A Guide to Membership Cards
A good membership card should identify your organization clearly, fit comfortably in a member’s wallet, and be easy for staff to check or scan. Choosing the right format, finish, and numbering helps your membership program run smoothly. This guide explains the options available in Online River’s membership card collection.
The Role of Membership Cards
Membership cards identify people who belong to your organization and help staff confirm their benefits. A gym may use cards for check-in, a club may issue them as proof of membership, and an association may use them to identify members eligible for discounts or services. Decide how the card will be used before choosing its features.
A physical card can be presented without opening an app or unlocking a phone. It also gives members a tangible connection to your organization. Your name, logo, and colors make the card recognizable, while printed contact information helps members find assistance.
Choose the Right Card
Online River offers standard membership cards, V.I.P. cards, writable cards, slotted cards, card-and-key-tag sets, and cards with encoded magnetic stripes. The best choice depends on whether members will carry, display, scan, or swipe their cards.
|
Format |
When to consider it |
|
Membership Card |
You need a card to identify members and their accounts. |
|
V.I.P. Card |
You want to identify members who qualify for special benefits |
|
Card with Writable Back |
Staff need space to add information by hand. |
|
Card with Slot |
Members need to display their cards using a lanyard. |
|
Card plus Key Tag |
Members want a wallet card and a smaller option |
|
Insurance and Pharmacy Card |
Members need a card displaying plan identification and contact information. |
|
Punchable Reward Card |
Staff need to mark qualifying visits, purchases, or remaining uses by hand. |
|
Card with Encoded Magnetic Stripe |
Your membership system uses a swipe reader to identify an account. |
When to Choose a Magnetic Stripe
A magnetic-stripe card is appropriate when your existing equipment identifies members by swiping a card. Online River offers membership cards with encoded magnetic stripes, with optional barcodes as well.
Ask your system provider for the encoding requirements and give those instructions to the printer with your numbering information. The card identifies the account; your membership software determines whether that account is active and which benefits or access permissions apply. Test an encoded sample with your reader and software before ordering the full quantity.
Which Barcode is Right
The barcode must match your loyalty reward management system’s requirements. Code 39, and Code 128 are standard options, but Online River can print any barcode symbology. Your system administrator should confirm which format and numbering rules your organization's needs.
When ordering include:
- Barcode format and number length, including prefixes, leading zeros, and check digits.
- An approved starting number or data file, checked against existing accounts.
- Barcode placement and the readable number printed beside or below it.
- Matching requirements for cards and key tags.
Online River provides free sample proofs for any kind of barcode symbology so it can be tested with circulation-desk scanners and self-checkout equipment.
When Designing your Membership Cards
Use the front of the card for the organization's name, logo, and artwork. Reserve the back for the barcode, account number, website, and brief instructions for returning a found card.
Readable type and strong contrast matter more than filling every available space. Keep text clear of from the trim of the card, key tags, and key holes by at least 1/8” and allow a bleed of 1/8” for solid-colored cards or cards with artwork that fills the whole card or goes over the trim.
Specify exactly where patrons or staff will write. A glossy and matte surface serve different purposes, so the proof should clearly identify any area intended for handwriting.
Material and Thickness
A 30-mil card is the thickness of a credit card. Online River’s gift cards are laminated Teslin cards. The press prints a thinner synthetic-paper core, which is then laminated and cut. Teslin manufacturers identify the material to be the best suitable for card and key tag printing and lamination.
Printing Equipment
Online River’s equipment includes Heidelberg Speedmaster CD74 six-color offset presses, HP Indigo 3050 digital presses, Webtron 750 label presses, Aquaflex, and Zigzag presses. These machines print cards in a variety of styles, add unique names and numbers, apply protective coatings, cut cards to size, and store information on magnetic stripes.