If you're looking for a gift your business can give that will delight anyone who receives it, you need to look into promotional music download cards pricing and costs. Whether your customers' tastes lean toward classic jazz, heavy metal, easy listening or pop, music download cards give them the opportunity to indulge those musical tastes--and thank your company for it. Here's how it works: You purchase promo music download card products with redemption codes on them; your clients or employees visit a specific website (which can be branded for your business) and they can download whatever music they like.
Promotional music cards are surprisingly affordable and may be customized or even used for other electronic products, such as ringtones. As you research the best ways to use promotional music gift cards, consider the following options:
1. Downloadable music cards that are fully branded for your business
2. Promotional music downloads from big name websites your clients and employees will instantly recognize
3. Promo music cards offering other downloadable options

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Give your customers a promo music card that's fully customized

If you want customers, clients or employees to go to a website that's branded with your company's logo and information, it's easy to accomplish. There are many businesses that do all the work for you, and they do it for just $2 to $4 per card, depending on how many you order.

I recommend: Sterling Regency Promotions offers custom promotional music download card products, with branded websites available. Act III Promotional Products offers a similar service for music downloads, plus many other types of download cards.

Select downloadable music cards from big name websites

One way to give clients or employees music download cards from music sites they already know is to buy standard gift cards. Gift cards can generally be purchased for $15, $25, $50 or $100 each. Another option available from some websites is the purchase of codes that may be placed on your own gift cards; prices for these codes are generally similar to gift card prices, but usually a quantity discount is available.

I recommend: Perhaps the most popular music download site on the web is iTunes; it offers both standard gift cards and custom codes that may be added to your own download cards. Amazon.com offers several types of downloadable options, including standard gift cards in bulk or codes you may purchase for your own gift cards.

Choose promo music download cards offering choices

Download cards may also offer options for such things as cell phone ringtones, movie ticket downloads and photo development. Generally, these customizable cards cost about $3 to $5, depending upon quantities ordered and the type of product available for download.

I recommend: Absorbent, Ink. offers custom promotional music download cards and ringtone cards. USA Plastic Cards sells download cards that may be redeemed for your client or employee's choice of music, ringtones or free long distance minutes.

Music download cards are a great promotional item for the next generation of employees and clients who use portable music devices. Promotional music download cards are intuitive and easy to use for anyone familiar with mp3 music technology.

Promotional music cards not only give your clients or employees an item they'll love to use, but they also allow people to choose the songs they download from a list of thousands of options. Promo music cards are a great choice for broadening your company's popularity among both kids and adults.

When shopping for promotional music cards, consider the following:

1. Select a promo music card with the number of songs you want to offer.

2. Consider promotional music cards or other options for partnering directly with a well known company.

3. Get all-in-one cards or music download cards with custom specifications for even more options.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose the number of songs for your downloadable music cards

Promotional music cards can be issued in 1-, 2- or 3-song cards. All cards have space for your logo and whatever images you want to use on the front of the card, and you can get them with the number of promotional music downloads you choose.

I recommend: Get a single song download card from Far From Boring Promotions, or choose a card with one song, two songs or three songs from ePromos. All of the promotional music cards have the same space and options for custom designs, so the only thing that varies is the number of songs it can be used to download.

Consider promotional music download cards that partner with a well-known company

Some businesses choose to partner directly with iTunes or another company when purchasing promotional music download cards. These partnerships can be advantageous because the big name of the music company alone can draw customers to your business.

I recommend: Partner with iTunes or another company such as eMusic for more options when getting promotional music cards or other music-related promotions. Companies such as iTunes that have become involved in corporate partnerships may offer a wider range of options for your promotion.

Look at promotional music download cards that offer other services

Some promotional music cards include not only music downloads, but also feature uses as a phone card or other type of gift card. When buying promotional music gift cards, consider options with multiple uses for a client group that may or may not get excited about a promo music card.

I recommend: All-in-one cards like those from USA Plastic Cards are promotional music download cards that offer music downloads and one or two other promotional gift options all on the same logo-customized card. You can also try custom promotional music download cards from Four Aces for a card with custom specifications, including the number of songs and the gift options on the card.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When giving away promotional music downloads, consider how you will use the promotional items. Music downloads are very popular among certain groups, but keep in mind that older individuals, individuals who are hard of hearing, and individuals without access to a computer or Internet may not be able to utilize the promotional card.

The different promotional music download card types and styles offer a unique marketing opportunity. Music is something that most people enjoy and a tool you can use to promote your company or a product. The trick is finding the right one for a given situation. To make a promotion work effectively you need to research all the available product options on the market. Then choose the type or style that's best for your company.

The promotional music download cards types and styles range from the customizable to limited songs to the traditional music download websites. No matter which one you choose, it's important to know your customers and which type would best suit their needs. However before you purchase any type of promotional music download cards there are few items to consider:

1. Review the customizable downloadable music cards available online.

2. Examine the two-song promotional music downloads for cost-effective marketing.

3. Evaluate the promotional music gift cards direct purchase options.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Assess the type of promo music download cards that allow customization

The music cards that allow you to place your company logo or vary the number of songs are a great way to add your own style to a promotion. These cards may cost more but can add more marketing value than a generic music download card. Having your company's logo on the card can be worth the extra expense, provided you need to boost name recognition.

I recommend: Contact a representative at Act III Promotional Products about the wide range of promotions they offer. Review the type of custom promotional music download card at Promotional Curency to compare pricing and options.

Compare the promotional music cards, which limit the number of songs

If your company is working with a limited promotional budget, the promotional music cards that offer two songs may be the best option. Limiting the amount of songs makes for a more consistent and cost-effective promotion. That way you can either save money or reach a broader audience than some of the more expensive promotional items.

I recommend: Evaluate the types of promo music products offered at Epromos. Contrast the pricing and music library available at Empire Promotions to other types of promo cards.

Examine the established online promo music card retailers

Even though the Internet is relatively early in a typical business growth cycle, there are established companies that carry more name recognition than a generic retailer does. Two examples of these retailers are Itunes and Napster. Napster was one of the first music-sharing websites on the Internet and Itunes has the backing of Apple.

I recommend: Analyze the promo music download card offers at Itunes. Evaluate the promotional music cards available at Napster.

Promotional music download cards are a great way for a corporation to spread the word about a new product or for bands to get their music heard. On a card that resembles a credit card, a graphic is placed. On the backside, a special code allows the holder to log into a music-based website and download free music. Take the time to learn some terms associated with promotional music download cards so that you may decipher how they might help advertise your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Production time

Production time, in terms of promotional music download cards, refers to the amount of time it will take to create the batch of cards. Production time varies depending on the quantity, amount of songs and design graphics to be placed on each card.

I recommend: Go to the website for ePromos.com for an example of how to design a promotional music download card inclusive of the production time involved.

Single song card, or one song card

The single song card refers to a promotional downloadable music card that allows for a single download by the user. After the download is complete, the card is no longer valid.

I recommend: Go to the website for Far From Boring Promotions for additional information on a single song card.

Custom codes

Custom codes refer to a special verification tool that can be found on promotional music download cards, allowing that card to be used with a music provider. For instance, a promotional music card may have a custom code that must be plugged into iTunes in order for the card to be utilized and the songs to be downloaded free of charge.

I recommend: Check out the website for iTunes for more information on custom codes and how they operate with promotional music download cards.

Apparel downloadable music cards

Apparel downloadable music cards refer to cards that are built into a piece of apparel. One of the most popular forms is a chain or necklace with the downloadable music card dangling at the end of it. By keeping the promotional music card around the neck of a patron, the advertisement of the band or product stays exposed to the world versus being hidden in a wallet.

I recommend: Check out the website for Fizzkicks for additional information about apparel downloadable music cards. Fizzkicks produces downloadable music cards for redemption on their website.

All-in-one card

An all-in-one card refers to a promotional card that has multiple uses loaded onto it. For instance a card may allow the user to download five songs, five ring tones and five minutes of free long distance.

I recommend: Visit the website for USA Plastic Cards for additional information on an all-in-one card.

Pricing schedule

The pricing schedule refers to a table that informs the potential customer how much the downloadable cards will be to purchase. As a rule of thumb, the more the customer purchases the cheaper the cost per card. There are other factors including styles, number of songs on the card, and graphics that will cause the pricing schedule to fluctuate.

I recommend: Go to the website for CFS Promo for an example of a pricing schedule. CFS Promo produces and sells promotional music download cards.