Loyalty cards can do more for you than just increase sales and customer loyalty.  First and foremost, these cards can allow you the option of finding out valuable information about your customers.  By signing up for a customer loyalty card, the consumer will be giving you their geographical information and some personal information.  On your card application, you can also include questions about the brands that they prefer or how they like to shop, be it with card or cash.  This will help you to make your business more consumer-friendly in the future, which will help you to attract even more customers.  You can also use this consumer information to your advantage because you can learn what sort of promotional offers will be most appealing to people.  Many businesses who offer loyalty cards but do not see the success with them that they were looking for fail because they do not offer their customers the right kind of offers.  If you want consumers to participate in your loyalty card promotional marketing programs, you have to be able to offer them products or services that are of interest.

Consumers seem to be most attracted to loyalty card promotional programs that allow them to earn points as they do business with a company and these earned points can be put towards other merchandise of their choice at a later time.  Therefore, you have many stores and businesses that are offering cards that accumulate points towards cash back.  Customer loyalty card programs that centre around points can open the door to an increase in customer creativity around your business, which is always good.  The more options you allow your customers to have with their customer loyalty card, the more popular the card and program will be for your business.

What Loyalty Cards Can Do For Your Business is a post from: Cardcorp

Plastic cards are designed to be vibrant and eye-catching. Their appearance is designed to maximize the impact on customers and to generate much-needed word-of-mouth advertisement. These plastic cards are usually the size of a typical credit card or they can be created as a mini-tag, which is half the size of a credit card and can be easily attached to a keychain or lanyard. They are created with high quality, long-lasting plastic. Various features available include: full color, clear, bar-coding, magnetic strips, scratch off panels, embossing, signature panels, and holograms.

Keeping up with the latest business trends is an important part of every business’ marketing strategy. Getting left in the dust is all too easy in the business world and you cannot afford to hesitate in moving out into a new business marketing arena such as utilizing plastic cards. For many years now supermarkets have effectively used plastic cards in their marketing and business practices. This practice has proved to be effective in the supermarket industry. They have been able to effectively track each customer’s shopping trends and to encourage customer loyalty. They have benefited from word-of-mouth advertisement through customers visibly carrying their plastic card for all to see.

This is not a new marketing tool; however, it is new to many businesses. It is an effective tool in creating a lasting impression upon the customer that gains their loyalty and keeps them returning to your business again and again. Customer retention and generating new sales is a focus that is effectively met through the use of data collected by plastic cards as well as by promotions distributed to customers through the use of your store logo printed plastic cards.

Plastic Cards Replace Store Credit Cards is a post from: Cardcorp

Place your business logo on a plastic card to create a community word of mouth advertising tool.  Provide your customers with plastic cards or mini tags that display your logo and that offer them loyalty benefits at your business.  The customer will faithfully carry your card in order to receive the bonuses available.  This will provide you with free advertising through the most effective way, word of mouth.  The customer will display your business logo on their key chain or lanyard or whenever they display their wallet.  They will consistently advertise your business.  Your goal will be to get as many plastic cards as possible with your business logo on them into the hands of your customers in order to promote their returned business as well as word of mouth advertisement.

Paper cards are still being used by some businesses but these are being found to be ineffective as they tear and do not prominently display the business logo for word of mouth advertisement.  Plastic cards are both durable and attractive.  You want your business logo to be clear and boldly displayed on the card. A plastic card will not fade or become destroyed.  Create wise business incentives for return customers that will cause them to keep your plastic card in a convenient location such as on their key chain or on a lanyard.

Various design options are available such as transparent cards, metallic inks and bases, UV activated inks, embossing holograms and clear cores.  You can create your plastic card with as much creativity as you would like.  Let your card demonstrate the excellence of your business.  A magnetic strip on the card will provide you with easy access to the customer’s information and will give you the ability to track their shopping desires and know what incentives work best at getting them to return time and time again.  Plastic cards are a great way to promote your business or company.

Plastic Cards Promote Companies and Businesses is a post from: Cardcorp

Your logo can be used on the employee card as well.  The plastic card will be displayed daily on a lanyard around every employee’s neck providing and advertising your business and providing necessary security and employee identification.   The main purpose of the plastic card will be identification of employees but it will also allow the employee to have quick access to various areas in the building.  ID cards or plastic cards can also be distributed to service and maintenance personnel who are given limited access to the building.   Employees usually have a different plastic card design then service or maintenance workers.

Plastic cards also serve to increase employee morale and to give employees a sense of belonging.  Often company administration notices an increase in company production when they implement small changes such as providing employee ID cards.  Employee groups appreciate group identification and this often leads to healthy competition within the company itself and an increase in company production.

The use of magnetic strips on the plastic cards provides employees with the ability to open certain restricted areas easily.  This lowers the cost needed for security employees to sit and manually check everyone’s ID before allowing them access to the secured area. The options are as follows:  fully integrated access control ID cards with the corporate logo and employee information, simple ID cards that can be observed by security for access into the building, and plastic cards that are used to promote the business logo and to create employee identification.  No matter the level of use for the plastic cards they are seen to have value and to increase employee morale and to spread word of mouth advertisement.

Plastic Cards used for Security Purposes is a post from: Cardcorp

Mini tags and plastic cards have long been utilized as a marketing technique. The recent changes in the economy have caused many businesses to look at the profitability of using plastic cards and mini tags to promote customer loyalty and to generate a strong customer base. Grocery stores, video stores and gyms have long been using this technology. A quick scan of the customer’s plastic card or mini tag provides grocery stores, video stores and gyms with the information pertaining to ongoing purchases and the number of visits to the business by the customer.

The plastic card should be created as brightly and attractively as possible as it stands as a constant reminder to the customer of your stores promotional items. There is a customer perceived savings and value associated with the mini tags and plastic cards. This is not necessarily based on actual item costs or savings but the customer sees a tag or plastic card and associates it with potential savings or discounts. This encourages the customer to visit the store more frequently in order to obtain the specials and savings which may be available. Habits are easily formed by customers through the use of their plastic cards or mini tags. It is a proven fact that it takes 31 days to develop a habit and obtaining a customer’s loyalty is the same as creating a habit within them to visit your store before any other.

Plastic cards are not new to the business world they have been effectively utilized for many years. They are now however being widely embraced by businesses of every kind as the economy has taken a shift and the face of business has changed due to Internet competition. It is essential that you provide customers with a reminder of your appreciation as well as a reminder of your store logo. The use of plastic cards can also be linked up to e-mails and online marketing strategies. For example: after the customer has visited your store for 10 visits they can automatically receive an e-mail offering them a free item from your menu. Customers are looking for incentives to shop at local businesses. Your attractively created logo imprinted plastic card and mini tag will encourage them to visit you again and to remain loyal.

Plastic Cards in the Business World is a post from: Cardcorp

Customers love freebies and free samples and they will willingly provide you with their contact information in return for a plastic card providing them with promotional business samples and freebies such as buy one get one free or lunchtime specials. Obtaining the customers contact information provides your business with an immediate strong customer base with which to send promotional advertisements and reminders of specials associated with their plastic card use.

Plastic cards help to develop customer-business relationships. These relationships are essential in today’s changing market. The internet has put a whole new face on business marketing. Customers are no longer fascinated with the newest advertisement jingle or with the biggest names. They desire to be awarded in return for their business. The most successful businesses are those businesses which are providing customer incentives, encouraging customers to habitually utilize their business. Excellent business promotional factors include plastic cards with a built-in magnetic strip.

Customers are not impressed with paper card systems; they prefer high quality plastic cards which are durable and easy to store in their wallet, pocket book, or vehicle storage compartment. They expect to receive bonuses and discounts when they use their magnetic strip plastic card. Customers are thrilled when they receive discounts and bonuses and they are more prone to advertise your business through word-of-mouth when they are in a business relationship with your business through the use of a plastic card system.

Build your customer base right from the start and launch a new business with the use of plastic cards. Customers will gladly provide you with their contact information in return for your promotional item included on your businesses magnetic strip plastic card. Substantial customer growth as well as customer maintenance can be achieved through effective warm marketing strategies and relationship building strategies between clients and your business.

Plastic Cards Help to Launch New Businesses is a post from: Cardcorp

Paper cards are often torn or lost while plastic cards have both longevity and an attractive look. Plastic cards provide business owners with a turnkey solution for promoting returned customers and a continuous cycle of business from previous customers. As a business you can use this simple business strategy to encourage the return of first-time customers as well as create habits for customers to become regular patrons to your business. Upgrading from paper cards to plastic cards for your business membership program can grow your businesses contact base.

Plastic cards are durable and are wonderfully presentable. You should desire your business cards to last for a substantial period of time without looking worn or faded. Some design options include: transparent cards, metallic inks or bases, UV activated inks, embossing, holograms, and clear cores. Magnetic strips can be added to the business promoting plastic cards as well as scratch off foil and signature panels. One of the most valuable forms of marketing is word-of-mouth advertising and business cards provide the greatest value of word of mouth marketing. This type of marketing is free yet powerful. Whenever a customer pulls out their wallet or displays your business’ plastic card you will be receiving free word-of-mouth advertisement. This type of advertising has been proven to be most effective and is being utilized by companies all over the world. Plastic cards offer an effective and affordable way to encourage your client base growth as well as to promote word-of-mouth advertising.

Plastic cards can eliminate administration errors as well as the need for manual and paper-based systems. Magnetic stripping can be inserted in the card as well as a signature panels. Your clients’ visits to your business can be easily tracked through this computerised feature. Membership programs provide clients with a reason to return habitually to your business and they also provide effective relationship marketing and loyalty marketing strategies while providing free word-of-mouth advertising.

Plastic Cards Warm Marketing Business Strategy is a post from: Cardcorp

Looks and durability

Paper is inherently degradable – plastic is inherently durable. A plastic card will remain intact, clean and looking good in a person’s wallet far longer than a paper card will. As a representative of your business, it is essential that your membership cards staying looking good for as long as possible, to confer the same impression of durability, cleanliness and attractiveness onto the business itself.

In regard to looks, design possibilities are much more varied and often much more cost-effective with plastic cards, than they are with paper cards. There is the potential for:

• Transparent cards or sections
• Metallic inks or bases
• UV activated inks
• Embossing
• Holograms
• Clear cores

Not to mention all the practical and technological features that can be incorporated into plastic cards, such as magnetic stripes, scratch off foil and signature panels.

Perceived value

In the world of products and their marketing, often a feeling of value is much more important than actual value. For example, there exists an entire sub-class of websites where people pay real money for virtual items. They might pay $50 for a couch to furnish their virtual house – though there is no actual physical value to it. The same principle applies to your membership cards. Plastic cards have a much higher perceived value than paper cards, because consumers cannot duplicate them. This perceived value can create word of mouth advertising and generate substantial ‘buzz’ about your program.

Barcoding and technology

Plastic cards can be barcoded, and therefore eliminate administration errors that can plague manual and paper-based card systems. They can also have magnetic stripes inserted, for use in card readers. Your plastic card manufacturer can incorporate a standard signature panel, so there is no choice between signature verification and electronic convenience – you can have both. The administration errors that paper-based and manually administered systems are prone to can create no end of problems in a membership program – with technology-enabled plastic cards, they are not an issue.

Moving to a plastic membership card system is essential for any business that plans to use their membership program as a major part of their marketing activities.

How Plastic Cards Can Grow Your Membership Base is a post from: Cardcorp

Yellow pages, direct mail, and catalogues will become even less effective

People now have a gargantuan amount of information at their fingertips. So much, in fact, that knowledge is no longer just power … it can be a downright annoyance! The focus of marketing over the past few years has been connecting businesses with the people that want them at the point of inquiry, and not before. That will certainly not change in 2010. The Yellow Pages has been replaced by Google, and direct mail letters and catalogues do nothing more for consumers than offer extra information that is rarely immediately useful – and so is mentally discarded. All of these paper-based advertising media will continue to decline in popularity throughout 2010, according to analysts.

Relationship marketing will continue to grow in importance

Contrarily, building relationships with consumers will continue to grow in importance as part of the business and marketing model. The old marketing strategy was to stay at the forefront of consumers’ minds by brute force and repetition of the marketing message. The new way is to build a relationship with the customer – one where they feel valued and taken care of. Creating a plastic membership card program that offers real rewards to consumers is one of the easiest ways for small businesses to do this. However, it will be the businesses that show the most creativity in implementing and maintaining their relationships that survive in this new landscape. With more businesses competing for consumer love, individuality will be a strong selling point.

Focus will be on creating value for consumer, not just alerting them to a product or service

So many businesses assume that their product or service is enough to provide ‘value’ for the consumer. They believe that if the product has useful enough functions, or they stock a wide enough range of products, or their customer service is good enough, that will attract and retain customers. Unfortunately competition means that there are many other businesses offering the exact same thing. To move a customer base past the ‘randoms’, you need to create something of additional value to consumers. This could be something like:

• An exclusive reward for loyalty to the store, using a plastic membership card
• A sense of membership of a group – in-store parties, access to special promotions, etc.
• A discount
• A freebie or a sample

However, as the internet price wars continue, fewer businesses will choose to compete on price – there are simply too many businesses that can do a better deal, too readily available.

Marketing using social networks will continue to evolve along with technology

Memes and content as media are expected to be two of the biggest trends in direct marketing for 2010. Unfortunately, there is somewhat of a hit and miss quality in these campaigns, with the most popular videos frequently being in the category of ‘those least likely’. Video marketing is one example of marketing evolving along with technology – as broadband speeds increase, video is fast becoming the medium of choice for many. However, the use of these media depends on relationship marketing – leveraging your plastic membership card base and contact details.

It is clear that marketing is moving away from the old model very quickly – and also clear that companies that find a creative angle are the ‘buz-worthy’ ones. However, having a plastic membership card base, or a community of users of your business, is also vital.

2010 Direct Marketing Predictions is a post from: Cardcorp

Video stores

Video stores often use mini tags as their plastic customer cards, in an effort to make it easy for people to remember their membership cards. While many stores can do a lookup by customer name, asking for identification to confirm a name can seem intrusive, and doesn’t allow people to borrow on a family member’s account or friends account, although they may be authorized to.

Gyms

Gym members often carry nothing in with them apart from their towel and their car keys, leaving most important things in the car to avoid having to use a locker. Mini-tags make it possible for gym members to carry their membership card into the building with them easily, and removes the need for either taking the card in and out of their wallet, or bringing their wallet with them to a workout, which is not always practical.

Corporate offices

Many corporate offices need to make sure that only authorized people are allowed entry, and have barcoded ID tags for this purpose. Mini-tags can fit on a keyring or be worn on a lanyard with equal comfort. When you replace your keyed entry system with barcoded identification tags, you improve security, remove the need for key register maintenance, and can monitor employee comings and goings if necessary. These systems are constantly becoming easier and cheaper to set up, as technology improves.

Councils

It simply isn’t possible to put a credit-card sized tag on a dog or cat’s collar. It would make life unnecessarily hard for the animal, and would get damaged and become unreadable much more easily than a small tag. The ideal solution for councils, or businesses that supply pet tags, is to create a quarter-size plastic card rather than even the half-size mini-tag. There is still plenty of room for a barcode, but the tag is saved from damage and the animal is much more comfortable.

Retailers

If your business sells a significant number of plastic gift cards, switching to mini-tags can be a much more cost effective option. It also offers a unique look for your business, building branding by using a unique shape for the cards. You could push big-value gift cards in your advertising, letting consumers know that these can be carried conveniently on a keyring and used instead of carrying cash. Anything is possible!

Mini-tag plastic cards are certainly a specialist identification, membership and gift item, but this option is the only sensible one in many cases. They are small enough to fit on a keyring, and can be comfortably carried in all sorts of situations where a credit-card sized plastic cards simply could not.

Which Businesses Use Mini Tags? is a post from: Cardcorp