By Carolyn Edlund

Although there is no “big secret” to creating a successful greeting card line, there are some basics that are always necessary – compelling images and great writing.  A catchy image will grab the attention of the shopper, and the right message will sell the card. Whether clever, heartfelt, or edgy, you can design a line that will be successful if you start it with those good “bones”.

Here are six additional considerations that can improve your line and help you avoid pitfalls which lead to slower sales:

  1. Know your audience. No one card line will appeal to everybody. Do you have a clear idea of who will be purchasing your line, and is it tailored to that buyer? If you are planning to focus on a college audience, for example, include lots of friendship and love cards, and more blanks than a regular mix, which will do better on campus. If your niche is the military, keep in mind that Get Well, Sympathy, Congratulations and Love/Miss You cards are big sellers to that group.   Do some research first to find out if your idea for a card line will fly. If you only want to sell divorce/break up cards, for example, you are gearing your work way too narrowly, and have virtually no chance for success. Get clear on why you are creating your line and who would actually purchase your cards. Market research will help – get impartial opinions from others on whether they would consider buying your cards. Your mother’s opinion doesn’t count.
  2. Use the right format. Most greeting cards are approximately 5” x 7”, which is a good size to stick with, as card racks can easily accommodate them. Cards which are designed in a “portrait” (vertical) format generally show better and sell better than cards designed in a “landscape” (horizontal) format. (This applies to “counter cards” in racks – horizontal is fine if you are selling packaged blank notes.) If you are selling to retailers, many will have “in-line” displays, such as that shown in the photo. This means that only the top few inches of the card will be showing, not the whole face. Keep this in mind when planning the layout on the front of your card to attract shopper’s attention. Your cards will be competing against many other cards, and it’s easy to get lost in the crowd if you don’t stand out.
  3. Design a big enough line. Some artists create a few cards and want to market them before they have enough critical mass to create an effective collection. My suggestion is to have 48 titles minimum. These cards should all work together visually to give the best impression.
  4. Greet your cards. If you are trying to sell a collection of blank cards, you are eliminating 90% of the market, who buy greeted cards. This is a pet peeve of mine.  As a former card rep, I have seen way too many retailers refuse to even consider a new line of blanks.  Greeted doesn’t just mean that “Happy Birthday” is written inside – it means that your message is well-written and appealing. If you simply can’t write greetings, get some professional help. It will be worth it in the long run.
  5. Balance your line correctly. This is a crucial consideration, and I go into the subject further in What You Didn’t Know About Starting a Greeting Card Line – Part 1. The number one bestselling sentiment is Birthday – this is 50% of your market. If your line is small, stick with the basic categories– Birthday, Friendship, Blank, Get Well, Sympathy, Thank You, Congratulations, Baby, Wedding and Anniversary. Less popular and sub-categories such as Bridal Shower, Retirement, New Home, I’m Sorry and Good Luck probably shouldn’t be in your line at all at first unless they fit into your targeted audience (see #1). I suggest not marketing holiday cards if you can’t commit to designing a whole collection of them. In my opinion, holiday cards should not be considered until after you have a good selling line of everyday cards established. However, if you have a target audience that demands it, go ahead – for example, the college consumer is very, very big on Valentines (but Christmas cards don’t sell, because the semester ends before the holiday).
  6. Update regularly to grow sales. This actually applies to any line of products you may design. Your customers want to see “what’s new” and you can create excitement and drive sales by updating your line several times a year. Communicate and promote your new designs through  email newsletters, brochures, or even sending some free samples to your wholesale accounts. Updating also means that you are culling slow sellers from your line. If you have some real “losers”, don’t be tempted to add them into an order from a regular customer. A first-time order from a new customer should ideally be your bestsellers in every category.

Have you found techniques that helped grow your card sales? Please leave a comment or suggestion!

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