Real estate and finance
Napkin Dispenser Ads for Tax Preparers
Napkin dispenser ads for tax preparers reach households and small business owners in the weeks before tax season, while they're deciding who'll do their return this year. Many people pick a preparer once and stay for years, so the first appointment matters.
January to April, then October
Tax prep has one of the sharpest seasons of any local business. W-2s and 1099s arrive in late January, refund filers want in early February, and the procrastinators show up in April.
Then there's the extension crowd in October and the small business owners who need help all year. A card on the table in December and January catches people while they're still choosing.
The year the software stopped being enough
Lots of households file with software until life gets complicated: a side gig, a rental property, a new baby, a stock sale, a home purchase, a move from another state.
A card that asks whether their taxes got complicated this year speaks to the exact moment someone realizes they need a person. That's your client.
Small business owners at the lunch counter
The owner of the nail salon, the auto shop, the print shop down the block: many eat at the same lunch spots near their businesses every day. They need quarterly estimates, payroll filings, and bookkeeping, not just a return.
A second card aimed at business owners, placed near commercial corridors, can fill the slow months after the April deadline.
CTEC, PTINs, and the letter from the IRS
In California, paid preparers who aren't CPAs, enrolled agents, or attorneys generally have to register with CTEC, and every paid preparer needs a PTIN. Showing your credential on the card is a quiet signal of trust.
Off-season, a card offering help with IRS or Franchise Tax Board letters reaches people who are worried and don't know who to call.
Tracking a season that ends in April
Tax season squeezes your results into a few months, so set up tracking before the card goes up. A booking link only the napkin ad uses, or an offer code at intake, tells you which new clients came from the card.
Count the returns that come back, too. A client who finds you through the card this year and returns for years after is where the value sits.
Put your own per-client value into the calculator on this page to see how many new clients the card needs to bring in.
A note on advertising rules for tax preparers
California generally requires paid preparers who aren't CPAs, enrolled agents, or attorneys to register with CTEC, and all paid preparers need a PTIN. Avoid promising refund amounts on any ad, and check with CTEC or the IRS before advertising specific services.
You approve every proof, so you stay in control of what goes to print.
From first call to your card on the table
- 1
Tell us where your customers are
Call or send the short form with your business address or the zip codes you serve. We reply within one business day with the restaurants near you that have an open spot in your category.
- 2
Pick your restaurants and a plan
Choose one restaurant, a cluster of five, or fifteen across an area. One advertiser per category per restaurant, so once you take the dentist spot at a restaurant, no other dentist can.
- 3
Approve your card
Send a logo, an offer and a phone number or QR code. We design the card, send a proof, and print it on heavy stock once you approve. You can also send a print-ready file.
- 4
Your ad goes on every table
We install your card in every dispenser at your restaurants on the next route visit, then check it on regular visits and send you photos.
- 5
Track and adjust
Use a code, a tracking number or a QR link that appears only on the napkin card. Swap the offer with the season. Add restaurants in areas that respond.
Flat monthly plans
Design, printing, installation and route visits are included in every plan.
Single Spot
$149/mo
1 restaurant
Your card in every dispenser at one restaurant you pick.
- Every dispenser in one restaurant
- Free ad design, proof and printing
- Category exclusivity at that restaurant
- Route visits with photo check-ins
Neighborhood
$499/mo
5 restaurants · about $100 per restaurant
Five restaurants clustered around your business or service area.
- Every dispenser in 5 restaurants
- Free ad design, proof and printing
- One free design change per quarter
- Category exclusivity at each restaurant
- Route visits with photo check-ins
Area Takeover
$1,199/mo
15 restaurants · about $80 per restaurant
Fifteen restaurants across the zip codes you serve.
- Every dispenser in 15 restaurants
- Free ad design, proof and printing
- Monthly design changes
- Category exclusivity at each restaurant
- First pick of new restaurants in your area
3-month minimum term, then month to month. Multi-area and multi-location campaigns: call (818) 383-6869.
Questions tax preparers ask us
When should a tax preparer start a napkin card?
December, ideally. Allow two to three weeks for design, proof, and install, so the card is on tables before W-2s and 1099s arrive. People who plan to switch preparers usually decide early in the season, not in April.
Can I promise a bigger refund on my card?
Avoid it. Refund promises can draw attention from tax authorities and set expectations you can't control. Offer an appointment, a review of last year's return, or help with a complicated year instead.
What should I do with the card after April?
Change it. Design changes are included on a schedule that depends on your plan. Many preparers would switch to an extension card, an IRS letter card, or a bookkeeping card for small business owners.
Can my tax prep card be bilingual?
Yes. If you serve Spanish, Korean, Armenian, Chinese, or other language speakers, a bilingual card can make a real difference in neighborhoods where that matters. We design it free and send a proof before printing.
Open spots
See which restaurants near you are open in your category
One advertiser per category per restaurant. We reply within one business day with what's open.