4 benefits of switching your paper business cards into plastic

So many businesses have chosen plastic business cards over paper for their marketing. But what benefits are being enjoyed by our clients with the upgrade to plastic?

Appeal
Plastic business cards can be ordered in different thicknesses and finishes and hold bright, beautiful colours exceptionally well. Logos and other important details come out crisp and clear. There are also many different effects that can be used on the cards, giving them an ultra sophisticated, richly elegant, and professional look.

Innovative Designs
Plastic business cards are the perfect canvases for very innovative designs. Attracting attention is easy on plastic.

Durability
Plastic cards are also extremely durable. Unlike paper business cards that get washed, or worn, torn and dirty and then thrown away– plastic cards are waterproof, scratch resistant and won’t get tossed due to illegibility.

Perceived Value
Handing over a plastic business card gives your client the idea that they have been given something of value and will hold onto the card longer than an ordinary
paper card.

Our clients are quickly seeing the benefits of switching to plastic. It seems to be an
effective, attractive and inexpensive way to create great hype about your company with a mere flick of the business card.

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What you will need to start printing your own cards tomorrow

Are you ready to branch into printing your own cards, either as a side business or for your company?

We created a brief rundown of what you will need– besides a computer or laptop– to start printing your own plastic cards…

A reliable plastic card printer: There are a wide variety of plastic card printers that will suite a variety of needs from single sided printing to high security printing. We recommend EDIsecure for their durability and reliability.

Software: Connecting to a database gives you the freedom to let the printer print without stopping to browse for a photo. Pick Jolly Technologies IDFlow to get the most bang for your buck

Consumables: Don’t forget your ribbons with the ink ribbons and the plastic cards to print on!

That’s it! You are ready to print! Print on!

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What is at the Core?

When looking for something new, a new computer, a new car, or even a new pair of pants, I am always trying to figure out what it's made from.

Does this computer have dual core processing that will handle the work I need it to run?

Does this car have a sturdy engine that will give me many long happy years without malfunction?

Is this pair of pants made of material that will suit my lifestyle?

I always want to know what is at the core of the product I am purchasing. If it counts what's inside, I want to know about it.

Same is true for a plastic card supplier. We want to know what is at their core. What are they made out of?

So CardsPlus, What are you made out of?

At our core we are a plastic card solutions company. We facilitate the printing of cards or implementation of plastic card systems.

This means:

- We know our stuff. It's our core business! Want to know something about your plastic card application? We can help! Need software to print cards or to implement your cards in real life? We can help!

- We have really great quality. Because we have no 'plan B'- you can be assured that your cards are going to be manufactured with only the best materials and equipment. Cutting corners is cutting out our livelihood- and no one wants a cut up livelihood.

- We can give really good service. Without all the extra goodies to support and supply, we are able to ensure that you receive one on one attention and care. Plus, once the sale is closed and you are thrilled with the card system, we can provide you additional support and assistance.


But does this mean CardsPlus is a small little business?

Hardly! Being focused on our niche has helped us overcome the small business pitfalls and become South Africa's leading Short-Run plastic card manufacturer. With over 4.2 million cards printed in the last 8 months, CardsPlus is well equipped to handle your next order.

At our core, we are a plastic card solutions provider.

At our core, we are committed to serving you!

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ExpressCards– Get your printed cards in just 24 hours!

Do you have an emergency red-hot need for plastic cards?

Choose:You can now get your cards in just 24 hours!

ExpressCards is the groundbreaking new service offered only by CardsPlus giving you up to 5000 cards in just 24 hours

Enjoy:

• Vibrant CYMK (Full Colour) print quality
• A professional glossy offset finish
• Fastest turnaround available
• Confident, speedy service
• No minimum quantity, set up fees, plate charges or hidden costs
• Cards are manufactured in house ensuring the highest quality output

Your cards can feature:

• Vivid CYMK (Full Colour) print on one or both sides of the card
• Barcodes
• Photo or text inserts
• Serialised number personalisation
• A HiCo or LoCo magnetic stripe for self encoding
• and more

Secure up to 5000 custom printed cards within just 24 hours!

Call 086 16 CARDS (22737) today to find out how ExpressCards can fire up your business! Certain limitations do apply.

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Oh so many choices! But which is the best for YOU?!

With so many options available for plastic card printers, how would you know which direct to card single sided printer would suite your needs?

We’ve whipped up this friendly little chart for the major brands of single side direct-to-card printers . Have a look at which printer would be ideal for you! (Click here for a link to the insider Downloads page where you can access this PDF and more!)

Need more help deciding?

It’s no secret we favour the DCP240+ for it’s outstanding reliability , ease-of-use and support network. But we know that the DCP240+ doesn’t suite each and every requirement.

For a complimentary consultation pop us an email at info@cardsplus.co.za or call at 086 16 CARDS and receive personalised advice on which printer would be best for you!

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5 Reasons to Make the Switch to Retransfer Printing Right Now

Retransfer technology is all the rage right now and being marketed across the world as cutting edge print technology at it’s finest.

But, what are the actual differences between the direct-to-card Zebra, Evolis, Datacard, Fargo printers and Retransfer printers? And what actual benefits are there in switching to the finest print technology available?

Let’s have a look at the original retransfer brand of printers– the EDIsecure XID family.

1. Better Print Quality Imaging on the XID retransfer printers is comparable to offset press printed cards- Colours are brighter and crisper; lines are sharper and cleaner.

2. Off-the-edge Printing Direct-to-card printers all leave a faint line on one side of the card to protect the print head from damage. Yuck!

Retransfer print heads do not make contact with the card, allowing a fluid 'over-the-edge' print, even on the uneven edges of smart cards.

3. Lifetime Warranty on the Print head Only the XID printers offer you the assurance of
a lifetime warranty on the print head. No shady card count restrictions apply .

4. Completely Modular The XID printers are fully customisable, meaning you purchase only
what you need at this time with the option of adding modules (without requiring an upgrade) when your needs change. Why spend more when you don't have to ?

5. Affordability The XID printers give you true value for your money and the cost per card is comparable to direct to card printing!

Demonstrations are available if you would like to see the technology in action. Join the revolution and schedule your demonstration for an XID retransfer printer now.

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Client FAQ: Why does the Datacard SP35 look JUST like the EDIsecure DCP240+?

The SP35 and DCP240+ have similar bodies and look similar on the outside.

However, the two printer brands do not operate the same.

Why we prefer the DCP240+

• Advanced print driver gives the ability to enhance print graphic quality
• The powerful printer drivers have access to every parameter of the card printing job- so you can change any aspect in one central place
• Unmatched Graphic User Interface (GUI) ensures better colour matching from screen to print.
  

To quote a long term Datacard user, “The DCP240+ is like the SP35 except better!” What a great compliment!

Thanks for asking & Print on!

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Comparing Plastic Card Prices- Apples, Oranges and Lemons

When shopping for a car, the wise consumer collects all the data he can on each vehicle he considers - mileage, petrol consumption, body wear and tear - then he takes these things into consideration when he makes the final decision on which car has the best value. It is not always the car that has the lowest price, but rather the car that has the lowest cost of ownership. Will it need frequent repairs? Will it need to visit the petrol station too often? Will it get me to where I need to go?

The same tactic must also be used when considering and comparing the offerings out there in the plastic card market. A low cost per card price is not always indicative of the overall cost of the project.

Are there set up costs? Is the cost per card inclusive of all of the features needed on the card - including magnetic encoding, personalization, etc? Are there confusing price breaks?

Pricing that seems low at first glance, might actually have charges hidden in the fine print of the quotation. Make sure that when you request a price for a card, that you are getting finished card pricing, because often it can increase your cost per card by as much as 100%, depending on the volume and features you are looking for.

At Cards Plus, we don't have any hidden charges - or minimum quantities for that matter. The only minimum charge is R50.00 for an invoice minimum. All of our cards quotes are for finished card pricing - and if you request a line item charge for an added feature such as personalization, we will notate it, and even figure the finished cost for you.

We have our clients best interest at heart, and we show it by our integrity when we send out our quotation. Give us a chance to provide a quotation on your next project, and we will show you that we have the best solution on the market.

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A Different Angle on Recycled Plastic PVC Cards

In the ever growing environmentally conscious world we live in, awareness as to how we are impacting the world is taking a forefront in our consumerism. Because of this awareness, there is a very strong marketing strategy taking place which urges consumers to "think green" and make choices as to how their purchases impact the world.

Companies, on all fronts, are using this angle to market themselves anew - pushing products that are considered "environmentally friendly" and "green". This designation, however is ambiguous (see our recent post on the "corn card"). In addition, it can be narrow minded, not taking into consideration the overall impact.

A new article has been posted by CR80 News regarding one aspect of the "green movement" in plastic card printing - using recycled pvc plastic-gives a balanced glance at many of the issues involved. Using recycled materials is of course, a responsible approach to good consumerism - "reduce, reuse, recycle", however to make a truly educated decision as to whether to chose recycled plastic over "virgin pvc", one must take into full consideration all angles and implications, then base a decision on these facts. Being bullied and guilted into spending more money for the sake of one companies new marketing angle, is not a responsible way to move the world into thoughtful consumerism.

At Cards Plus, it is our desire to be responsible citizens. We offer a range of plastics to choose from - some more environmentally friendly than others. We also recycle our waste material whenever possible. However, it is not our desire to jump on the newest environmental bandwagon, for the sake of seeming to be "green" when in fact, it is not. Yes, we must be responsible. Yes, we must take care of the world we have been blessed with - but our clients will never be guilted or bullied into putting their hard earned money into a product that does not fit their needs and requirements. This is our committment to them, and to you.

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To Print or Not To Print - THAT is the Question!

For many people who are looking into adding plastic cards to their business, the big question is what is the most cost effective solution for me? Is this something that will add value to my business for having it, or is there a less expensive solution for me?

These are very valid questions, and definitely worth the research. The mistake most easily made, however is the analysis of only the cost of the materials and machine.

For some, laminate cards are a seemingly less expensive option.

Back in the "olden days", laminate cards were "it". They offered a water proof, more durable option to the previously popular heavy paper stock cards. However, the actual process of making the card was painful. The machine had to warm up, the paper had to be printed, then placed into the special sleeve, then run through the machine...trimmed.... It was laborious. And to do several at a time was cumbersome. Nevermind that someone had to more or less be assigned to do only this task for a significant time period. Then of course there was the durability- a little wear and the dog earred cards delaminated and needed to be printed again.
Painful and costly.

If one was to only look at the cost of the machine and materials versus the cost of a PVC card printer and consumables, one might easily demise that laminated cards were a more cost effective solution, however, as illustrated above, when consideration is made for durability and time investment, never mind the less than professional image that a laminated card provides, it actually can COST a company money in the end.

The lesson here? In finding the right solution for your company, don't simply stop at the actual cost of the items. Factor in to your costing the durability of the card as well as the time investment needed to print your cards - and add on as the bonus the fact that you will have a finished, colourful and professional looking item at the finish.

At Cards Plus, we offer a variety of solutions for our clients - from high quality card printers to large and small volume preprinted cards, to our very popular "Quick Card" service, with no minimum quanity, and a speedy turnaround time.

Give us a call and let us help you find the right solution for your company. +27 011 894 3914 (South Africa) www.cardsplus.co.za

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Your Source for Card Printer Consumables!

Back in the day when McDonald's had only sold a million burgers, they stumbled across a great customer service method - don't just offer a burger and be satisfied. Offer french fries, a drink and maybe a sundae for dessert as well.

In our busy society there is value in the "one stop shop". Sourcing individual items is a time consuming task - and time is money. Perhaps you already have your card printer, but your blank cards are low, and you know that the ribbon you put in last month is getting down to it's last few images. Perhaps you have an event coming up, and you know that you will need not only plastic cards, but lanyards and card holders as well. Or maybe you don't have any of these items - only the need to get your company's ID badges printed a.s.a.p. We can help!

We carry stock of the most commonly used Edisecure, Zebra, Datacard and Fargo print ribbons. And if it isn't so common, we have local and overseas suppliers who can provide them in a blink of an eye. We also carry premium PVC plastic cards, both white and coloured (including metallic), Hi Co and Lo Co magnetic stripe cards and assorted card accessories. Everything you will need to accomplish the task ahead of you.

So let us give you a hand and provide you with very competively priced, quality card printer ribbons, plastic cards and card accessories that will make you look great when your project is completed.

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