Created using 100-percent clear PVC, they are just as versatile as any other type of PVC card and can be used as credit cards, gift cards, loyalty cards, membership cards and more. But, transparent business cards, in my opinion, are exceptionally eye-catching because they are novel, durable and offer vast design possibilities. Check out some of the really creative ways people are using them.

Printing Options for Transparent Cards

With a transparent business card, you don’t have to shy away from a vibrant, four-color motif, and you can design artwork for the front and the back. Consider layered printing for a three-dimensional effect, or try a background color to completely tint the clear PVC.

A traditional gloss finish is nice, but if you want your card to show fewer scratches and scuffs, go for a frosted or matte finish. Need icing on the cake? Crystal ink and foil stamping are perfect! Of course, barcode and sigature panels are available with all plastic cards, including the transparent type.

We carry a complete line of plastic cards for all your promotional needs. Contact us for more information.

I find it interesting when customers send me their own designs, and the images are low resolution. Or the layout of the card itself doesn’t work with the print options they want. My first thought always is, “Don’t you care how this card will look to your own customers?”

Design Your Plastic Cards with Branding in Mind

Your gift card should be an extension of your brand. Obviously, it should include your logo, as well as other graphics that support the brand experience your customers have come to expect. What separates your company from your competitors? How can you convey that  in the design of your plastic cards? You should consider these questions before printing your plastic cards. And, if you’re creating cards for your loyalty program, make sure the program itself is unique and truly rewarding!

Design Your Plastic Cards with Quality in Mind

A couple weeks ago, I discussed the four things you need to ask about the plastic your cards will be made from. However, while the quality of the plastic itself is very important, so is the quality of the image you’re placing on that plastic! Printing plastic cards is similar to printing on paper. You need a high resolution image to get a crisp, clean looking design. Don’t scrimp on this. Otherwise, your customers will be looking at (or throwing away) a plastic card with fuzzy pictures, wondering if there are other areas of your business where you overlook important details.

Design Your  Plastic Cards with Differentiation in Mind

And, while you’re thinking about what separates your company from your competitors from a branding perspective, it’s not a bad idea to think about how you can differentiate your gift cards from theirs, as well.

In addition to the plastic card printing options I mentioned in a post last month, here are some additional ideas to consider. These special finishes will really make your card stand out:

Frosted Matte: This effect makes colors look softer. It is similar to a matte finish, only smoother.

Full-face foil: This option will give your entire card a holographic shine that changes as the card is turned. More than just kids love this look.

Foil Stamping: This is perfect when you want to add just a little shine in certain spots, as opposed to the full-face foil. You can highlight your logo or other important image with a special metallic film to make it eye-catching.

When it comes to printing plastic cards, I hope you’ll remember this trifecta: branding, quality (of both design and plastic) and differentiation. When you add this as “icing on the cake” to an already great product or experience for your customers, they will definitely be more likely to hang on to your card.

As I mentioned in a previous post on plastic card features, choosing a barcode or a magnetic strip really depends on your internal systems, as well as what your needs are. But, if you’ve already decided a magnetic strip is the way to go, then you have another decision to make with your plastic card printing (which I also talked about in that post): low-coercivity (LoCo) vs. high-coercivity (HiCo).

Coercivity measures the level of strength a magnetic field needs to affect the data on the magnetic stripe. The higher the coercivity level of the stripe, the stronger the magnetic field has to be in order to change the data on the card. Therefore, if your magnetic stripe is HiCo, it’s less likely to have the encoding erased. However, HiCo stripes can be more expensive and aren’t always necessary. Below are the coercivity levels commonly used for each card type.

Low-Coercivity:
membership cards
loyalty cards
fundraising cards
gift cards

High-Coercivity:
access badges
credentials
ID badges
key cards
debit/credit cards

Keep in mind, the best way to decide which type of coercivity to choose is to figure out how frequently the card will be used. Also, you should factor how important data erasure resistance is to you and those who will be using the plastic cards.

If you are still having a hard time choosing which type of magnetic stripe to go with, we are here to help. Feel free to contact us and we’ll help you through the process of establishing which swipe card application will best fit your needs.

But, I do have some good news. When it comes to plastic cards, you actually can be discriminating. They aren’t all made equally. However, the bad news is that you can’t tell a quality plastic card just by looking quickly at the front.

So, if you’re thinking about plastic card printing, there are four things you should inquire about before placing your order to ensure getting the most reliable and durable cards.

Ask about the cut.
Good plastic cards will have clean, rounded cuts around the entire edge. Rough, bumpy edges are an indicator of “cut-rate” plastic. (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Ask about the acronym.
There are many types of plastics used for making cards, including PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PETG (polyethylene terephthalate) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). ABS is the highest quality of all, and it’s definitely the right choice for frequently used plastic cards, like credit cards, smartcards, ID cards, membership cards and loyalty cards. You need the extra durability.

Ask about the grade.
PVC itself comes in many different grades and types. For the best gift card and single-use card printing (crisp, hard-wearing design), you want to make sure your manufacturer is using grade A PVC.

Ask about the printer.
There are several types of printing presses that are used to print plastic cards, but not all create a good product. Heidelberg remains the best in the business, delivering the very finest printing quality available. Eco-friendly ink is a plus.

If you check out these four key areas before placing your order, chances are you’ll get the quality of plastic card you’re looking for. Then, you can focus on what design features will work best for your business!

In this fourth and final post in my loyalty card series, I’m going to address a question I often get from customers, “What are the must-have features when it comes to designing and printing my plastic cards?” And, I’ll tell you what I tell them: it depends…

Some questions to consider at this juncture:

• What kind of tracking software or system do you have and what are its requirements?
• What is your budget?
• What level of security does your business require?
• How fancy do you want to get?

I will tell you that no matter how you answer the above questions, you absolutely need a clean card design with a high quality image(s). That’s definitely a must-have!

However, beyond that, you can pick and choose features based on your business and/or data needs. I encourage you to browse the following information, which compares the most common plastic card options.

Magnetic Stripe vs. Barcoding. This really depends on the type of system you are using. Do you like to scan or swipe? Swiping is cheaper, but barcode scanning is generally faster and definitely more mobile.

Glossy vs. Matte Finish. This depends on your preference. Personally, I like the matte finish better because it showcases the design and allows it to stand out. Matte is also more resistant to scratching. But, glossy is cheaper. And, with a gloss finish, UV coating is standard.

Plain vs. Foil. You can never go wrong with simplicity. But, I will tell you that the metallic colors used in foil stamping really pop. And, adding it to your order isn’t that much extra.

LoCo vs. HiCo. I’m talking about low coercivity (LoCo) and high coercivity (HiCo). These terms refer to the amount of magnetic energy it takes to record data onto a plastic card. LoCo requires less energy and is, therefore, more cost-efficient. However, LoCo can get damaged more easily than HiCo. For most loyalty or reward cards, which don’t get used as often as a hotel key card, LoCo will work.

Tipping vs. Textured. If you want your card to include embossed numbers like you see on most credit cards, then tipping (which refers to the color of those embossed numbers) is for you. Textured, on the other hand, refers to a special ink applied to the plastic card to give it texture. This is a great feature to use if you want a specific word or part of a design to stand out.

Security features – such as UV light detection, signature panels, scratch-off PINs and holograms – are usually unnecessary with a customer loyalty card. I’ll cover those in future blog post about ID badges and smart cards.

So, as you kick off your new customer loyalty program (or tweak your existing one), I wish you great success and lots of happy, returning customers!

Make Your Customer Rewards Program Different

If you own a small business, I know what you’re thinking – “Everyone offers a rewards program! What can I do to differentiate my plastic loyalty card program?” Let me share what I think are some cool ways my small business clients are using their plastic card products:

• Create customer levels (or tiers). You don’t want to treat all customers the same, so develop a system of levels designed to reward your best customers and encourage “cherry-pickers” to move up the ladder. You can call these levels gold, silver or bronze (highly recognizable progression), or you can customize them to your business. Whatever makes it memorable! You may even want to charge for your higher tiers; however, make sure the reward that customers receive is commensurate with what they must pay. As you know, there are way too many options out there for comparison. Make sure they want YOUR card.

• Get personal. With your higher tier customers, do something special. Send a hand-written note or call them personally about a unique offer. With all the junk mail and telemarketing calls we receive every day, something like this would really stand out. If you’re tracking what they buy (which you should be!), you can customize the offer just for them.

• Be surprising. Give your best customers a little something extra, even if they just stop by. Sometimes people have to rack up “points” or purchases for quite a while to earn their rewards, which may cause some to lose interest. But, if you surprise them on occasion with a special product or service (especially if it’s tailored to their interests), that can make a big difference.

• Get other local businesses on board. Partnering with other companies that have a similar customer base can be a great way to build a rewards program for you both. Do a promotion in tandem or alternately offer smaller rewards at different steps along the way to a big reward. Or, take a different approach and partner with a local non-profit that has an affinity with your business (i.e. restaurants and food banks). Many customers are willing to spend if a reputable charity gets a cut.

• Use experience- and service-based rewards. This is the great differentiator! You have unique products or services, right? Show them off. For example, if you own a local restaurant, offer your best customers the chance to meet the chef and have a special meal prepared to suit their tastes. If you own a hair salon, offer a “total makeover” evening with your most experienced stylists. You get the picture.

Make Your Rewards Program Easy

Many businesses make the mistake of designing a super-complicated customer rewards program. If people don’t understand it, they won’t use it. So, keep it simple for customers. And, keep it simple for yourself! Make sure you’re collecting and analyzing only pertinent customer information and buying preferences that will make your program – and your business – better.

Finally, don’t forget how important it is to communicate with your best customers on a regular basis in the manner they prefer (email, mail, phone, etc.). This, plus the touchpoint of your plastic card, will help keep your business top-of-mind with the customers you value most.

The Difference Between Rewards and Loyalty

But, before I do that, let me make a differentiation between customer rewards and customer loyalty. They aren’t the same thing, even though the terms are often used interchangeably. (In fact, I’m using them interchangeably in this post.) Loyalty refers to a strong commitment (even devotion, perhaps) that a customer has to a particular brand. Loyal customers will buy a product, service or “experience” no matter what.

Rewards, on the other hand, are incentives a company may use to encourage people to try a new product, to visit or return to a brick-and-mortar, or to buy more in order to get a lower price. Unfortunately, rewards don’t always equal customer loyalty, especially if your product or an in-store encounter (online or offline) doesn’t measure up to the quality or experience the customer was looking for in the first place.

Plan Before You Start a Customer Loyalty Program

So, before you jump into plastic card printing, set the parameters for a customer rewards or loyalty program that’s designed to please both you and your customers.

• What do you already know about your customers? Think about the nature of your business and the circumstances under which people tend to buy your products or services. For example, if your product is seasonal or lasts for a long period of time, return visits or frequency of purchase would not necessarily be hot buttons; perhaps referral rewards would be better. On the other hand, if you own a local coffee shop or bakery, it makes perfect sense to offer discounts for frequency and amount spent over a particular period of time.
• What do you want to know about your customers? This will determine what kind of data you collect when you hand out your plastic loyalty cards, as well as what type of data you track each time someone uses the card or redeems his or her rewards. Frankly, nothing is more important to your business and to the health of your loyalty program than being about to track and wisely use consumer data.
• Whom do you most want to entice? Determine which customer types are the ones you want to cultivate and design a program based around their needs and interests in your products. Tiered-level programs (including those that center around experiences, such as service upgrades or special events) often work well and can meet the needs of the diverse individuals who use your products or services.
• What do you want customers to do? Reward “loyalty” based on the behavior that’s most beneficial for you AND what’s most enticing for the customer. Don’t forget, it’s a two-way street, and the incentives must work for both parties. The answer(s) to this question can help you better define those who shop for rewards and those who are truly loyal to your brand.
• How can you make it easy for customers? Make sure the system of rewards you’ve set up isn’t too complicated or too difficult to redeem. Keeping it easy means customers are more likely to understand, appreciate and talk about the experience they’ve had with your brand and your program.
• What can you offer that’s different? Let’s face it, rewards programs are a dime a dozen. To make a loyalty program work, especially in highly competitive retail or business-to-consumer industries, you’ll need to get creative. For example, differentiate between customers at different levels in your tier system by giving them different cards and, more importantly, different perks. Or, spotlight customers each month on your site, in your e-newsletter or even in your store. Post a picture, thank them and make sure they feel noticed. And, let them share why they love your brand!
• How will you acknowledge loyalty? Once of the most effective ways to build loyalty among customers is to build rapport. How often will you communicate with customers and in what ways? Have a good idea before you begin. You can always tweak it later.
  

If you already run a customer loyalty program, tell me what you wish you would have thought of before starting one. I’d love to hear about your experiences.

I think Andriotis nails the reason for the popularity among consumers: everybody loves free stuff. And, if you’re a retailer, a rewards program is practically a necessity because, well, everybody’s doing it. Like the once-exclusive but now-standard continental breakfast at hotels, people have come to expect stuff from just about every place they willingly spend money.

However, running a rewards program that truly benefits your business and your customers isn’t as simple as just buying a few hundred plastic cards or asking people to like your Facebook page. It requires a good understanding of your products and, just as important (if not more important), the people who are buying them. Over the past year, I’ve read a lot of articles that encourage businesses to stop printing plastic cards and just go with social media, mobile apps or email to push out deals. And while I don’t discount the effectiveness of any of these, you will likely leave out a large portion of your customer base by using any one method to the exclusion of all others.

Here are six reasons why plastic cards should still be an important part of any customer loyalty program:

• Age of your customers. Digital communication is more pervasive with younger consumers, but not so much with older consumers. If your products appeal to consumers of different ages, then it’s likely that digital communication and advertising won’t work for everyone.
• Digital communication bombardment. People can often feel overwhelmed by social sites, emails and more. Do you track your social media numbers, email click-through rates and coupon usage? I hope so. If you do, you’ll probably see very quickly that electronic offers can be effective, but people are inundated with them. And that makes it very easy to overlook them. Plastic loyalty cards are tangible and easier for people to keep track of than that tweet you sent out a couple days ago.
• Rewards for all customers, no matter why they buy. People will shop at your establishment because they need something, and not always in response to a coupon. A plastic card will ensure that these types of transactions are tracked, and customers still get rewarded.
• Rewards for all customers, no matter where they buy. With the right tracking system, website tools and plastic card barcoding, it’s easy for people to use their card wherever they interact with your business – online or at a brick and mortar.
• A very personal brand experience. With plastic cards, you can track far more personal consumer data and, therefore, provide more flexible rewards based on people’s individual preferences and interests. That’s the kind of attention people love and that truly garners their loyalty.
• A very visual reminder of who you are. Quality plastic cards are a great opportunity for branding and help people remember what your brand stands for.

Social media, apps and email can be effective, but they don’t work for everyone. The right plastic card for your business can help you capture and integrate all aspects of your program and better reward each type of loyal customer you have. When combined with well-planned digital communications, plastic rewards cards increase the success of your customer loyalty program.