Category: Inspire

Gift cards are a great marketing opportunity to help your business grow. When one person loves your business and shares it with another through a gift card, you get to interact with new people and help them fall in love with your products. But if you really want your gift card to stand out and bring people to your business, it must look great. The best way to create an amazing gift card is to customize it. Keep reading to learn about three easy ways to make customized gift cards so that you can continue to bring new people to your business.

Creative Design

Custom gift cards allow you to create something that no one else has done before, and you can use almost any creative design elements to do so. With the right printer, the only limitation is your imagination. You should consider your colors and fonts if you’re still unsure where to start in the creative process. You’ll want to choose colors that relate to your business, either from your logo or related to what your business does with color theory. As for fonts, you should select something aesthetically pleasing but easy to read. Gift card recipients should be able to look at your custom gift card and immediately understand what your business does by looking at the colors and fonts.

Special Functions

Another way to make your custom gift card stand out is to give it special functions that go beyond what a typical gift card would have. Normal gift cards from other businesses are just plastic cards with a magnetic stripe, but custom gift cards can have so much more. You can order cards with a signature panel, embossed numbering, barcodes, and other cool features. These allow you to make your gift cards reusable, so a recipient can continue to load money onto the card for themselves or potentially re-gift the card.

Unique Elements

Go beyond design and function by making custom gift cards with unique elements that no one will forget. You can order cards with foil accents, spot UV, and silk finishes that will have recipients admiring the character and quality of your business for as long as your card is in their hands. When you combine these unique elements with a thoughtful custom design and a special function, your card will look and act like no one else’s.

Our three easy ways to make customized gift cards include choosing creative designs, adding special functions, and using unique elements. If you need help creating custom logo gift cards that will stand out and make your business thrive, we can help. Our order process is easy, allowing you to select any options you want as well as add any notes or questions you have. Let’s get creative and grow together.

 

 

 

Visualize your perfect business card, from font to logo to overall color. If you’re unsure of which elements will represent your brand best, consult with Silk Cards for top-tier advice. Our tips for choosing the best colors for a business card will enhance your cards and boost your brand.

The Psychology of Color

Different colors and color schemes make us feel different emotions. A sunny yellow business card conveys friendliness and optimism, while a gentle grey card gives a calm, neutral impression. Depending on the nature of your business and what you offer, you should choose colors that will pique your clients’ interests. Red displays boldness and confidence, while green evokes feelings of calm and healing. At the end of the day, plain black and white won’t hold your recipient’s attention for very long.

Color Theory

Choose one dominant color for your business card, and pick the others based on how well they harmonize together. If it helps, look up a color wheel and play around with complementary, analogous, or triadic colors.

• Complementary colors sit opposite one another on the color wheel. Purple and yellow, for instance, will pop against one another and grab the recipient’s attention.
• Analogous colors sit right next to one another—they match. A palette of pale greens, blues, and turquoises will create a calm, harmonious impression.
• Triadic colors create a perfect, equilateral triangle on the color wheel. For example, if you want to play with a colorful logo on your blue card, try shades of red and yellow to accent the blue.

Placing Your Colors

Look for a perfect balance between plain monochrome and a burst of rainbows. Too many bright colors cluttering the center of your card can make essential information hard to read. Place your text carefully, and make sure to use contrasting colors. For example, if your die-cut card is a happy shade of yellow, print your phone number and email address in dark purple.

If you love a bright burst of color but don’t want to overwhelm the center of the card, go bold with your border. When potential customers shuffle through the business cards they’ve amassed at networking events, their eyes will linger on a bright red border.

Next time you redesign your business card, think beyond black and white borders and plain cardstock. Silk Cards will work with you to choose unique colors that represent your company while maintaining crispness and readability. Let these tips for choosing the best colors for a business card inspire you to create a card that’s entirely your own.

You’ve decided to start a business, but where exactly do you start? Knowing you want to start is the easy part. Figuring out each step and what you’ll need is a bit more difficult. In this article, we’ll discuss what you need when starting a business. Feel free to use it as a guide as you work to make your business vision a reality.

What’s the Idea?

First and foremost, you need a business idea. Most likely, you’ve got a few floating around in your head, but now it’s time to decide on just one. Brainstorm different ideas until you find the perfect niche for you.

Creating a business that’s too general may not be as successful as a specific and specialized business that others need. As you brainstorm, think about a service you’d find helpful that doesn’t exist or is limited in your market.

Everything Needs a Plan

You’re enthusiastic and ready to get going, but before you jump headfirst into your new business, come up with a concrete plan and get it in writing. This is where your settled idea becomes concrete.

Your business plan solidifies your business goals, how you’ll operate the business, and what your business vision is. Include the following in a business plan:

• The summary: What is your business about? Who are you, and why do others need your service?
• Describe the company: This is different than the summary, but they do overlap. Who works with you? What is the atmosphere like? What have you got to offer that your competitors do not?
• Analysis of market: How are your competitors doing? What are you doing to go beyond the competition?
• Describe the service or product: what are you selling?
• Marketing plan: How will you get the word out and attract customers?
• Request for funding: If seeking funding, describe how the money will be used and how much the company needs.
• Financial future: What’s the financial projection of the company for the next few years? How will you attain it?

The business plan is helpful for you to look back on when you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and wondering why you started a company. Those days come when starting a new business. The plan is also for the purpose of sharing with possible partners who could help fund the business. They’ll want every detail before they give away their money.

The Name Says It All

Choose a catchy business name that suits the service. You want the name to be easy to remember and make it clear to potential customers what you have to offer. Here are a few things to remember when choosing a name for your new company:

• Try a generator: There are several name generator tools online to help you generate possible names.
• Keep it simple: Sometimes, getting too creative only complicates things, and you’re left with a company name no one can pronounce or spell. That’s no good. Get to the point and make it easy to spell and remember.
• Know your customer: What appeals to your potential customers? Think of your audience as you choose a name that resonates with them.
• The domain: We’ll discuss the need for a website, so choose a name that will work well as part of your website domain.
• Stay away from trends: It’s tempting to go with a trendy name, but keep in mind that trends fade. Choose something hip yet timeless.
• Test it out: Aren’t sure how customers will like the name? Test it out. As you begin marketing, ask others to give feedback about the name. Prepare for constructive criticism and make changes where needed.

Start Marketing

A successful business begins with successful marketing. If no one knows you exist, don’t expect to grow. Try these ideas as part of your marketing plan and get the word out:

• Social media: Take advantage of this free platform that allows you to really get the word out about your new business. Create a business page separate from your personal page on each platform. Create posts to get others excited about the new service coming. Share photos and videos when possible. People are drawn to them. Ask friends to share your posts on their page as well.
• Business cards: Invest in a good supply of carefully designed business cards and bring a stack with you everywhere. When it’s appropriate, hand out business cards to those who you know could benefit from your service.
• Create a grand opening event: Who doesn’t love a grand opening? Make yours unique, and remember to cater to the clientele. Advertise all over social media and do an email blast for all your contacts so that the anticipation builds.

Create the Website

Part of marketing and a way to stay customer-friendly is with a website. Hire a website designer so that the site is done correctly and looks professional. Your website can showcase products, services, and results.

Choose a domain that matches or flows well with your business name. Always check to make sure the domain doesn’t already exist.

Get an Accountant and Attorney

Some parts of preparing to start a new business are fun and creative, while other parts aren’t as exciting but just as necessary. An accountant and attorney are two of those things.

You need an accountant to make sure everything is accounted for when it comes time to pay taxes. They understand the tax laws and know how to search for tax breaks for you. They also keep track of all your spending and can help you see how much profit you’ve truly made. As you’re running a new business, you have enough to take care of. Don’t cut costs in this area. An accountant is a lifesaver for a new business.

An attorney covers you in all areas of your new business. You’re a sitting target for anyone looking for a reason to complain or file a suit against your business. Don’t be left stranded and alone if this should happen to you. An attorney knows what to put into place to help avoid those types of situations from the beginning.

Starting a new business has its ups and downs. Without hard work and perseverance, it’s tough to make it. Keep your vision in sight and use our guide to what you need when starting a new business to help you along.

At Silk Cards, we enjoy serving new business owners by offering uniquely designed business cards, such as laser cut business cards, to help them on their journey of marketing a new business. Browse our convenient online store for ideas and designs of our business cards, or contact Silk Cards for more information about how the right business card can change your new company.

Sometimes, an abundance of choices makes decisions more difficult. Still, in todays’ business card world, the many choices give businesspeople a fabulous array of choices so they can stand out amongst the competition. Think about it—whose business cards do you remember? The answer is probably the ones that made you stop and stare a little longer. A well-designed business card doesn’t just look unique; it also has a font style that is easy to read. In this article, we’ll take a look at the easiest fonts to read on print to give you an idea of what to look for, and we’ll also discuss how font truly makes a difference for business cards.

Why Font Matters

Font says more than the words it creates. Your personality or at least the personality of your business is assumed quite quickly from the writing on your business cards. Like it or not, once it’s passed along, a business card is judged. There are 3 areas to consider when choosing a font: Who’s the audience, what is the font saying, and what makes a good font. Let’s look at all three:

Who Is the Audience?

First things first, always consider the audience when choosing the best font for your business cards. Are your customers fun and outgoing or serious and reserved? It’s important to understand how others view your business and also how you want it viewed. A chalkboard type font looks whimsical and casual, however, if you’re a law office, that type of font won’t serve you well even if you simply like how it looks. That brings us to the next point:

What Does the Font Say?

Font always says something. It’s up to the designer to make sure it says the right thing. The font on a business card tells us if the business is new, old, hip and trendy, or classic and stable. It truly can say whatever is necessary. When choosing a font for print, not only should you look for the easiest fonts to read on print, but you should also imagine the font if it were handed to you on a business card. Would you know what the business is about just by reading it and judging the font? If not, then try a different avenue.

What Makes a Good Font?

A good font combines everything we’ve discussed—the audience, their personality, and the business’s personality, and it clearly states those things. On top of those two ideas, a good font is easy to read while still looking stylish. There are some beautiful fonts that look stunning but are so detailed that no one can read them well. They have their place, but you want a font that looks good and is easily and quickly legible; if not, customers might move on to the next card. There are a few technical ideas that lend to a good or bad font:

• – Serifs: In certain typefaces, there are strokes that come off of the lines of each character. Those are called serifs. As a rule, serif fonts are tougher to read (though often elegant) than those without. Still, it’s a general rule, and we sometimes find a serif that happily breaks the rules.
• – Spacing: In every font, the characters have space between them, but some more than others. This is called leading, kerning, or tracking. Often, when the space is quite close between characters, the font is tougher to read. In that case, it’s probably not the font to go with.
• – Size: Size matters in a font choice. A font size of 10 makes a difference in the ease of readability when compared to a 12. Sometimes, we’re left with little choice when a lot of information must go on the business card. Still, it’s best to make it as large as possible while still getting your point across.

Readable Fonts

We’ve put together a list of fonts that are considered easy to read on print to help when you’re struggling to choose a font yourself. Here are a few of the best contenders:

• – Georgia: Created for Microsoft, Georgia is actually a serif font with a small line attached to each character for embellishment. Even as a serif, Georgia is very readable.
• – Helvetica: Very popular all over the world and considered a classic, Helvetica is considered a sans-serif.
• – Myriad Pro: Apple chose Myriad Pro for their user manuals and was the corporation’s go-to from 2002-2017. It’s simple and never distracts from the other elements on a business card.
• – Leyton: This font says “elegance and luxury” while still being readable.
• – Quicksand: Quicksand is designed with geometric shapes in mind and is said to feel friendly.
• – Times New Roman: Considered simple yet sophisticated, Times New Roman has been around in print since 1931 and has always been extremely popular. Use this one for a classic, clean look.
• – Baskerville: This font is experienced. Baskerville was created in 1757, so as you can imagine, it’s elegant and a bit old-fashioned (in a good way). Turn to Baskerville font for a bygone era effect.
• – Futura: A sans serif that is also patterned after geometric shapes, Futura has a modern and efficient air about it.
• – Black Caviar: Sometimes a handwritten effect is needed and that’s where black caviar steps in. It has a homemade look to it, yet it’s very readable, which is what makes it unique.

There are hundreds of fonts to choose from, and every business has its own style and needs. The above are simply fonts that are commonly considered easily readable on print. Keep in mind that some fonts that are easy to read on a screen may not read as well in print, and vice versa.

Every aspect of the business card is important, and as a businessperson, you want to get it right the first time. Silk Cards understands this need, and that’s why we design business cards that make potential customers ask how you created such an eye-catching card. Not only can a business card stand out and be memorable, but it also starts a conversation. At Silk Cards, we offer the most unique options, such as foil-embossed business cards, along with many other choices that incorporate the most readable fonts. Contact us today, and don’t put off one of the most important aspects of your business any longer—the business card.

Business conventions are more than just a learning session; they also provide a golden networking opportunity. However, this can be overshadowed by their strong “shark-tank” feel—having so many mavericks and decision-makers under one roof can turn the experience into an intimidating nightmare.

These days, designing a truly effective and aesthetically pleasing business card can be quite a challenge, especially for those who have never had quality printed marketing materials before.

More than a few business owners and network professionals view business card design as a simple process involving two steps:

1. Select a template.
2. Add contact information.

Then, they print the version they like best, and that’s the end of the story though it really shouldn’t be. 

Continue reading “5 Simple Tenets of Memorable Business Card Design”

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that nearly 40 million Americans suffer from an anxiety disorder.  The anxiety disorder spectrum includes post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder among others. Regardless of which specific anxiety disorder you have, anxiety cripples daily activities, particularly social activities. 

On the other hand, networking is important in both your business and personal life. Even though the social aspect may be unpleasant, life’s all about overcoming your adversity in order to be successful in a number of spaces.

Just because these cards are frosty doesn’t mean your brand won’t sizzle.

business cards are a thing of the past. If you want you and your business to stand out from a sea of boring, predictable business cards, you need to look beyond old templates, designs, and paper options – and think outside the box. There are plenty of modern selections available in today’s market that will place you a cut above the rest. Here are just a few.

Continue reading “There’s No Excuse for Plain Business Cards”

When you’re ready to improve on the way you currently do business at your restaurant, your main asset will be your customers’ feedback as you move forward with implementing new changes. They’ll tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about your business and let you know what works and what doesn’t. Your customer feedback lets you adjust accordingly so new and old customers alike will have better and better experiences when they visit you. This means a boost in business as well as cultivation of an excellent reputation.

 

Independent real estate agents need to be savvy and find ways to expand their business network and promote themselves if they want to stay successful. The real estate market is a highly competitive one in both the commercial and the residential niches. Mortgage loans are harder to access, property prices are fluctuating, and both buyers and sellers are trying to negotiate smaller fees for agents.

It is unbelievable how time flies by, the holidays come one after another, and you see families, business networks, and friend groups enjoying your delicacies, but when you finally draw the line to measure your revenue, you are still disappointed. You tried traditional and online marketing, and you have even put together a smart referral program, but the figures have yet to reflect your efforts. What else can you do? Have you tried restaurant gift cards?

Continue reading “Increase Your Restaurant Revenue with These Unique Gift Card Campaigns”