Clear plastic business cards are a unique way to elevate your company’s image to the next level while making a lasting impression. Today’s competition in the job market is fierce, clear or frosted business cards are the means to get recognized. Utilizing the transparency of the cards our clients are able to pull off unique effects that would be impossible on a traditional plastic or paper card. Clear or transparent cards give a modern day look for any type of business. Some of the leading companies today such as Starbucks, Victoria Secret, American Express all now have clear cards as part of their gift card or credit card programs. The cards give an extra WOW to your image which the image of your company is what stands out to the everyday consumer.

Companies have long used branded merchandise such as mugs, caps, pens and other items in attempts to keep their names in front of current as well as potential customers. But promotional pieces have more often than not been considered throwaway items of low quality, and not much use to the people receiving them.

You don’t want to spend your valuable marketing dollars on promotional items that are here today and gone tomorrow, so why not give away something that will be used and appreciated. Prepaid minutes on high quality printed plastic phone cards are a great way to do just that.

When your prospects receive a plastic card with free phone time already on it, they feel like they have been given a gift with actual monetary value. Unlike a pen or a Frisbee, or other cheap promotional merchandise, this card will go straight into a wallet or purse where it will be kept and not thrown away or forgotten. And every time the recipient pulls that phone card out to make a call, you have a chance to present your company to them, again and again.

Here are a few tips for setting up your plastic phone cards to be an effective marketing tool.

• Make sure the front of your card is eye-catching and delivers the message of what your company is about in a clear and memorable way. Since plastic card printing allows you to cover your card with full four-color printing, the sky is the limit for what you want to put there. Include the number of minutes on the card, of course, but save the majority of the front side of the card for a great first impression that makes the prospect want to learn more about you.
• On the back of the card, include the call-in number for your phone card, but very close to that put your website address in a bold, bright color such as red or bright blue. If you don’t have a website for your business, put your primary telephone number here. By putting this information right by the call-in number, you will remind the prospect of your contact information every time they look at the back of the card.
• Also on the back of the card, you can benefit by printing a special offer that will entice the prospect to either go online or come to your store. You could offer a 10% discount or similar loss leader to prompt the prospect to take action, and they will be reminded of it every single time they use the card. Better yet, by including the special offer on your card you increase the chances that they will hold on to that plastic card long after they use up their prepaid minutes.

When you plan your next promotional giveaway, don’t settle for trinkets with a high novelty factor but no long-term value. Keep your company, your message and your products in front of your prospects every time they reach for the phone, and start building your sales today. Click here to learn more about prepaid phone cards.

Membership cards are a staple of many businesses these days – with plastic cards of all colors and varieties filling the wallets and pocketbooks of America. For many consumers, keeping a membership card can be a hassle – it’s just one more thing to carry around, and there’s not much value attached to it.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your business’ membership cards become something that your customers love to carry around and bring to your cash register again and again? You can – all you have to do is get a little creative when it comes time to get your plastic membership card printing done. Here are a few tips to help you along.

• Spice up your membership cards by making it a special offer card, with a different discount or bonus for every day of the week. Little perks like “5% Off Fridays” or “Double Coupon Weekends” can encourage shoppers to come by your store over and over during the week. Place your deepest discounts on the days where you do the least business and you can get business flowing on what otherwise would be a dry day.
• Use your plastic membership cards as a way to trigger customer visits via a loss leader. For example, if you are a gas station, consider printing an offer on your membership card like “Present this card to get a free 2 liter soda with every purchase of 8 or more gallons of gas.” If you are a grocery store, offer a free magazine of the customer’s choice every visit. Since customers who come in for something “free” tend to make significant impulse purchases at the same time, giving away a low-value item can reap a bevy of increased sales.
• Take advantage of thermal printing technology and create a barcoded plastic card that is tied to your customer’s member account. Have it scanned each time that they make a purchase and store their customer data for marketing purposes. As your customer database grows, you can get a feel for what kind of products sell best, as well as what kinds of products tend to be bought at the same time. You can use that data to craft special offers for combinations of products, tempting your customers to come in for an irresistible deal (and naturally, buy plenty of other items while they’re around).

Membership cards don’t have to be boring or inconvenient – it isn’t too difficult to come up with unique and effective ways of turning them into marketing tools that call out to your customers every time they reach into their pockets.

All it takes is a little creativity, some knowledge of your customers’ needs, and access to plastic card supplier to create a sales tool that transforms an occasional customer into a steady source of revenue. Add a dash of marketing know-how to your plastic membership cards and see how much it can improve your sales year-round.