Card Tricks
According to CEB Global's "Gift Cards State of the Union 2013," Americans will spend approximately $135 billion on gift cards in 2015—a cool 18 percent of total holiday spending. Factor out the $8 billion projected to be issued on e-gift cards, and you're still left with $127 billion. Assuming the average gift card value is $25, that equates to 5.08 billion cards sold next year—and that's before you count the ones used for memberships, badges, hotel room keys and everything else.
That's a lot of plastic cards. And who's going to sell them? You are! With a massive market and the holidays fast approaching, now's the time to get into the plastic card sales game—or, if you're already selling cards, time to brush up on your skills for the end-of-year sales push. Either way, we've got you covered. Check out the guide below for tips on materials, features, markets and more.
Materials
You don't necessarily need a Ph.D. in polymer engineering to sell plastic cards, but knowing a bit about materials can be helpful. As Diane Morsch, director of sales and marketing for Bristol ID Technologies, Lima, N.Y., explained, not all plastic is created equal—what works for a gift card might not work for a trade show badge or gym loyalty card. "There are a variety of materials used for plastic cards, including PVC, styrene, polyester and Teslin," said Morsch. "Material choice can impact the overall durability of the card. However, it's typically the end-user application—how the card will be used—that drives the material choice. For example, PVC is the recommended material for a hotel key card, whereas Teslin would not work well in that application. On the flip side, Teslin is a great choice for custom shapes," she continued. "It's really the overall scope of the project that needs to be considered when deciding on the card material."
Features
How much cool stuff can you pack into a 3.375x2.125" piece of plastic measuring a few thousandths of an inch in thickness? A lot, as it turns out. Morsch noted that plastic cards are available with a number of features, allowing clients to customize cards to their liking.
"I like to divide card features into two categories: functional and fun," Morsch said. "Functional features provide information and/or a measure of security on the card. These features include magnetic stripes, barcodes, scratch-off panels, signature panels, personalization, UV ink, microprint and holographic foils. Fun features are used to enhance the overall visual appeal of the cards. These features can be metallic ink, lenticular, texturized finishes and special die cuts."
Morsch suggested combining different features to create the plastic card that best fits your clients' marketing goals. "There can be crossover between the two feature types," she said. "For instance, while metallic foil can be used to add security to a card, it can also make a logo or symbol really pop. These features really can help end-buyers accomplish their goals, be it cutting down on fraud or building an incredible brand."
Where to sell
The market for gift cards is wide open. An increasing number of businesses—83 percent, according to a GiftCardPartners.com survey—use gift cards internally as employee rewards and incentives. And just about any business with something to sell, from retailers to grocery stores to restaurants, uses gift cards in some capacity. Add other plastic cards into the mix, and that market gets even wider. Morsch listed some of the biggest buyers, along with examples of how each one uses the cards:
1. Education: Student/faculty I.D.'s, visitor badges, fundraising cards, parking hangtags, schedules/passes.
2. Health care: Information cards, employee I.D.'s, access control, insurance/medical cards, badge backers.
3. Hospitality: Loyalty cards, membership cards, hotel key cards, door/towel hang tags, tabletop signs.
It also pays to look to your current clients for plastic card sales. "What I've seen the most of is missed opportunities," Morsch explained. "A distributor may be selling one plastic card to an end-buyer and be missing out on all the other plastic card products that buyer is purchasing. For example, hotel key cards are pretty self-explanatory. But hotels are buying more plastic card products than just the key cards. They use door/towel hang tags, do-not-disturb door locks, and tabletop tents, just to name a few," she said. "A savvy distributor can increase sales just by being aware of the opportunities within their client-base."
Samples
Ink takes to some materials differently than it does to others. If your buyer was previously using styrene cards, an unexpected switch to PVC could lead to trouble with decoration. To keep things consistent, ask for samples from suppliers when possible. "If you're working with a client that is already using a card, it's highly recommended that you get a sample of it and send it to your card supplier prior to producing the run," Morsch advised. "This saves a lot of hassle down the road with things like color matching and encoding specs."
Add-ons
Plastic cards offer a number of opportunities for add-ons. Selling a badge for a trade show? Offer a lanyard. Selling a gift card for an employee recognition program? Offer a greeting card. Once you know what the card will be used for, suggest bundling ideas accordingly. "Upsell with one question: 'How is that card going to be displayed or attached?' said Morsch. "You've now created the opportunity for additional sales of envelopes, gift card presenters, lanyards, etc."
- People:
- Diane Morsch
- Places:
- Lima, N.Y.