A barcode is a series of wide and narrow bars that can be scanned.  There are many different types of barcodes you can put on your plastic cards; the most common one seen is the Universal Product Code or UPC code that you see on items that you purchase at stores. You can scan the barcode with your barcode scanner and it will then bring up the information that is stored in your system from the barcode. A number can also be printed that is associated with the barcode as a human readable number on your plastic cards. So if your barcode did not scan you can also manually type in the barcode number in which it would bring up the same information that is stored. The type of barcode you will need will be dependent on the type of system you have. This information would be found through your product provider. There are many different types of barcodes that are used today so all we would need to know is the type of barcode you will need and the number sequence that you would like to use on your plastic cards.

UV finished will generally make the plastic cards come out nice in color quality, more vibrant, but if the plastic cards are being used a lot there would be no protection. UV finish is recommended for cards that have bright color in nature, cards that will not be handled often or maybe a one-time use reward card or some kind of discount card.

Overlay makes the color less vibrant but it lasts longer if the cards are being used more often. There is more protection with this option. We recommend using overlay with membership cards, loyalty cards, rewards cards, any type of cards that will be used frequently.

No matter what business you’re in, you know that the key to increasing sales is staying visible to customers and getting their attention as often as possible. By keeping your message in front of your customers over and over again throughout the course of the year, it becomes that much easier to boost your revenue through people who think of you first when they need the types of products and services that you offer. One simple and effective way to ensure your company gets the attention that it deserves is by ordering wallet-size plastic cards with a yearly calendar printed on them. Here are a few tips to help you design calendar cards that customers want to keep year-round.

• When you lay out your calendar, be sure to leave a little bit of room at the bottom for you to put a personal message. While you could put your company logo here, this will not necessarily give your customer an incentive to do more business with you. Instead, give them a prompt to think about your company for a moment and to consider what they might need to purchase from it. Having a phrase such as “Flip over this card to see 5 special offers” gives them a perfect incentive to think about buying from you again.
• On the back of your calendar card, list a few truly compelling special offers or discounts that your customer will be sure to appreciate. You could offer specific discounts, or use the card itself as a coupon by printing scannable bar codes on the back. One other option is to print plastic cards that have scratch-off squares on the back that reveal extra discounts or offers. You have a lot of possibilities when it comes to plastic card printing, so spend some time thinking about creative ways to market using your calendar cards.
• Finally, ensure that the calendar is more functional to the customer by adding little touches that make it easier to read. Shade the weekends so that the work week stands out. Add a bit of color to typical holidays or special days throughout the year. Or, better yet, link the offers on the back of the card to specific days, and then mark those days on the calendar by shading or changing the text color to something unique. This will give your customers one additional push to return to you again and again.

Many companies use a plastic card printing service to create calendar cards for them, but fail to scratch the surface of what can be done with them. By doing little more than printing a calendar along with a clever logo or business name, they do not create something the customer will keep and refer to year round. But by using the three tips above, and designing your card so that it has a strong call to action and an attractive calendar, you could bring in repeat customers and increase your income all year long.

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.

In the plastic card industry there is a different form of terminology used for different things. Sometimes during the process of ordering you might know exactly what you want but do not exactly know what the product is called or the representative who is helping you is using these terms and you have no idea what they are referring to. Below you will find a list of terminology used in the plastic card printing industry.

Coercivity –

This is a measure of the strength of a magnetic field. Fields that are generally used are low or high by the terms of LoCo and HiCo.

Encoding –

Recording electronic information on to a magnetic stripe.

Degaussing –

Magnetic stripe data erasing.

Digitizing –

Conversion of non-textual data to digital form.

Embossing –

This is the raised letters or numbers that can be put on a card that looks like the letters and numbers on a credit card. Letters have to be capitalized and can only be in small embossing and numbers can be small or large, however the space can only be 19 characters across including spaces.

ISO –

International Standards Organization, central body for formation and dissemination of industry standards for all national standard bodies.

Lithography or Offset Printing –

Most common process for plastic card printing based on the concept that oil and water is not compatible. The ink is the oil and the alkaline fountain solution represents the water. These are the two main components which must interact during the printing process, allowing the ink to adhere to the image area of a printing plate while the fountain solution repels the ink from the non-image area.

On-Line –

A transaction on a terminal permanently connected to a network that is on-line to the card account.

Off-Line –

A transaction via paper or reader not connected to a central system.

Personalization –

Printing, encoding and programming a card with data specific to an individual.

PVC –

Polyvinyl chloride, the most widely used plastic material.

Radio Frequency Card (RFID)

A proximity card in which the coupling between the card and the interface device is by radio.

These are some of the terms that are used in the plastic card printing industry. There are many more, but these are the most common ones that people have questions on.

What is the best way in showing off your plastic card? Definitely the more color you use the better in most cases. At Plastek Cards we do not charge extra if you are doing 2 colors or 4 colors on one or both sides. This gives you unlimited design ideas so that you don’t have to watch your budget just because you don’t want to spend more on your custom plastic card design.

Because almost everyone carries at least one plastic card in their wallet or purse, plastic cards are a great opportunity to create awareness for your services or products. Plastic cards allow you to promote your name and your message to the public.

Here are some ways to promote your business by using plastic cards:

1. Business cards. While many people use the traditional business card printed on card stock, nothing about their card really stands out except any colors or images. Make your business card stand out by printing it in high quality plastic that is both durable and strong.
2. Membership Cards. If your business requires a membership, consider having plastic membership cards instead of paper cards. Your membership cards can be printed on plastic that be punched when your members come into your business or purchase items in your store.
3. Gift Cards. For the holidays, you can create customized gift cards on durable plastic. Plastic cards can be printed on one side with your business information – logo, location, etc. – and the other side can include strips to write who it’s to, who it’s from, and how much the gift card is worth.
4. Loyalty Cards. To reward your frequent purchasers, consider giving them a loyalty card that gives them a certain percentage discount every time they buy from you. Consider having a “Share Your Loyalty Day” and have them bring in friends for discounts on certain days.
5. Key Access Cards. If your business has doors that require keys for in/out access, consider switching to a key card access. Your company’s logo can be printed on one side, and the magnetic stripe for in/out access can be printed on the other.
6. Prepaid Phone Cards. Use prepaid phone cards as a way to promote your business and provide long distance service to your customers or prospects. A prepaid phone card with your business logo and information doubles as a gift and a marketing tool.
7. Fundraising Cards. Fundraising cards are perfect for organizations that need fundraising results. These cards entitle the holder to discounts and provides the donating company with increased business. Use these to grow awareness of your business.
8. Key Cards. Any plastic card can be made into a key card that attaches to a key ring for easy access and visibility. Membership and loyalty cards can be made into key cards, or advertise your business or website by printing info on a key card.
9. Luggage Tags. Personalized luggage tags can help you identify your bag from the rest and can help promote your business. You can provide your employees with personalized luggage tags so that they’re promoting your business while traveling.
10. Calendar Cards. Print a calendar on one side of a plastic card and print your business information on the other. People will be inclined to keep the card for the convenience of having the calendar and will be reminded of your services every time.

Most plastic cards are made from PVC, which is frequently used in the plastic card industry and is known for its durability and strength. For an environmentally-friendlier alternative, look into ABS recycled plastic cards, which are manufactured with the same high quality printing and personalization as our standard PVC plastic cards.

When you’re looking to promote your business and/or services, look to plastic cards to promote that message.