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With people continuing to adapt to the new normal post pandemic, the drive to stay fit has never been so important. Gyms have never been busier as health and fitness has become a priority for many.

That means now is a great time to make the most of it if you own a gym or fitness studio. Whether that’s a small independent gym or a fitness chain, our plastic membership cards can help drive sales, ensure seamless access and showcase your brand.

Here’s some points you should be thinking about when ordering your membership cards.

Become Part of the Club

Even though consumers want to keep fit and healthy, if there is a need for them to cut back on their monthly budget their gym membership could be one of the first things to go. You need to make them feel welcome and part of a wider community. Issuing them all with the same plastic cards gives them access to this. You are more likely to retain members if they feel that they are getting value for money and providing benefits through their plastic membership cards could be the solution. By showing the card your customers could be offered discounts off other goods and services within the gym, including a cafe or sportswear outlet. However, you could also work with the wider business community to offer joint discounts and incentives for other stores, such as hairdressers or beauticians.

Keep Them Coming Back

Providing customers with plastic membership cards will also help you keep track of their gym usage. Taking up a regular gym membership is a big commitment. However, after the initial enthusiasm many members can reduce their use of the facilities and if they feel it’s not worthwhile they may cancel their membership. By collecting data through their plastic cards you can keep an eye on how often they’re attending and try to target those who appear to be reducing their usage of the facilities. Consider attracting them with incentives such as free gifts for regular usage or if they reach a certain goal. Catching members before they become disheartened with the gym is a great way of retaining them.

There are so many ways in which plastic membership cards can provide benefits to gym owners. At Swype, we offer a range of solutions, so please feel free to browse through our products to find the most suitable one for you.

With the re-introduction of fans hopefully back into stadiums for the 2021-22 season, it’s important to get prepared for the new season. There’s lots to sort for many football clubs across all levels in the summer. Whether that’s getting the next big transfer sorted or laying new turf down on the pitch. But one of the biggest priorities will be getting ready to welcome fans back as we all have learnt this season, football without fans is nothing.

At Swype, our expertise of supporting dozens of clubs across the football pyramid with our plastic card products has placed us as one of the go to card providers for the industry. From global Premier League juggernauts to small non-league clubs, we deal with them all.

Our product range means we have a variety of options to suit your club including choices of cards for season tickets, staff passes and club shop cards.

We’ve put together a hat trick of card products to help your club get set for next season.

1) ID Cards

ID cards are the most popular plastic card choice for many football clubs. Used commonly for season tickets and also for executive box passes, plastic ID cards are the go to option. We offer a range of identification cards whether it’s photo ID, RFID or even NFC compatible cards. More clubs are now going for the advanced option of placing a chip inside the card depending on their requirements. This allows a seamless entry into stadiums and grounds allowing a greater fan experience whilst ensuring safety regulations are met by restricting access to unauthorised personnel.

We also have a state of the art manufacturing facility able to digitally print any bespoke design you would like on your season ticket cards. You can match your cards with your club colours or even add your badge to it. Whatever you want the cards to look like, we can print and produce them.

Plus, it’s not just your supporters who can benefit from our ID card options, it’s also your whole club. Alongside season tickets, we can also offer staff ID passes that can be personalised to the exact details you require.

Check out our full range of ID cards here.

2) Gift Cards

The benefits of a gift card for football clubs are endless. These are a great way to gain extra revenue whilst enabling fan engagement across all levels of your club. Commonly used as part of seasonal campaigns and promotions to push new merchandise items such as replica kits, more and more clubs are opting for bespoke gift cards which they can sell online or in stores. With our experience in the sports industry, the choice of personalised gift cards is rising every year even more so during COVID.

Many football clubs are using gift cards to allow supporters to buy for themselves or use as a present for a family member or friend to then purchase club merchandise in the future. It’s a really creative way to grow your fan base, drive revenue and boost the image of your club.

You can find out more about them here.

3) Membership Cards

Majority of clubs now likely have some sort of fan club or membership scheme. We can produce membership cards that allow your supporters to have a tangible product showing their club loyalty whilst reaping the benefits of it through exclusive member promotions.

Plus, with all of our plastic card products, we believe they should work for both the user which in your case is the fan as well as your club. It’s not just supporters who can enjoy the benefits of a membership card, you’re also able to track their behaviour to better upsell new products that suit them. Not forgetting, it allows you to create stronger customer retention and gain further insight into fans personas.

Learn more about what membership cards can do for you here.

With all of our card choices, the designs can be as creative and as bespoke as you like. These are just some of the choices we think with our knowledge and expertise that could benefit your club. However, we also have a number of other plastic card products that may fit your club strategy. This includes eco-friendly options if you’re looking to become more green or our new anti-microbial card which can help your club adjust to the post COVID climate.

Looking to assist your cards with some print?

We also have a full printing service able to produce branded brochures, supporting display carriers or even help with any direct mail fulfilment for your club.

Why Swype?

For nearly three decades, we’ve supported football clubs of all shapes and sizes with their plastic card needs. Each year, we produce up to 20 million cards for all industries and specifically hundreds of thousands of these produced for some of the most well-known football teams in the world. Our expertise as a short run specialist who is able to deliver a fast turnaround means we can help you get set for the season. To get your order started, fill in your details here.

Swype prides itself on delivering a fast-turnaround, short run service across multiple combinations of card requirements.

Our service to you is important to us, and to keep things moving on schedule to your customer, communication is everything. 

We’ve put together an overview of our lead times and artwork policy to help you understand how we work. 

Standard & Express Delivery Lead Times

Standard Jobs

Studio and artwork lead time is 1 to 2 days and your dispatch date will be quoted once the artwork has been approved by yourself. Any delays in your approval turnaround will affect your lead time.

The lead time for standard jobs is 5 to 7 days from artwork approval. Lead time for production is scheduled and begins at the point of artwork approval. Your turnaround time will depend on your job type and dispatch dates will be generated at the point of artwork approval.

Express Jobs

You can request a 3 Day Express Service with your Account Manager who will inform you if it is possible based on the production time of your job. It is also subject to current capacity in production.

Express jobs are also charged at an additional 20% of the value of the job.

Artwork Turnaround

Our talented in-house artwork studio allows us to offer that extra level of service to customers. Here is our current artwork charging policy.

Standard Artwork Time Per Job

Your job includes 30 mins of artwork time as part of the price. This is for one artwork per job.

Will I be charged for extra studio time?

If your artwork requires over 30 minutes in studio time, we have detailed our charging policy below:

• First 30 minutes one artwork = Included in Price

• First proof plus 2 amendments (within 30 mins) = Included in Price

• Additional artwork (within 30 minutes) = £5.25 Plus VAT Per Artwork

• Extra time (over first 30 minutes) = £25 Plus VAT Per ½ Hour

We will assess your artwork and contact you should it require overtime. You may either fix the artwork and resubmit yourself, or alternatively pay for the extra time and Swype will complete the fix for you.

If you do need anything else or want to discuss further then feel free to give our team a call on 01744 815 475.

Gone are the days when plastic cards were restricted for use as credit or debit cards, today they are used for countless items as loyalty cards, gift or membership cards, photo ID cards or even business cards. Whether you’re visiting a concert, getting into the office or paying for a coffee at your local shop then more than likely you’ve got a card to do these things.

Regardless of how you intend to use your plastic cards, the design is a key part of the process. How it looks can make all the difference. This is where we’re here to help.

At Swype, we pride ourselves on our expertise and knowledge so we’ve put together some guidelines on how you can create the perfect artwork for your cards to represent your company in the best light.

Make your artwork bleed

You should always extend or ‘bleed’ the background elements and images beyond the edges of the document by an additional 6mm (3mm on all 4 sides). Therefore, artwork for a standard credit card size card of 86mm x 54mm will need to be supplied as 92mm x 60mm. This prevents unwanted white borders around the edges of your cards once the cards are cut to size.

Be careful with placement

It is always advised that you avoid placing important elements such as text or logos within 5mm of the edge of your artwork. For this reason, we would advise not to create borders on your design as any slight movement during the punching process, where sheets of cards are cut down to individuals, can make the design look ‘printed off centre’.

Matching colours

Colours are to be set to CMYK, this will ensure you get the best finish on the final product. If you’re trying to match a specific colour or not sure where to start, then we have a talented in-house design studio on hand to provide guidance for the best CMYK values to use to achieve this colour.

Use high quality images

We see thousands of different styles of artwork each month, some with images, some without. One of the most crucial tips to bear in mind is ALWAYS use high resolution images. These are normally 300dpi.

Generally, if you’re using images downloaded online from Google Images then be aware that they tend to be low quality and will dramatically affect the quality of your cards. There are dozens of online tools where you can purchase images that are high quality so do look around to see what works best for you.

Other important factors to remember:

• Please outline all fonts within your artwork
• Flatten any layers or transparencies
• No cutting guides, signature panels or magnetic stripes on print ready artwork
• Images should be embedded. If you’re unable to embed them, please supply copies of your images.

Looking to get started with your plastic card order?

We understand that our customers and partners have the day job to do. Not everybody is a card expert. That’s why customers have chosen us for nearly three decades to help guide them through the plastic card journey.

From expert support from enquiry to order, we’re here to help every step of the way. Plus, with a highly experienced design studio on hand to deal with any technical queries then nothing is too much trouble.

We’ll also provide you with a digital PDF proof of your plastic card or key fob to sign off. This representation of your final card, giving you the opportunity to see exactly what they will look like before you give us the approval to print.

If you’re looking to get started with finding out what plastic card product you need then check out our full product range here and get in touch on 01744 815 475 to discuss further.

Keep one step ahead of the game by impressing your clients with an NFC Plastic Business Card.

We all know that your business card is an important tool when making new contacts and leaving a good impression. You have to stand out from the card. Be memorable but how will your business card help this?

The simple business card has developed over recent years from traditional paper based cards to many companies now taking advantage of all the benefits which a plastic business card has to offer. Even the plastic business card has evolved, now taking advantage of the latest technology, the NFC Plastic Business Card is the latest big thing the world of business cards.

With an NFC enabled smartphone, you can transfer all the data from your business card to a smartphone instantly. The possibilities are endless with NFC technology and there’s no need to download any Apps, a simple tap of your phone does it all.

The chip hidden within the card will ask your phone to do anything once it has been programmed. This could be anything from saving your contact details, loading websites, reports, images or even ask the phone to play music or videos. Be creative with your networking and you will stand out with an NFC plastic business card.

We have nearly three decades of experience on hand ready to guide you through the process step by step. Drop us an enquiry and our team will be in touch shortly.

With identity theft on the rise, Swype look at how we are prevent falling victim of this terrible crime.

Even in this new digital age, the traditional business card is still as important as ever. From the CEO to the Sales rep, everyone needs one. And they’re still as valuable as ever.

Whether it’s meeting a new contact in a coffee shop, handing them out at events or using them to drop off at potential customers, a great business card can help transform your company.

So what makes a great one? We’ve put together a helpful list of what you should consider when deciding on your business card so sit down, grab a brew and have a read.

1) Understand what you want it to do

It’s all well and good having a business card with every single form of contact that people can reach you at but a lot of the time it’s too much. Having your office number, mobile number, company email, personal email, web address, social media handles, home address co-ordinates; the list goes on and well it’s overkill. Apart from needing a pretty big piece of card to fit the details on, it can overwhelm the desired recipient and more than likely ends up in the nearest bin.

You should be asking yourself, what is the best way to contact me? And lead with that. If somebody wants to speak to you then they’ll get in touch. From our experience working with customers over the last 25 years, the best place to start is with your main number, email and your company web address. You could even add a QR code on it. We know everyone loves a QR code at the moment.

2) Make the design unique

If you’ve seen one business card, then you’ve probably seen 99% of them. But that 1% are the one’s you remember, the 1% you never forget. More than likely, your business card is the thing a new customer or potential partner takes away after a quick chat so it should be memorable.

The colour, design, the finish; all of these can have a big impact. Pinterest or Canva are great options when looking for a sprinkle of inspiration on designing your card.

3) Size matters

Too big, too small or just right…it’s really does make a difference. A good business card should be able to fit in someone’s pocket, purse or wallet. Don’t forget that.

4) Don’t be a penny pincher

We understand the need to keep costs down, now more than ever. But don’t compromise quality for cost. We’ve all been there haven’t we? Opted for the £1 basic plain ham sandwich when for just another couple of quid, you could have enjoyed a delicious meat-packed bloomer with all the trimmings.

Now that doesn’t mean you have to go over the top. Make sure you have a realistic budget and work to that when choosing the type of card, the level of finish and any extras you might want to add.

So how can Swype help?

Well we’re glad you asked. Whether it’s the plastic form or the paper version, we can do both. Made to any spec or size you desire across all sectors with no minimum order quantity. If you choose us, it’s a safe bet. We produce thousands of business cards every month with a range of added features such as spot UV, anti-bacterial lamination and QR codes to name a few.

You can find out more about our plastic business cards here or get in touch directly here if you want to find out more.

The popularity of plastic loyalty cards is soaring; as Swype knows all too well, businesses need to retain their customers.

With the doom and gloom of the post pandemic constantly filling the news, it is understandable that UK businesses would look to defend what they already have by taking action to protect their brand and generate customer loyalty. As an example of this trend, a recent study in the UK showed that 96% of the UK population are currently a member of a reward scheme and 64% belong to three or more loyalty schemes – put simply, it is central to a company’s success that they maximise their repeat buyer ratio.

Over the past few years, Swype have seen a large surge in UK businesses launching customer loyalty programmes in a bid to secure customer loyalty and each time plastic loyalty cards are at the heart of their campaign.

Supermarket giants, such as Tesco, and their high street equivalents, such as Boots, have proven that a well planned and thought through customer loyalty programme can reap significant benefits and now other companies are catching on to the idea by implementing plastic loyalty card schemes of their own.

Swype Account Manager Sarah Sherman, says; “We have seen a noticeable rise in the use of plastic loyalty cards over the past 2 years. Many different types of businesses are incorporating a loyalty scheme into the marketing plans. We have produced loyalty and privilege cards for all types of businesses, everything from the local corner shop to restaurant chains and blue chip companies all with the same end goal – generating and sustaining customer loyalty. Many of our clients report positive feedback from their loyalty schemes and return to us quite quickly for further stock of their cards.”

Plastic loyalty cards come in many forms, from barcoded swipe cards for collecting points, to plastic card key fobs or even simple printed plastic ID cards which entitle the user to certain privileges or discounts when presented or displayed. Regardless of the size of their business, companies across the UK are very clear on the fact that by investing in customer loyalty, they are activating a key ingredient – not only in retaining existing customers but also winning new business along the way.

Looking to reward your customers? Get in touch with the card experts.

Plastic ID Cards are on the rise but do you need to consider when ordering your plastic ID cards.

Being plastic card printers we see many types of plastic ID cards for all different types of organises both big and small. It is interesting to see the different types of data which appear on the ID Cards we print. Traditionally there is always the card holder name and image, usually an employee number or job title. However, we are now starting to see more complex data such as the card holders certifications or company access rights.

Plastic ID cards can hold as little or as much information as you require, and they are no longer only available to larger companies. We work alongside many smaller companies who only need upto 20 ID cards for their staff and are looking for the simplest plastic card to fit their requirements.

If you are considering introducing company ID cards you need to consider the following;

What information do I need on my ID card?
Firstly, you do not need to over complicate things. Different companies need to display different pieces of data subject to the type of industry they are in and people that work with. By all means you can display as much data as you wish on your plastic card but just make sure that all the basics are covered.
When supplying your data we need this to provided in the form of an excel spread sheet with each type of information set in a separate column. The data will be extracted directly from your spread sheet so it is important to check all spellings before submitting your data.

What kind of image do I need to supply?
The personalised image to go on your plastic card needs to be a good quality tiff or jpeg (a minimum of 300dpi) to get the best print quality. Ideally if the image can be taken against a plain background with only the card holder in shot (no friends pulling silly faces in the background!). Ladies please make sure you are not hiding behind your hair and gentlemen please remove any sunglasses or hats. Remember that people need to be able to easily identify you from your ID card.

What design will look the best?
All of our plastic ID cards are printed in full colour to both sides. Take advantage of this! Even if you do not require any information to be printed on the reverse of your card you should take advantage of this space. Either have your company address and contact details printed on the reverse, so that any lost cards can be returned to you, or could you duplicate what is printed on the front of the card to the reverse. This way if your plastic ID card is going on a lanyard for your employees to wear you will never have to worry about it being displayed the wrong way.
Remember the print on your plastic ID card is only as good as the artwork you provide. If you use a low resolution copy of your company logo (ie image taken from a website) then the print quality of your plastic card will not be great. Please use high resolution copies of your logo to get the best print quality.

If you are struggling with the design or unsure how to submit your artwork please contact our team today and we will be more than happy to help.

Lastly – do I need anything else to accompany my ID card?
It might sound silly but once you have your company ID cards what are you going to do with them? Maybe your employees only need these to sit in their wallet to display as and when needed. However, if you require your employees to wear them whilst they visit clients or carry out their working day you should consider purchasing a lanyard or snap back holder to accompany your cards. We supply a range of plastic card accessories for such occasions please take a look on our accessories store for more details.

If you would like any more information regarding plastic ID cards or our plastic card accessories please contact our team today.

If you’ve got a summer event, don’t forget your plastic card printing. From plastic membership cards to key fobs, they’re great for marketing.

The summer months mean there are lots of events taking place at attractions up and down the country. If you’ve got a presence at one of these, plastic card printing is a good way of incentivising visitors and marketing your products.

Plastic key fobs are an extremely popular form of plastic cards. They are useful for the recipient and can be carried around with them all the time. This means that they can never forget or misplace your details and will continue to be use them long after the event. They’re used in a wide range of industries, including health clubs and nightclubs. Plastic key fobs are a cost-effective marketing option and are easy to store and distribute at any event.

If you’re looking at running a competition, promotion or incentive at your next event, then scratch cards are another great option. They’re printed with a silver scratch foil, which will reveal a code, password or anything of your choosing. The plastic cards can be linked to a section of your website or used for an instant-win promotion. You might think that these are outside of your budget, but they can be printed at a relatively low cost.

You can also print plastic passes for your event. These can be utilised at any form of event for either the general public or VIP access. If you want to stand out from the crowd and create a more memorable pass, they can be designed in bespoke shapes and sizes. The cards can also be personalised with names and dates and can incorporate a range of security features. Invisible-ink markings can be added which are only visible under UV light, or you can choose to include holograms, signature strips or holographic foil.

Whatever you’re planning for your customers this year, make sure that you organise your plastic card printing. Plastic is a much more durable material than paper or card and is less likely to be disposed of quickly, meaning your message will make more of an impact in the long term.

The dedicated team at Swype offer a great plastic card printing service. If you’ve got an event coming up, give us a call on 01744 815 475 and see how we can be of service.

Handing somebody your business card is one of the first steps in an introduction. It shows that the person is confident on selling themselves and their service. It also lets the recipient know they are keen to hear from them, which is opening the door to a business relationship.

What does a plastic business card say about your company? Your business card is usually the first piece of branded material presented to a new contact – you need to make sure it stands out.

How can you achieve this? We’ve got a number of easy to adapt business card templates that you can use to create your professional looking and eye catching business card.

The business card has evolved into so much more, unlike the traditional type of business card, which would consist of a name, company name and contact details of the person printed on card board. The modern day business card can be a key to access more information. It can contain simple barcode technology which will transport the recipient to a website or even generate an email. Also by including more finishes they can enhance the cards appearance, helping the card to ‘stand out from the pack’!

Here’s some of the benefits of a plastic business card?

• Succinct way to provide important contact details
• Tangible so less chance of intended audience forgetting who you are
• Affordable way to promote your brand with a personalised design
• Easy to distribute and carry
• Perfect for networking event

If you’re looking to take your networking to the next level, drop our team an enquiry here.

Using plastic membership cards for a restaurant can be an ideal in attracting customers. Use these plastic cards to offer a range of benefits.

However impressive your restaurant may be, it can sometimes be hard to keep the customers coming back. Weekends might be busy, but you’ve still got to keep the tables full mid-week and that’s not always easy. By introducing plastic membership cards for your customers, you can incentivise them to visit more regularly.

Whether you use them for your own individual business or join with a group of local establishments, plastic membership cards are a great means by which to provide special offers and benefits to a select group of people. These are customers who already eat at your restaurant; by issuing them with these plastic cards you can allow them to return for less.

By showing their plastic ID cards when they order, customers can take advantage of whatever offer you may have on at the time. These can be promoted online or through personalised mailings, encouraging people to visit the restaurant on traditionally quieter days. For example you could offer a 2 for 1 on selected meals or a free drink with every main course. The possibilities are endless and customers who are paying a little less are better than no customers.

Offering plastic membership cards makes customers feel part of a unique group. Rather than just being another customer in the restaurant, they see themselves as a regular and feel appreciated by the business. This building of customer loyalty is essential in attracting new customers and retailing loyal stalwarts. Those who like the ambience of the place, as well as the food, will be more likely to recommend the restaurant to their friends.

It’s far easier to know who your customers are, where they’re travelling from and how often they visit if they have plastic membership cards. These can include a magnetic strip, holding selected data about the customer, which is then picked up by your computer system. This can be used to target specific customers with offers or mailings. So if a customer hasn’t visited for a while you could send them an exclusive voucher or a special offer for the most regular visitors.

If you’re looking for plastic membership cards for your restaurant then speak to Swype. We offer a range of plastic card solutions, providing benefits for you and your customers. Our team are always available if you require any further information.