The purpose of a rack card is capturing the attention of paying customers while waiting in line to complete transactions. Traditionally, cards have promoted services and tourism related destinations. You’ve probably seen a card rack in a hotel at one time or another. These cards are aligned vertically, side by side, row after row. Or maybe you’ve been in a bus station and saw racks of cards promoting various destinations.
Think cards as a “stepping stone” between a business card and a brochure.
Flyers take advantage of a captive audience. However, if you are in line at a hotel, you might be wondering what to do now that it has reached its destination. So these cards to promote the theme parks, museums and the like can actually be a pleasant sight. And in recent years have expanded their services to include topics such as dry cleaning, massage spas and restaurants. Flyers often include a 2 “punch card at the bottom, which can be a coupon for a discount or a promotion, a ticket, a business card, or even a map.
Cards door hanger are similar to cards in vertical format, but they are left at the door, often in a hotel. A “Do Not Disturb” sign would be an example, but you may have received many other cards door hanger door of your home, lawn and the services they offer home repair cards and the like.
Card Printing Considerations rack hanger and doors
Rack cards and door hanger have been around for a very, very long, as they are effective sales tools that are cheap to produce. Flyers have a traditional size: 3.5 “x 8.5″ and 4 “x 9″. It is wise to keep these sizes and will fit in most card racks. Door hangers are usually 3.5 “x 8.5″ or 4.25 “x 11″ (with a hole in the top for hanging on the doorknob).
You also need to choose a paper type (most suspension Rack and door cards are printed in normal populations ranging from 13 to 15 pt. Glossy, matte or uncoated cover). Many printers offer gloss aqueous or UV coating for durability, and some even offer foil stamping on the shelf and door hanger cards better catch the eye of the beholder. By standardizing the format and methods of production, commercial print providers can keep prices low.
If you need less than 500 cards or cards door hanger, the printer can print digital work. For more cards, commercial printing provider may choose to offset printing.
While you are building custom print specifications and working on the design, also consider whether you will want rounded edges on the cards and if you want the cards shrink wrapped (and if so, in what amount).
Design Considerations for cards and rack hanger doors
First, a rack card must compete for the viewer’s attention with the rest of the cards on the shelf. If you think of the last time you saw a rack of cards, you may remember ten, twenty, or even a hundred letters in the rack. This is the time for a photo and a headline in bold grip. It is also prudent to concentrate in the upper half frame of the card, since the cards are staggered in a metal grid, and each set of cards obscures a portion immediately above the cards. So focus on the design in the first centimeters of the top of the card.
Unlike a brochure, your card will be seen from afar, surrounded by many other cards. So use color dramatically, and consider a model and put it in a card rack. This will help you determine if your design is striking from a distance and if it stands a group of other cards. Use the front of the card holder, photo, a call to action (or offer), and contact information. In the back can include a list of the benefits (to encourage viewers to buy your product or service). You can even include a map of your property. If your business is a restaurant, consider adding a menu on the back of the card.
Finally, remember that a rack card has two sides when you are considering what to include and how to lay it out.
A final step
As with real estate, location is of prime importance with rack cards. Think about where your promotion is seen by most people (in restaurants, hotels, airports, and such), and then distribute the cards throughout. You are looking to capture foot traffic. The good news is that unlike a sign, an order is meant to be taken. Your prospects can stick with it as a reminder of what they want to do, or buy, in the near future.
Used with the thought and knowledge of marketing, flyers and door hanger can be inexpensive, yet incredibly effective tools for advertising your business.