© 2002-2008 GBS

Promotional Use of prepaid phone cards

There is an option, generally exercised by those giving the cards, of adding a voice message that a card user hears after dialing the 800 access number. In these messages, businesses could include a brief business statement; newlyweds could thank people for attending their wedding; companies could promote a new product; and banks could include instructions or procedures for using the new bank service.

Those phone cards that are purchased by high school supporters, charity fund donators, art patrons and collectors usually cost much more than typical phone cards because the phone card service is not what is being sold.

Industry practice is to print custom cards for each promotional use. However, it is possible to overlay a stick-on front to Phone Cards for small numbers of custom cards, thereby, retaining the value of a well priced phone card.

Prepaid phone card as research tool!

Phone cards are being offered to people in return for their participation and cooperation in product marketing research surveys. You might initially be offered a free card, and then when you dial the 800 number to activate your card additional minutes will be offered to you if you respond to a market research questions similar to those asked by researchers who call you at home.

United Postal Service and Johnson & Johnson have had research programs developed based on an interactive voice-response system.

Such programs are a way to learn about buying patterns from which companies can put together things like lists of preferred customers who can then be offered special discounts.

Because researchers have found difficulty in getting people to respond to surveys, they are trying unique offers to attract cooperation from people. However, companies must be able to assess how much their promotional value influences the person being surveyed.

The general consensus is that anything that helps response and cooperation is a good thing.