift card this season and spend, on average, $156.86 for
cards, a survey by the National Retail Federation showed.
That per-person average spending is the highest in the
survey's 10-year history, with total holiday gift card spending expected to
amount to $39 billion. Nearly 60 percent of those polled in the NRF survey said
they'd like to get gift cards this year, a slight increase from 2014.
How Plastic Cards Help Companies Hold Loyal Customers
The competition
in the market amongst various companies has taken the market to the next level.
Every day people get to experience a new change in the market. The companies
just to sustain their place in the market and provide better services to their
loyal customers do this change. There are many alternatives for every product
or service available in the market that the customers get great variety to
choose their service provider. In this race of earning loyal customers,
companies are trying various techniques to keep their clients interested in
their services. It is very difficult for a company to hold loyal customers as
they cannot afford to do a single mistake or it may cause them hugely. This is
what forces companies offer different sorts of presents to their customers. Gift
cards are the most commonly used instruments by the companies to impress their
audiences. If you are in search of gift card printing services then it is recommended that you browse online.
Loyalty cards
are also offered by some companies to their customers. There are plenty of
reasons why companies provide these compliments to their customers. One of the
most important reasons is that it makes easier for the companies to recognize
or identify their loyal customers. Through these cards companies give reward
points to their customers which benefits the customers in their future transactions
with the company. Such benefits interest the customers and their loyalty last
for longer period. If you are in search of membership & loyalty card printing services for your company then you need to find a reliable
printing service provider.
There are many
such printing service providers available in both local as well as Internet
market. It is recommended that do not fall prey for cheap printing services
that are available in the local market as those services may work against your
company’s reputation. The printing that is done in the local market is of low
quality and one cannot let these things affect their business or it may cause
them hugely. Online you will come across many company websites that are into
printing cards for business purposes. These service providers cater good
quality services at very affordable prices, as they understand the importance
of the business reputation.
Plastic cards
have a great impact on all types of business. Packaging the product in an
attractive manner always benefits the company as it catches the eyes of your
intended audiences and influences them to purchase the product. Online plastic card printing service providers
also print product packaging for you just to enhance the overall output of your
company’s products. Even in the troubled, economic times, gift cards and
loyalty cards prove to be helpful for the companies. With the advent in technology,
those cards are very easy to be manufactured and do not cost a lot as one would
anticipate it to be. It just needs an effective marketing strategy to attract
your customers and join up your program. For any queries and assistance, you
can call on the number that is mentioned on the service provider’s website.
Plastic Card Printing – Easy Way To Promote a Business.
There are many providers that offer these services. You can also opt for card personalization. All you have to do is to choose the card type, quantity,
type of material, and more. The prices of these services are affordable and can
easily fit into your budget. It is worth to take a quick tour to the website to
get an overview of the services.
Tooling Decisions for Gift Card Die Cutting.
Gift card manufacturers need to be equally versed in the different types of tooling used in die cutting gift cards..
Steel rule dies have the advantages of being relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain quickly. A steel rule die generally costs 95% less than a standard blanking tool. Gap presses that have better optical registration can automatically re-position steel rule dies. They also offer rapid job changeovers that are important to the short run niche. All of the features used in gift card designs to date-hole punches, score lines, perimeter cuts-can be made, but with far lower mechanical accuracy than would be possible with other types of tooling. This is due to the tendency of cutting blades to bend or deflect while cutting. Card manufacturers familiar with the financial card industry usually have little experience with steel rule dies as they are not up to the rigors of strict ISO standards for CR-80 dimension cards. However, steel rule dies are often the tooling of choice for less demanding gift card designs and mastering their manufacture and use is an important part of being competitive in the gift card manufacturing niche.
Male/female hard tooling can easily create gift cards that do not have internal features such as score lines or internal holes that are common in gift card designs. With these tools, the key technical consideration is the clearance between the punch and die and how far it penetrates into the die cavity. When cutting the thick materials typically used in gift cards (e.g. 0.76 mm plastics), there is a need for considerable clearance between the punch and the die. In most cases, the punch should be smaller than the die cavity hole diameter by as much as I/I0 the plastic material thickness. This general rule nearly always needs fine tuning and the more experienced die cutting equipment manufacturers will make adjustments in tooling design as a matter of course.
Progressive dies are essentially two or more tools built side-by-side that create all the cuts, internal holes, score lines, and perforations used in gift card designs in multiple sequential cutting stations. Here, too, the knowledge base of the gift card manufacturer is important, especially when it comes to considering tool progression (center-to-center spacing between two stations in a tool). Progressive tools must be very accurately built to match the step up, and artwork must be similarly matched to this dimension in the printing. Progressive dies cost about 50% more than ordinary male/female hard tools. Progressive dies can be troublesome in that printing must precisely match tool dimension, or station-to-station positioning will be off, and quality will be compromised. If there are cut-to-print registration problems, a progressive die will multiply the rejects. They are also inherently slower, because they involve cycling through multiple stations. For these reasons, compound dies have come into use.
Compound dies are essentially two or more tools built inside each other such that the gift card (including all its internal features and the die cut features of carrier for point-of-sale displays) can be created in one press stroke. This type of die has unsurpassed mechanical accuracy in a fast single step process. But one pays for this accuracy and throughput-generally at a 15% greater cost of a standard male/female die. They also are return-to-web dies, like steel rule dies, and those gift card manufacturers that have equipment with greater versatility in parts extraction and knockout systems have a distinct advantage.
Modular dies have been newly created to meet the need to produce high quality prototypes in competitive bid situations, and to find tooling for moderate run lengths for gift card products. These moderately – priced dies create the same edge quality produced by hard tooling, but at approximately 1/5 the upfront cost of hard tools and obtained in as little as 1/8 the time it takes to procure hard tooling up to the requirements of many gift card designs. These are often the tooling of choice for many gift card jobs with runs less than 500,000 die cutting cycles.
Gift Card Printing and Its Benefits.
The
professional printing service has gained immense popularity. It enables them to
meet the requirements with the proper advertising tools. This has proven to be
economical and effective solutions for the business. A reliable service
provider with the use of advance machines and techniques will deliver top class
plastic card printing service to the
client. They can easily cater the needs of the various industries with ease.
Plastic card is extensively used in the hospitality, telecom, retail, banking,
travel industry and more. The service provider will offer wide range plastic
products to the customers. They can make their choice based on their niche
industry and requirements. A gift card is used in the various promotional
activities to encourage customers in the buying process. There are different
types of gift card that can be incorporated in the marketing strategy. It can
help to build a better connection with the customer on distributing the gift
card. The printing service provider will design the gift card in proficient manner.
It will be graphically well designed to give it an attractive appearance. One
can get the business logo and name incorporated on the gift card. People can
make their decision on the thickness and finishing touch with the gift card printing service.
With the card personalization service, it can
aid in giving a unique feel and make it special. The retailers can distribute
the gift card during the festive season to increase the business sales. It will
assist in building a good reputation with this marketing strategy. Membership Card Printing For Enhanced Service Delivery.
The two main
factors that help a business flourish and expand are customer satisfaction and
stellar services or products. Changing market trends also impact the consumption
rate of customers. This is when business entrepreneurs must introduce timely
changes and offer products that their customers desire to purchase. Capturing
the attention of existing customers is essential as the market offers fierce
competition and a little slip can negatively impact the business of an
entrepreneur. Manually gathering the buying trends of customers can be a
daunting and time consuming activity. With the use of technology and the ease
of use offered by membership card printing, retailers and entrepreneurs can easily know the preference of
customers.
Gathering this
information is easy as these cards have a magnetic strip that will record all
the items or products purchased by customers. Using this data, they can easily
know about the most preferred and least preferred products that are displayed
in different retail stores. Such valuable data can help a company drastically
improve its image in the market by introducing better versions of the less
preferred products. These measures will not only help garner a larger clientele
but will create a good reputation among contemporaries. It would reflect
positively on the company, improve business prospects and be viewed as a
customer-centric promotional activity. Another way of promoting the brand is to
opt for SIM card printing which will
make a large number of mobile users aware of your products. This too can be
customized as per your preferences and using card affixing packaging can be utilized to enhance the overall
presentation, contact us to get an answer to any of your membership card printing questions.The Magic of Plastic Card Printing
The Plastic Card printing industry is one of the fastest growing work
fields. People are always surrounded with cards such as, SIM card, phone card,
scratch off card, hotel card, some membership card, sale activation card and many
more. All the cards are made up of plastic. With the changing demands
of customers, the card printing team has developed itself to supply high
quality secure cards in a new way. The plastic card printing solutions introduce cards, whether plastic or paper, that
can be customized and personalized according to the customer. The card printing
solutions are energetic, very effective and top quality providers of card
products with specialization. The card printing team consists of qualified and
experienced staff that meets the most competitive tasks of card production in
fields of banking, retailing, telecommunication, hospitality, travel and many
more.
The main focus of the card printing unit is to improve the quality, size, design and security features of the cards they produce. They also provide you the most cost effective products. The printing solution can make scratch off cards with the use of plastic. They can prepare the sales activation card with the use of magnetic strip. The card packaging and labeling service wrap up the bar coding and meet the vigorous retailing requirements. The graphic design team of the printing solution helps people to create your product from sketch. The production team can print the cards in advance and store the cards in stock and ship it later on according to the distribution needs of the customer. All the products and its stock are managed in a computerized structure.
Many of the card manufacturers offer customized scratch off card printing. The scratch off card is a great marketing tool. It is used for promotions, gaming and postcards. The product that is offered with a scratch off card attracts customer’s attention and readership. It creates an excitement among consumers to see what they may win. This increases the sales of the product or service that you offer. The card printing solution can help you in adding scratch off cards with variable numbers, locations, images, winning numbers, etc. to your next promotion. This creates a buzz of excitement amongst customers.
The card printing solution offer various types of gift card printing which includes mini gift cards, hanging gift cards and special die-cut gift card. They also offer various types of plastic card printing including plastic phone cards, plastic gift cards, plastic membership card, plastic casino cards, plastic business card, plastic fundraising, plastic promotional cards, plastic key fobs and key tags, plastic VIP cards and many more. All the cards are made up of plastic with a signature panel, bar-coding and scratch off panel. All of them are made of different sizes and customized or personalized according to customer needs.
Plastic Card Printing is Better Than Paper Printing?
People
have always been a fan of cards that are an essential tool for displaying one’s
identity. It is that sole piece of paper that was needed to display the
information related to a company and had other details such as contact details,
address as well as E-mail ID’s. Till date, it continues to have an impact on
your clients like never seen before. People use such cards at meetings or
parties and even after consultancy sessions. Such is the state that these are
handed out to potential clients at every possible event, be it a meeting or
even a social gathering. These are important not only for the organization but
also for the person representing such a firm. It has all the details regarding
the designation of the individual along with information such as personal ID
details and contact numbers. They are cheap affordable and being made of paper,
they can be bought in bulk. Probably the greatest benefit that such business
cards have is that they can be customized to suit the needs of the organization
that is getting them printed. You may even tweak the shape and size of such
accessories to better represent what the company stands for.
However,
there is a flaw with such paper products. Wear and tear is something that
people have had to deal with ever since their concept came into existence.
Luckily for people, there is always a solution for everything and this is the
case here too. People have always experimented with several products over time
and then come up with something better. Plastic is one such material that has
found itself being used in a number of products ranging from bottles to even
business cards. Plastic card printing has
come out as the number one contender to grab this title from its paper counterpart.
These have become very popular over the years and there are several advantages
that they have over paper products.Paper is biodegradable material, which means that while it respects the environment and adheres with the natural elements well, there are some flaws which cannot be overlooked. Being soft in nature, it begins to fold and tear away from the corners. This may spoil the brand name or other such important details that are usually at the corners. Even though there are many varieties available, all of them begin to degrade with time. They end up in dustbins and trash bags and are rendered useless for any further use.
Plastic cards work upon the above flaws in many ways. One of the most notable differences is the ease at which textures and designs can be printed on them. Gift cardprinting is always easier on this material as it can be tweaked and customized to suit the client’s needs. Being durable, it can also be engraved upon. There are many companies that allow you to print custom designs and artwork like logos and other details that were previously only possible with the plastic. You can come across many websites that offer the best deals and packages.
All Types of Card Personalization and Printing
People
always carry a bunch of cards used for various reasons. Some are used for
identification while some grant access and they are used in every business
profile. These cards are manufactured by a limited number of firms who offer
services to different countries of the world. They do all types of card personalization such a Bar Code, Variable Data, Magnetic Stripe, Scratch Off panel, Signature panel and
act as wholesale dealers for such products. The SIM cards that are used by
everyone are also made by these firms as they also offer SIM card printing solutions to telecom providers. Considering the
number of cards an individual uses, people can imagine the business of making
these cards and the amounts in which they are manufactured. The service
contractors accept bulk orders as such products are needed in huge quantities
and the rates get lower as the quantity goes higher.
There
are many places where cards are used and each of then serve different purpose.
Their size is also standardized and the firms also offer customizable size
options to people looking for different patterns. The plastic card printing is in great bloom considering the high usage
of such products and the power they carry. The designs can be submitted by the
client or ask the providers to make it for them. Different qualities of
materials are available and people can choose upon the budget and the use. All
the details of the card types and their rates are available through the online
portals of the manufacturing firms. A contact number is also given for
personalized assistance. Plastic Card Printing For Effective Promotion
With the ever increasing competition it has become vital for
every business to make use of innovative marketing strategies. Your customers
are always looking for some great solutions. You cannot expect them to know of
your existence without proper advertising and marketing. Though there are new
methods, nothing can beat the services offered by business cards. Business
cards help you to garner the attention of potential and existing customers. When
it comes to talking about cards, the one that has caught attention is plastic
cards. They are the best and offer all the marketing solution in order to get
attention. This is where the importance of plasticcard printing comes into the picture. A large number of companies now
prefer using plastic cards over traditional cards. Always remember that, “First
impression is the last impression.” It does not matter whether you are giving
your customer a loyalty or business card, plastic cards are the best choice.
You surely want to build a reputation among the customers. The plastic card industry has gained immense popularity among the businesses of all sizes. There are innumerable benefits associated with this. The reason why many companies make use of plastic card is because they are available in varied shapes, sizes and colors. Apart from this, it also does not tear easily as compared to paper. It is one of the best ways to represent your brand. It does not wear off easily. You must have noticed that when you keep a paper business card in your wallet or pocket, they tend to tear off. The same does not go with plastic. These plastic cards can be used varied purposes such as:
1. Prepaid
gift card
2. Prepaid
Calling Card
3. Wireless
market and more
If you have any request you can have a talk with the experts. They will listen to all your needs and offer designing and printing accordingly. The prices are affordable and sure to fit into your limited budget. Get in touch with the customer support in case of any queries or doubts. It is wise that you take a quick tour of the relevant site for more details on the exceptional services.
Choose Allstate Card Solutions for Supreme Quality of Prepaid Cards
I was the head honcho
of a telecommunications company. I was happy to see my business growing by
leaps and bounds. On the other hand, my employees were also self motivated. I
was happy to see my firm developing. Also, I ensured to take the customers’
feedback seriously. I made certain that I entertained all of them. I had a
similar policy for my employees. I took their feedback as well.
Some of my employees thought
that the quality of prepaid calling cards was poor. They added that the quality
could be better. I took this into consideration. I had a word with my partners
about it. All of us thought that we should opt for a company which offers
better service in terms of Plastic card printing. I had a company in mind. However, I thought it will be better to
consult my partners first. My partners gave a nod only after acquainting
themselves with the company’s history. We decided to get in touch with the company’s
executive. The executive told us to meet him the next day. Accordingly, we met
him at his office.
He showcased us the
kind of plastic cards they offered. All of us went had a momentary look at the
card. The quality seemed pretty convincing. We decided to have a word with the
employees as well. Even they gave their consent. Our prepaid cards were newly
printed. Eventually, the cards were distributed in various regions. Also, the
service was fast and efficient.
On the other hand, my
wife owned a fashion label. She was keen on marketing her label. As a result,
she came up with an initiative. She decided to give gift card to selected
customers. She was now in search of someone who had excelled in Gift card printing.
I advised her to
contact the same executive. I thought he would be of great help to her. I
decided to accompany my wife. Since I had become one of his loyal customers, he
offered my wife a certain discount. He exhibited the card sample. Also, he
illustrated so as to how will the gift card will be. After a lot of thought, my
wife agreed to opt for their services. She had some ideas in mind in terms of
the card design. She expressed the ideas to the executive. He assured her that
he will incorporate the ideas.
My wife was shocked
when she saw the gift card. It was exactly like she had imagined. Eventually,
her gift cards became a hit among her customers. It is then that she came up
with the idea of scratch cards. She thought of giving every customer a scratch
card. The lucky ones would win exciting prizes. I gave the idea a nod. We
contacted the same executive for Scratchoff card printing. He was more than happy to help us. He ensured to give
the card a personal touch. Soon after, both of us wrote a letter. We wrote a
letter to the executive thanking him for his invaluable service. He was
overwhelmed when he read the letter. He now regards us as his most loyal
customers. Effective Business Management through Card Personalization
Creative ideas and
effective execution are one of the prime ways through which a business can
ensure and maintain top position. It is common for business entrepreneurs to
constantly come up with inventive ideas and strategies to attract customers. Such promotional
events are arranged to announce the launch of new products or when improvements
are made in existing products or services. An easy and effective way of
ensuring that information regarding your products and services reaches the
audience is through the use of plasticcard printing. The main advantage of using this mode of promotional
strategy is that it offers ultimate flexibility to entrepreneurs and enables
them to introduce changes in the design and achieve card personalization in a unique, attractive manner.
Such card printing
methods can also be used for gift cardprinting and are usually offered to reward stellar performance of
employees. Many business organizations and setups maintain the practice of
rewarding deserving employees so as to congratulate them for their efforts.
This not only makes the recipient happy and valued but also motives other
members of the staff or team to out in extra effort in a bid to get such
rewards and incentives from their employers. Such gift cards are extremely
economical for entrepreneurs as it allows them to fix the total denomination of
the card. This means that the employee can purchase any item of his choice and
utilize the card to make the payment or a part of it. Such reward cards can be
easily embossed with the brand logo or the company name to give it a more
personalized appearance. Garner Attention with Low-Priced High Quality Gift Card Printing
As a departmental store
owner offering a range of our home brand products right next to other popular
and more renowned brands, I have to face many challenges. The marketing of any
product is a huge part of the selling process. In fact it is one of the most
important aspects. When it comes to presenting your product and promoting its
awareness, no matter how great the quality your brand will take time to be
picked up by customers. As a marketing student I had learned that a quick way
to increase the presence and call for customer attention to your product is by
using attractive deals and offers to advertise them. Some of the great way to
do this was creative gift card printing
and packaging bundled with discounts and concessions and membership and loyalty
programs.
As the owner and in-charge
of the departmental store as well as the advertising of my petite store the
onus was on me to get all things right like selection of graphics and choosing
the printing partner for the gift card project. I decided to first scour the
internet for such services that did a quality job in all kinds of printing.
Soon enough I came across exactly the kind of card design service I needed. The
company provided a wide range of card solutions including services like gift
cards and plastic card printing. This
was something that suited perfectly for my marketing campaign. I was amazed at
the array of options available and even picked a few ideas for the strategy I
had in mind. I was sure that this would make a very attractive package that
would absolutely grab the attention of customers.
For stores that regularly
organize lucky draws and bids with scratch off cards, this is where the party
was happening. Scratch off card printing
and graphics were very impressive. I was definitely considering the attractive
die-cut cards for scratch and win contests I was planning to host at the store.
I was really looking forward to the gift card printing options. They came in a
lot of variety from standard credit card size with clear vibrant designs, index
card and post card size to special sizes cut according to the design provided.
The gift cards could be ordered in any shape and size with hanging cards and
cards that came along with card carriers and packaging.
I decided to contact them for a quote on getting
the job done and was surprised at the affordable price at which they offered
such high quality printing service. My designs and graphics were already ready.
I provided them with all the specifications with the card template I choose and
the quantity I wanted to order. I must say they provided amazing service in
every sense including customer service. They assisted me selecting the color
schemes and different settings that will bring out the imagery and designs on
the gift cards. When I got the final product in my hand I was just ecstatic at
how unbelievable remarkable it looked. For business that need printing and
packaging do contact them. They are truly exemplary in what they do.
Design Trends and Manufacturability
As technology continues to touch just about every aspect of
our lives, it also has an impact on how we perceive the physical payment card.
Over the years, the card has been continuously evolving. The origination of the
payment card started with a single paper or cardboard slip. Shortly afterwards,
it was common to use a metal charge plate. The plastic charge card emerged in
the mid-century, and since has held steady as the material most commonly used
for cards. In recent years, it has become common for cards to come equipped
with smart technology such as antennas, contact chips, digital displays, and
lights. The security elements on the card are key components to keep cardholder
information safe and ensure that fraudulent cards are unable to be reproduced.
The design goes much deeper than the graphic printed on the face of the card.
Strategically, it is important to be mindful of the things to come, but we also
need to keep our eye on the present and the reality of the card in the market
today. What happens today drives tomorrow’s trends.
When designing cards, it is very important to be cognizant
of industry guidelines. These industry guidelines specify parameters the
payment card must meet such as size, thickness rigidity,
the magnetic stripe, signature panel and contact chip technology. It is
imperative that these guidelines are followed to ensure that the card will
function properly in the field. They also provide structure that helps to
confirm the card is constructed in a way that will last. A credit card travels
with us wherever we go. Cards must be able to withstand being taken to the top
of a ski hill in freezing conditions as well as tolerating very warm humid
climates. Sometimes they are carried loose in our pocket, they get wet or could
be exposed to abrasives such as sand. They will need to be able to function to
make payments and still get us into our hotel room at the end of the day all
while maintaining a look that speaks well to the brand marks that it possesses.
The long list of industry and association guidelines can be enough to quickly
overwhelm any designer. There are so many things that need to be considered
when you actually dissect the card that it is important to create a design that
will not cause an adverse effect to these items. The key is keeping the integrity
of these elements while finding a differentiator for the look and feel of the
card. The card needs to have something to make it stand out from the others.
Finding that differentiating factor starts with determining
the overall look and feel of the card. Graphical elements certainly play a
role, but it's the materials and the processes the card goes through in
manufacturing that makes it a reality. It is extremely important to be
cognizant of materials such as the PVC and the inks that are used. This is
where the importance of innovation and research and development comes into
play. If a new material, ink or process comes into the mix, it is crucial that
it is run through a full gamut of testing to confirm that the card will meet
industry guidelines. In many cases the cards are constructed in multi-layers.
It is common practice to sandwich the front and back of the card together along
with the overlay material and then laminate the card using heat and pressure to
fuse it into one solid form. The lamination could mute out the effect. It is
all a result of how the materials work together and how they withstand the heat
from lamination. Another important aspect in designing the card is to consider
the smart technology that is present in so many of today’s cards and how it
interacts with the materials that have been selected to construct the card.
Sometimes the strongest differentiating factor can be a simplistic detail,
something sleek and elegant that can catch the eye and set the card apart from
the rest.
Current industry trends have been cards that possess a
metallic element, or emulate depth in some way. Cards with brightly colored
edges have become a popular identifying factor that sets the card apart from
other cards in the wallet. Processes that create depth or visible layering of
inks on the card can be an effective way to add pop to the graphical elements
of the card, or create a subtle visual effect or texture to the card. The best
part of designing on plastics is the various combinations of inks, materials,
processes (foil stamping, lamination or silkscreen treatments) that add sparkle
or texture to the card. Many trending effects in card design are effects that
determine the surface reflectivity of the card. The key items that determine
the surface reflectivity are the materials that the card is composed of, the
silkscreen inks and how they are applied within the design. Matte finish has
become more and more popular. Hot foil stamping can be an effective way to add
a metallic element to a card. Most importantly, lamination, and the plates used
in lamination, can be the single most important factor that determines if the
card will have a glossy high shine or a smooth matte finish.
Overall, when designing a card, it is very important to be
mindful of trends. Trends can work for or against a card design. A trend can
become popular very quickly and used in many types of cards. The
differentiating factor can easily fade when trends take over, and all of the
sudden many cards possess a very similar look and feel. It’s important to
respect trends. They become trends for a reason. The ultimate goal in card
design is that people are more likely to gravitate to a particular card. The
card makes a statement about the brand that it represents. It is important to
remember where card design started, back with the metal charge plates.
Sometimes the most impactful designs and processes have been there all along.
Card Power: The Core of a Successful Loyalty Program
The question facing most brands is: How do you increase the
spend and frequency from your consumers? The purpose of our research was to
uncover data and best practices around the use of cards within a loyalty program. We found interesting information on how to increase sales in a market
where the “the next big thing” always seems to be changing.
Keeping your brand present, and prevalent, in the minds and
buying behaviors of consumers is becoming more challenging. Consumers are
bombarded with marketing messages, in multiple channels, and ensuring your
message is heard and acted upon is every marketer’s desire.
Multi Packaging Solutions, Producer of loyalty and gift card
programs, is seeing this trend become the new norm. Tony Haugen, Senior Vice
President remarks, “We are hearing from many clients how important it is for
them to keep existing consumers shopping, and bring them back to purchase more
often. The value of having and executing a good loyalty program has become more
critical and in-demand than we have ever seen before.”
Loyalty Program
Market Update
It is well documented that the average consumer is in as
many as 14 loyalty programs, and 80 percent of consumers state loyalty programs
impact their purchasing decisions. There are many facets to obtaining loyal
consumers, yet there is no question that by retaining your existing consumer
base, you can achieve the biggest band for the buck.
Certainly there is a cost to running a loyalty program;
however, the upside is great. Members in
programs tend to spend 30 to 100 percent more than non-members, and are more
frequent in their purchasing. Furthermore, you should see a real profit uptick
as well; research shows that a five percent increase in customer retention can
result in a 25 to 100 percent increase in company profits.
In the marketplace, the conversation all seems to be about
mobile, digital and social. Without a doubt, technology is adding exciting
channels to engage consumers, and their impact will play a factor in the
market, so it is definitely smart to incorporate these in your strategy. Saying
that, here is the caution; these topics are new and cool, yet that doesn’t mean
you will spend the majority of your budget in mobile or digital loyalty
solutions. On the contrary, a blended strategy and one that is “back to the
basics” might bring you the best results.
Give Them a Card
Cards have been around for decades and may seem like old
news, but the market shows that cards are still trending, id they help power
programs to success! Carrying a physical membership card gives consumers a
sense of belonging, that they are part of something special. This has recent
strategies seem to only want to run to mobile wallets and email blasts. Maybe
it is time to reconsider the power of giving consumers a branded welcome to the
program.
This past year, one brand tested a card-based program (one
in which a card was given) compared to a card-less (digital only) program to a see
if having a card in hand versus none offered had any impact on the activity and
excitement from the consumer. They found that the consumer participation rate
was 8 times greater in the card-based program versus not offering a card at
all. Even though there was a savings by not producing a physical card; this was
far outweighed by the participation and ultimately financial churn of consumer
activity.
Mil Really Does Work
Yes, with all the excitement of social marketing, emails, SEO,
SEM, texting and so forth, direct mail is still one of the best ways to engage
consumers. In a recent channel preference study, the data supports this claim,
as 51 percent of U.S. consumers stated they pay more attention to postal mail
than email, 73 percent prefer direct mail for brand communications, and 73 percent
receive emails they simply do not open.
Research by Ball State University concluded that in some cases,
70 percent to 90 percent of respondents made a purchase based on receiving
direct mail. When a card is in the direct mail piece, response rates are even
higher. Multi Packaging Solutions has seen this with several clients, as response
rates have increased as much as 30 percent by combining direct mail with email
marketing campaigns.
With this type of information, direct mail is a marketing channel
that brands simply cannot ignore and should be a part of your strategy moving
forward.
Gift Cards as
Incentive Rewards
Gift cards have become the number one gift in the U.S., and
continue to provide a tremendous revenue lift for brands. As far as loyalty programs, great (and successful) convergence is underway. The big idea is to
use gift cards as incentives within your loyalty program.
How impactful can a physical gift card be? It has been found
that gift cards are ten times, yes ten times more effective at driving
incremental customer visits. A further look into why this
is the case reveals that consumers find a plastic gift cards to be “something of
value.” They place worth on a gift card and therefore on a reward card that
acts like a gift card.
Card Power: The Core
of a Successful Loyalty Program
A recent study shows that consumers who received a physical
card as an incentive spent 43 percent more than the card value, and 55 percent
of those consumers redeemed their card within 30 days. Another survey revealed
that over 84 percent of consumers would rather receive a physical gift card
than a virtual card. With this type of data, marketers need to continue to
focus their strategy on what the consumers want, and are doing today.
Adding value with card packaging: Sleeves and envelopes
Do Customers See Your Logo Each Time They Open Their Wallet?
It was estimated that during the 2013 holiday season, nearly
81 percent of shoppers purchased at least one gift card, how they are packaged
can often be an afterthought. One of the most economical packaging options for
gift cards are envelopes and sleeves.
Flat packaging such as envelopes and sleeves are most commonly
manufactured using paper, Tyvek ArmorShield™ (an RFID shielding substrate) and
light weight board. Sleeves in these materials fit nicely into wallets and
purses and are a valuable and inexpensive marketing tool while protecting the
cards. Card sleeves and envelopes are easily custom printed so your message is
right where it needs to be—in your customers’ hands!
So what is the best material for card sleeves? That all depends on the application, for
short term cards that are not subject to constant use, paper is the most
economical material. Lightweight board stock is also a popular and provides a
little more durability over paper. For cards that are used frequently or will
be stored for a longer term, Tyvek® will perform better and is extremely
durable, tear resistant, and is non-abrasive. Armor Shield sleeves are best
used to protect the data on smart or contactless cards,
passports and enhanced drivers’ licenses.
Some of the typical uses for card sleeves and envelopes
include gift and loyalty cards, debit/credit cards for banks and credit unions,
identification/government ID’s and access cards, healthcare-related cards, and
key card sleeves for hotels and the hospitality industry.
Gift card sleeves and envelopes are the perfect companion to
retail gift cards and give customers another avenue to market their business.
We all know the popularity and benefits of gift cards. Gift card envelopes
provide another opportunity to market your brand, highlight other services or
products, list locations, hours and phone numbers, or give another discount all
on a carrier which typically stays with the card until redemption. Gift cards
are most often packaged in paper or a light weight board stock-these are the
most economical options and best for short term use cards and holders.
Protective Tyvek® card sleeves are often used in banking and
financial markets. Tyvek® provides excellent durability and protects magnetic
stripe cards from damage and scratching. About 70 percent of the top 100 U.S.
credit unions provide Tyvek® card sleeves to their members. To protect
contactless bank cards from unauthorized skimming, sleeves should be
manufactured using an RFID blocking material such as ArmorShield™. About 100
million credit cards currently have RFID technology embedded into them.
However, over the next two to three years with the migration of EMV, credit card
issuers plan to replace magnetic stripe credit and debit cards with new
contactless smartcards. ArmorShield™ sleeves provide a barrier to the radio
frequency signals necessary to communicate with contactless cards. Complementing
electronic security measures such as encryption and authentication, the sleeves
provide an additional layer of protection against unauthorized or unknown
access. Custom printing on sleeves can also list additional bank Custom
printing on sleeves can also list additional bank corporate branding.
Another large application for RFID shielding sleeves is in
the area of governmental in the area of governmental identification, enhanced
drivers licenses, and contactless building access cards. Information contained
on the chips embedded in these cards can also be skimmed by hackers and other
identity thieves. RFID blocking materials, such as the alloy in ArmorShield™
are designed to shield ISO 1443 A/B and EPC Gen 1/Gen2 contactless smart cards.
This encompasses any contactless card that operates at 13.56 MHz and above. This
material will not shield the older 125 kHz proximity cards. On cards that include
a secondary 125 kHz antenna added for backward compatibility, only the newer 13.56
MHz interface is shielded. The newer 13.56 MHz interface is generally the only
one with personal data.
Custom printed card sleeves are also used by many companies
in the healthcare industry. Medical groups, doctors' offices and healthcare
insurance companies use the card sleeves to communicate important information
to their patients. These sleeves not only protect medical cards from
scratching, dust and debris, but help to instruct patients on routine care,
urgent care, and life threatening conditions. Phone numbers, hours of service,
address of locations, and websites can be printed on the sleeves to provide
additional information to the end users.
Hotel key card envelopes are used in motels and hotels to
identify the room number and to provide valuable hotel information. Different
sizes are often used to hold one or two cards as well as different styles that
have flaps or enclosures. Most styles have no flaps to make it an easy access
to your hotel key card. Key card envelopes are generally produced from paper,
but Tyvek is occasionally used for high-end resorts or hotels requiring a more
durable card sleeves. Tyvek is a great application for protecting hotel key
cards when used around the pool or ocean.
Many hotels are switching door locks to contactless systems
and use RFID cards or contactless cards to gain entry into guest rooms. These
RFID cads should be protected by using RFID blocking sleeves. These sleeves
prevent skimming or unauthorized copying of the key card, which would allow
thieves the ability to gain access to your room.
Card sleeves and envelopes make great promotional and
give-a-way items. Many companies, sports teams, and charitable corporations
provide sleeves as give-a-ways at events with the intent the sleeve will be
used with the end users current plastic card regardless of the card itself.
Other companies provide the envelopes with the cards to provide the users with
additional information. Want something a little different? How about a small
envelope with a flap, or a window, or use a specialized material or unique
shape? Keep your message in front of your target audience with custom printed
card sleeves and envelopes.
Card
sleeves and envelopes are a valuable and inexpensive marketing tool while
providing protection and security for your cards and a complimentary addition
to the cards themselves.
Scratch Off Cards Printing
What are Scratch off cards?
A scratchcard (called a scratch off,
scratch ticket, scratcher, scratchie, or instant lottery) is a small card,
often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal
PINs, where one or more areas contain concealed information which can be
revealed by scratching off an opaque covering. Wikipedia How can I use Scratch off cards?
As with all of your print marketing materials, work with a credible online printer that can customize the cards with your brand identity, including color scheme, logo and contact information. Create your own promotion or choose from the following list of ideas:
Save the Date: This is popular in the wedding industry and among event planners. Scratch off cards can be used for surprise parties, weddings, anniversary celebrations, baptisms and other special events. Guests must scratch the card, before the date, location and venue are revealed.
Gender Reveal: Expectant parents like to surprise friends and family with mystery scratch off cards. In order to learn the gender of the new arrival, recipients must first scratch off the card.
of customizable options, prices range from 4 cents to $2.00 per card. If you prefer to DIY, use an online printing service to design and order your postcards. Then order scratch off stickers separately. This option allows you to place the stickers on yourself. Scratch off stickers are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.
You can order from Allstate Printing, Allstate has expertise in printing scratch off cards with variable data for sweepstakes, pin numbers, codes, sequential numbering, barcodes, names, winning numbers, locations or images. No job is to big or too small and there are endless possibilities for the use of scratch off cards.
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