Daily Biz Solutions

Calling Cards, or Phone Cards as they are known in some places, are a popular way for cutting the cost of international phone calls.

Rather than use a cell phone or a public phone or a hotel phone, tourists and business people travelling overseas save money by using phone cards.

International phone call costs can be cut by 75% and more with a good phone card.

The best retail stores for selling calling and phone cards are:

• Newsagents.
• Convenience stores.
• Travel bureaus.
• Travel agents.
• Transit locations such as airports.

Retailers can sell the cards by installing software which works with their Point of Sale software. This means that they can easily add a card sale to any other sale in seconds without having to use separate hardware or without having to keep track of physical stock.The software for selling the cards is usually supplied free. This software brings access to between 100 and 200 calling cards to the business without the need to carry stock. This is what makes selling calling cards so compelling – no stock and no additional infrastructure cost.

Here are seven tips for success in selling calling cards / phone cards

1. Make them available from every sales counter in your retail business. The best way to do this is through integration with your POS software.
2. Train all employees on selling the cards – the easier it is for them the more likely they are to promote the cards.
3. Promote that you sell them in your window and in all external marketing.
4. Learn to identify customers from overseas or customers with families and friends overseas – these are the ideal card customers.
5. Promote the cards with any products likely to bought by your target customers. But promote by focusing on the outcome. For example: Family overseas? Call them today for less! or: Doing business overseas? We can help you cut your call costs.
6. Put brochures from all calling card products in a booklet for easy reference at the counter. Customers will want tom compare prices. You need to make this easy so that the sales process at the counter is not disrupted.
7. Run a competition offering a calling card as a prize. This better educates customers that you sell them. Ideally, this will be run over a month or so with a card given away every week.

By selling phone cards from within your Point of Sale software you have better control over the offer, less shrinkage and fewer mistakes.