How to Start a Greeting Card Business

Summary

It’s your birthday, and amidst the hundreds of wishes you receive through WhatsApp, Instagram stories, and DMs, one wish catches your heart.

It’s a personalized card from your mother featuring a special moment and a heartfelt message.

Cards surely have a unique power to connect us emotionally.

Even in this digital age, greeting cards remain popular, with nine out of every ten households buying them annually.

Around 7 billion greeting cards in the US are purchased annually, making it a thriving $7.5 billion industry.

So, if you want to start your greeting card business, make an announcement, or simply say thanks, we’ve got you covered. We have put together this detailed guide that will answer all your questions, from “How to start a Greeting Card Business?” to “How to frame the perfect greeting card business plan?”

Create a full-proof, well-planned, legally compliant, customer-friendly greeting card business plan. Let’s start.

Decide your Target Audience

Deciding the target audience or the target market is the essential step zero. You cannot probably sell without knowing who you’re trying to sell to. Decide what audience you want to target. Deciding this early is essential so you can create designs that appeal to those audiences. You must go through a series of steps to decide your target audience. Let’s look at them one by one.

1. Find your Niche

You need to think of a strategy that will mark your identity and differentiate you from the pool of competitors. Defining a unique niche is part of your larger brand strategy. Your business’s niche will depend on many things, like the name, specialization, marketing strategies, and so on.

Once you specialize in a certain type of message, you may find it difficult to branch out because the name you chose for your business may or may not align with your new specialization. So, it is better to know it all before you begin.

2. Greeting Card Type

Decide what kind of cards you are going to design. Categorization could be based on size, material and so on. Ask yourself all sorts of questions and brainstorm. All these questions will help you decide your inventory and supplies and will eventually help you estimate the cost of your plan.

• Size Decide the size of your cards. What size are you going to offer? Will you offer multiple fixed-size options? Will you offer custom sizes?
• Material Choose the material that you’re going to offer. There can be many materials to choose from like paper, cardboard, reusable material, etc.

Top Greeting Card Companies: Learning Popular Card Types, and Trends from Them

Below are the 4 popular greeting card companies and what they are good at.

1. LovePop Cards

LovePop is more than just a greeting card that unfolds like a miniature surprise. The company creates 3D paper sculptures for every occasion designed by naval engineers on cutting-edge software and then hand-crafted in the Asian art form.

3D elements have been a popular choice on greeting cards. Embracing such latest technologies will make you stand apart.

2. One-per-Week

It is a monthly subscription that sells high-quality cards. Each box comes with 4-5 greeting cards plus color pens, vintage stamps, and more. Cards are centered around themes like birds, food, and puns.

(OPW’s Weekly Card Subscription)

This type of business model is growing at an exceptional rate. The subscription-based business model is an excellent option for giving your business the sustainability it requires.

3. EcoFriendlyCards

Sustainability is at the core of this company. Their cards are made of flower seeds and are 100% recycled. Card designs are handmade from cut and torn mulberry paper, glitter, and paint. The real magic happens after shoppers buy cards. After planting a card in a pot, it will grow into a beautiful flower.

(Cards that Grow Into Flowers)

Shoppers today have become too environmentally conscious. And hence, brands like this one are winning over shoppers. Launching a greeting card business in this niche can be a profitable business idea.

4. CardsDirect

CardsDirect is a Texas-based company selling cards for all occasions. What sets them apart from others is their card designer tool. Using the tool, shoppers can customize their cards by adding logos, images, signatures, etc.

This allows them to provide an extensive range of cards for every occasion, as their customers can customize the cards and add any message they wish.

You too can provide a diverse selection of greeting cards by implementing a Product Designer Tool.

This powerful tool lets your customers add their personal touch online, designing cards for any occasion and expressing themselves through unique elements and text.

Want to learn more? Discover the distinct functionalities of our intuitive tool by clicking the link below.

 

Which One Should You Choose: Readymade Cards or Personalized Cards?

Either offer readymade cards or personalized cards or both of them. However, custom-made cards produce more guaranteed money. However, you may lose some creative control, as you must produce what the client wants. Therefore, offering both types of cards can be a plus point. You can also showcase your creativity through readymade cards. By offering personalization, you can let your customers design the cards as they want.

(Personalized Greeting Card)

Personalized Cards: A Major Growth Driver for Your Startup

You must be wondering why there is a big difference between personalized cards and readymade ones. Well, the answer is simple. Customers love things made specially just for them. A great way to make customers happier and keep them engaged.

Deloitte found that 1 out of every 5 customers is willing to pay 20% more for a personalized exclusive product that is designed just for them. Another study on creating customer loyalty through customization states that:

“customization increases perceived service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust, and ultimately customer loyalty toward a service provider.”

Your customers can upload photos, write messages, add designs of their choice, and send ready files for printing. Customer experience finds value through exclusivity in the form of customized products. It gives them the feeling of something unique and something specific that works in just the way they want.

We can help you offer custom greeting cards in your store. Our fully-functional product designer tool is built by industry experts and easily integrable with all eCommerce platforms. To know how, get in touch with our industry experts.

What will the Greeting Card Industry look like in 2023?

Visit card stores, fairs, and other venues to review submission guidelines and requirement statistics and keep track of new greeting card business. This is a good way to find out what is trending and what is not and what sorts of cards people are looking for.

These stats can also help define your niche. Let’s examine some of the industry’s latest trends. You can also get a good idea of the conventional market, which could help you break the conventions and offer something unique.

Customized greeting cards are becoming more common. This trend is bolstered by the companies’ emergence, allowing their customers to create cards as and when they want quickly.

Millennials and younger consumers seek cards with relatable content containing cheeky or informal messages. These cards cater to the need for a more comedic, informal communication method. Many smaller businesses are creating these cards, and industry experts expect they will continue growing.

Social media seems to be the number one choice for card companies for branding, promoting their products, and creating a loyal fan base. Brands like Hallmark are doing a great job on social media. If you were to check their Instagram profile, they hardly post promotional content. They have gathered a massive following of over 281K by sharing inspirational messages, behind-the-scenes videos, tips, giveaways, and more.

Also Read: A Step-by-Step Guide on Selling Invitations Online

So, you’re ready with step zero and have thought it all through. You know your niche, type of cards, type of products, and so on. We bring you a 5-step implementation plan to start with successfully executing your Business Idea.

Step 1: Visibility through Your Website and Ecommerce Store

The first and foremost step in your greeting card business plan is to build your online presence and improve your visibility.

You can also go with a traditional offline store; you and I both know that the world is going digital.

With the global e-commerce market likely to reach more than $8 trillion by 2026, having an eCommerce store is definitely a better option.

You will need an eCommerce store to sell your products and showcase your offerings. You can easily build your online presence if you go through the following steps.

i) Website

You will need to register a domain name and build a website. You can create your website and customize it to mark a benchmark of your brand. You can build an eCommerce website directly or separately and then integrate your eCommerce store into it

ii) E-commerce Platform

Selecting the right e-commerce platform is a crucial step. There’s a pool of options to choose from. We are looking for a specific use case that is building it for our greeting card print shop or website. You can categorize your selection based on licensing, development cost, customization, support services, etc.

Magento, Shopify, and WooCommerce are three popular eCommerce platforms with active communities for developers and support. Magento is a popular choice for larger enterprises and those needing flexible customization. Shopify and WooCommerce, on the other hand, are hassle-free to start with. You can easily integrate the store into your website and get up and running within days. Each platform has its own pros and cons. To learn more about these platforms, you can visit this detailed guide.

iii) Business App

You can also create and launch your own app. Having your own app can also work towards building brand recognition.

At PrintXpand, we provide comprehensive solutions to help you effortlessly start your own greeting card business.

We offer personalized eCommerce platforms tailored to your specific business requirements.

Additionally, we can assist you in developing a native Mobile2Print application for wider customer engagement. Our experts will guide you through the setup process, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience.

iv) Social Media

You can build a social media page to publish your content and improve your reach. Most millennials and the young generation are active on social media these days, and with your unique product offering, you will surely get good business.

Step 2: Design Phase: Adapt a Product Design Tool

You’ve set up your website, app, e-commerce store, and social media account. Now, all you need to do is create eye-catching designs that lure customers to your store. The more unique your designs are, the more likely customers are to click on your website. As we noticed earlier, product personalization is trending these days. To let your customers implement this on their own, you will need a Product Customization tool.

A product personalization tool is a Web-to-Print software with diverse features for your customers to create customized designs. All you need to do after that is print those designs. An Intuitive W2P product design tool consists of everything that you would expect from an online product design tool, from diverse customization features to print-ready designs.

Ideally, most tools provide a huge library of images, texts, clipart and ready templates. A fully-responsive designer tool is also perfect for creating personalized designs on every printable material. It can have element-based pricing, design-based pricing and so on. Pick a tool that gives you full control over its offerings and flexibility.

PrintXpand is one such tool. Understanding your business feasibility, it also provides a custom UI to control where your end-users can perform customizations. Plus, it offers multiple integrations and can work with multiple platforms.

Step 3: The Printing Phase

After your customers design their products, the next step is to print those designs. Planning the printing phase involves planning everything from the printing methods and supplies to the printing infrastructure. Let’s have a detailed look at all these aspects.

A. Printing Methods

There are multiple types of printing methods. Choose your printing methods first to ensure the availability of your supplies and infrastructure. It is necessary to select a printing method that gives the desired result.

While choosing the printing method, consider factors like the quality of the output, required resolution, compatibility of the printing method with your product design tool, and so on.

Some popular printing methods are engraving, thermography, foil stamping, embossing, digital printing, etc.

Digital Printing is one of the most common methods. It uses four colors of ink to create intricate designs and lettering applied in small dots. Plus, digital painting requires an image resolution of 300 dpi, which ensures better image quality and output.

B. Manage your Supplies

Note down all the supplies you’ll need and look for similar suppliers. You will need necessary supplies like cards, paper, ink, etc. Find wholesale suppliers through industry contacts, trade journals, the internet, etc.

You can go according to your budget and choose the one that best suits your budget. But I would suggest not to go for low quality products solely because of the budget. It is about customer satisfaction in the end. To manage these supplies, you can opt for various Inventory management software too.

C. Infrastructure

Set up the infrastructure for the printing method you choose. Build a professional workspace with the required instruments. The printing instruments you buy will depend on your chosen printing methods. You can hire professionals to help you with everything. You can sign a third-party contract and give the printing consignments to well-equipped print professionals.

Step 4: Define Marketing Strategies

Your customer probably won’t discover your charming cards without you marketing them. Your greeting card business plan needs effective marketing strategies. The best marketing technique for new businesses is word-of-mouth. You can devise a more formal approach to your marketing strategies as you grow. Marketing strategies must include social media marketing and email marketing. You can also create and launch ads and print your business reviews in local newspapers.

Promote yourself through various retail outlets. Showcase some sample designs on your eCommerce stores and social media. Social media advertising is a cheap way to get early business.

Choose the right kind of content to catch the attention of your potential customers. Offer samples and prototypes to customers so they can see the card up close before committing to larger orders. You can also sell these cards directly to pre-existing popular stores. This can build brand recognition, too. Providing additional sweeteners, such as free shipping, or discounts can also prove to be helpful. The possibilities are limitless.

Cost vs. Benefit: Maximize the Profit

Every business owner, as a beginner, is worried about the cost vs. benefit ratio. But they forget that the benefit ratio is not solely based on the market but also on their own business strategies. Here’s a brief on how to increase the benefit ratio using smart business tactics. Include these points in your greeting card business plan, and you’re good to go.

Most card shops—online and offline—sell specialized envelopes, pens, gifting accessories, and so on. You can implement this, too. Provide gifting options at the time of checkout. Ask your customers if they want envelopes and suggest some based on the type of card they’ve chosen. This will bring you additional revenue.

(Product Recommendations to Drive Higher Conversions and Increase Average Order Value)

You can sell these cards in bulk at various retail shops, too. This can help improve your brand recognition. Design unique and new ideas to get more attention.

Decide on a pricing system of your own. Especially for personalized products, you can include element-based pricing, size-based pricing, color-based pricing, etc. You can charge your customers for uploading custom photos too. You can charge them for every word they write or implement sentence-based pricing.

With our card designer tool, you can also display live pricing based on the level of customization your users are opting for. This will make pricing more transparent, leading to a positive impact on customer experience.

Plan seasonal offers and provide lucrative discounts to your customers. Generally, greeting cards cost about $2.50 each. However, you can sell a pack of six cards for approximately $7.50. This way, customers will find it cost-effective and are more likely to make the purchase.

(A Well Executed Discount/Offer Strategy Will Bring You a Bunch Of New Customers)

The global greeting card market is forecast to be worth $6530.4 million by 2028, leaving plenty of room for independent sellers to enter the industry.

Your designs matter; just make sure they are high-quality. You can also collaborate with print specialists who offer more than simple printing services.

The old saying goes: It takes money to make money. But nobody said that you have to spend all of your own money. small business funding can help you cover the expenses required to get your greeting card business plan started. You can use this funding to help you with equipment, supplies, employees, legal fees, etc. There is no one-size-fits-all type of business funding. So, consider your options mindfully.

Step 5: Delivery and Logistics Management

Last but not least is logistics management. You will need an effective logistics infrastructure to manage your supply chain as smoothly as possible. Again, you can create logistics workflows or outsource them to a third-party company. Decide on a commission to pay them either monthly or based on orders.

Start a greeting card business: Work with experts

Hopefully, this handy guide will help you create a clear plan for starting a greeting card business. Without a roadmap, things can get chaotic. There are hundreds of things to manage. But now you have the perfect plan and tools to frame the perfect business strategies for your greeting card business. However, the main decision to take is the choice of the eCommerce platform and a custom design tool.

PrintXpand is a foolproof solution to the dilemma of making the right choice for a custom design tool. Our Web-to-print developers can help get you up and running within just a few days. We design web-to-print solutions for multiple platforms like Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, Prestashop, OpenCart, PHP and so on. We also provide multiple custom integrations like Print Inventory Management solution and Print Job Manager.

Our product comes with the top functionalities that you need to acquire, engage, and serve your potential end-customers in the best way possible. We guarantee that our team of expert developers will guide you every step and be by your side to embark on this journey ahead. If you do seek any customizations for your greeting card business idea – we would not be surprised.

 

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