Case Study: In the Cards

How VistaPrint has built a loyal following

Problem: VistaPrint, a global online printing company, was founded with a very specific market in mind: cost-conscious small businesses. Robert Keane, founder and CEO of VistaPrint, recognized that larger printing companies don't usually accept the small printing orders of small and emerging businesses for things like business cards, pamphlets, and letterheads. Although he knew there was a market for VistaPrint, he needed an advertising campaign that spoke specifically to the company's target audience.

Solution: VistaPrint decided to use online advertising to catch the attention of small business owners. The company used email, text and banner ads on third-party websites, and pay-per-click advertising. However, the company had another trick up its sleeve to make its online advertisements go viral: free business cards.

VistaPrint's tagline, "Business cards are free at VistaPrint.com," says it all. The company offers 250 free business cards to their customers, regardless of whether they make other purchases, with only a $5.67 shipping and processing charge. The free business cards feature VistaPrint's tagline on the back. That means there are more than two billion business cards being passed around with VistaPrint's logo and tagline on them, generating a lot of word-of-mouth advertising.

VistaPrint capitalizes on the promotion by offering customers the opportunity to upgrade the free business cards to ones that do not carry the company tagline on the back for a $9.99 fee. Many customers visit VistaPrint's website after becoming intrigued by the prospect of free business cards, then find the enhanced version more appealing.

The takeaway: This inventive approach to drawing in customers with a new, integrated strategy helped launch VistaPrint into the successful, global printing company it is today. In 2010 alone, VistaPrint sold to more than 1.4 million new customers. Over 66 percent of the company's sales come from returning customers, many of whom came originally for the free business cards, only to then become loyal brand advocates.