Articles: vouchers

A voucher is a product and an advert at the same time. One person buys it and somebody else redeems it, often somebody who has never dealt with the company before. That makes the look and the wording matter more than on an ordinary leaflet, because the voucher reaches a new pair of hands at a very good moment, as a gift.

What has to be on it

A short list, without which questions and misunderstandings usually follow.

• What it covers - a specific service or a stated value, described in one sentence.
• How long it is valid - a date or a period counted from purchase, printed clearly.
• How to use it - whether an appointment is needed, or turning up is enough, and which number to call.
• A voucher number - it makes tracking which ones have been redeemed far easier.
• Space for names - the recipient's name and a signature make it feel like a gift rather than a receipt.

The voucher as a calling card

A voucher usually sits in an envelope or a gift bag and gets looked at for longer than most printed material. Stiffer paper, a calm layout and a finish that feels good in the hand are worth the effort - a matt or Soft Touch film works nicely here. Another idea is to pair the voucher with other pieces: a leaflet, a product sample or an order sent by courier. One printed item then does two jobs, since it informs and gives a concrete reason to get in touch.

If you are preparing vouchers for the first time, read the text on designing them, then the one on selling vouchers in a service business - it covers validity periods and house rules.