Rack cards have long been a staple in the promotion of hotels, real estate and travel, Rack Cards have a wide variety of uses in other industries as well.
Typically 4” x 9” in size, these cards are displayed in racks on the counters of hotels, real estate offices, restaurants and travel attractions. They offer the opportunity to promote your business or service in full color without the cost of addressing and mailing.
Rack cards also have a place in the promotional mix of non-travel businesses including medical services, insurance and accounting offices, retail stores and others.
A rack card can be a two sided card or it can be conveniently expanded into a several panel brochure that folds down to 4” x 9” and fits into a standard sized rack.
Many companies that exhibit at conventions and trade shows use rack cards as a convenient way of getting their story across in a succinct manner and in a format that can easily be carried away by a visitor to their booth.
Writing copy for a rack card is not much different than writing any other type of promotional copy. The most important element is benefits to the reader….why should the reader do what you want him to do?
In the travel market, the story on a rack card is usually very straightforward. Looking for a good place to stay or a nice spot for dinner? Here’s what we have to offer. Results will be greatly enhanced with the inclusion of an offer. A restaurant might offer a discount, a free appetizer, two entrees for the price of one or a similar offer.
We’ve seen limousine services offer discounted rates on rack cards displayed at an airport location. Often there is a tear off coupon on the bottom of the card that can be redeemed to receive the discount. A tear off coupon provides you with an excellent means of keeping track of your results by counting the cards or coupons that are redeemed. If you have racks in multiple locations or if you use more than one type of card, be sure that you put a code number onto the reply portion so that you can trace the response to its source.
If you are using rack cards to promote business services or specific products think about what you product or service has to offer. Unless you offer something of value to the reader he or she will not spend much time thinking about you. When preparing your card copy think about how your product or service can help your prospect. Can you save them money? Tell them how. Does your product have the ability to solve some problem? Point out what it is. Make them want to contact you to hear more.
Make good use of “bullets” to enumerate the benefits of your product or service. A full color brochure gives you a good opportunity to show photographs of your product or your place of business. Color commands attention.
Leave some white space and don’t feel that you have to fill up every square inch of space. Good use of space makes your headlines and copy points stand out and also makes your rack card easy to read.
Avery Print and Mail Center offers a variety of colorful rack cards at attractive prices. They offer an easy to use online order system that you can use or they will be happy to help you prepare a design of your own. You can reach them at (877-AVERY-PMC or 877.283.7976).
Test rack cards as a promotional vehicle for your business. Chances are you will find them to be inexpensive sources of new prospects and customers for your business.
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