How to let your customers know you take cards

There’s no doubting accepting card payments is becoming a necessity rather than a choice for small businesses. We can see how that might sound biased coming from us, but the facts and figures don’t lie:

• In April 2020 there were 1.4 billion debit card transactions in the UK, amounting to a whopping £51.8 billion in spending.
• Credit card transactions in the same period amounted to a spend of £8.7 billion, with over 163 million uses.
• One in six UK consumers only pays by card.
• 60% admit they’d spend more with small businesses if they accepted card payments.
• Over a quarter of shoppers have decided not to make a purchase because they couldn’t pay by card.

The takeaway? Accepting card payments makes perfect business sense, but if you’ve just recently boarded the card payments train or you’re thinking about hopping on soon, how do you let your customers know you're now taking cards?

Here at takepayments we’re all about helping small businesses reach their potential, so buckle in for our top tips for letting your customers know you accept cards.

Tip #1: Use signs

Us Brits are a nosey bunch and love nothing more than a bit of window shopping, so a super simple yet effective tactic is to put a sign or poster in your window - it’s a sure-fire way to grab the attention of passers-by.

Good to know: at takepayments we send all our businesses an eye-catching decal they can pop in their window to let shoppers know they’re set up to accept cards.

To maximise the efficiency of your sign, here’s a bit of advice:

• Position your sign at eye level so it’s the first thing browsers notice
• Place it close to your store entrance/door 
• Make sure it’s legible - think about text size and colour 
• Head outside and take a look from a distance - put yourself in your consumers’ shoes and check positioning and legibility. 

Tip #2: Make some noise online

One of the most effective marketing tools at your disposal in today’s society is social media since there are over 45 million active social users in the UK.

Chances are you’re already on the platforms advertising your small business, so why not share your top-notch payment systems on there too? It’s quick, easy, has the potential to reach a wide audience (including those who’ve possibly been put off by your lack of options in the past), and last but not least it’s free! What’s not to love?

Top tip: if you’re not on social yet, don’t panic, check out our guide to social media for small businesses and you’ll be up to scratch in no time. 

Your online voice isn’t limited to social media, so don’t forget to spread the word on your website and in email campaigns too.

Tip #3: Tell them!

Duh, right? No, we’re not trying to patronise, but what simpler way to let customers know than to tell them yourself? 

Straight from the horse’s mouth is about as effective as it gets - so once you’re up and running with your card system, let every customer who walks through the door know that you’re ready and rearing to go.

The research shows that shoppers are likely to spend more when doing it on plastic and it makes sense - they’ll only be carrying a finite amount of cash whereas cards are less restrictive - so drop it into the conversation as early as possible to maximise your profits. 

Top tip: train your staff to employ this tactic too!

Not set up to take cards yet?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a drastic effect on consumer spending habits, with the use of cash at an all-time low and many experts predicting the UK will soon be a cashless society as a consequence, so if you’re not yet set up to take card payments there’s no time like the present to get started. 

You’ve got plenty of options, and here at takepayments we can have you up and running in no time, plus we don’t charge sign-up or exit fees if you leave at the end of your contract, and offer personalised pricing packages too. 

Our dedicated experts can discuss the best option to suit your business, but to give you a flavour of what’s on offer here’s a whistle-stop tour:

• Card machines - we’ve got a range of market-leading card readers to choose from - countertop, portable, mobile and our brand new takepaymentsplus. All four accept all the latest payment types including contactless, Apple and Android Pay, they print instant receipts, are super simple to set up, and offer heaps more good stuff.
• POS - our POS till system is the cream of the crop and jam-packed full of the latest features and tech. It’ll help you with staff management, inventory checking, reports, accounting, and so much more, plus they can be fully integrated with a card machines.
• beepaid - beepaid is our brand-spanking-new payments app and we’re extremely proud of it. You don’t need any equipment to start accepting card payments - just your mobile phone, it offers totally contactless payments with no limits and is packed full of loads more benefits for businesses. 
• Online payments - our payment gateways, virtual terminals and pay by link options make getting paid digitally a piece of cake. They’re loaded with all the latest security features and can be customised to match your branding for a super sleek customer experience. 

To find out more, discuss your options, and get the ball rolling on card payments get in touch with our friendly experts today.