What is 4” X 9” and found in tourist areas all over the country? The ubiquitous rack card, a promotional piece used to advertise shops, restaurants, events and attractions to visitors.  These vertical cards usually have a strong, brightly colored graphic on the front in order to stand out from the competition. The attractive sample shown above is from a shop called The Towne House in Cambridge, Ohio.

Making a rack card for your shop, or special event, is not all that different from producing a postcard. Many of the companies that print them have templates that you can use, so you just need to upload your photos and logo, add write the text.  These cards would also make great bag stuffers when printed with a special “bounce back” offer to encourage customers to visit your store again.

Another promotional idea that came to my attention recently is the idea of having customers spin a “wheel of fortune” to see what level discount they will receive on a purchase.  Remember that everyone likes to be a winner, so in addition to 10%, 15% and 20% discounts you can fill spaces with “spin again”. rather than 0. Another way to use these wheels, which can be rented from a company selling casino equipment or purchased from various companies for under $75, is to have a range of small gift items that customers can win.  Be sure to check whether it’s legal in your area to require a purchase in order to participate.

These two promotional ideas came to my attention while traveling to gift shows.  You never can tell where you’ll find inspiration for something that may make your store more successful!

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder