26 October 2023

10 Tricks to Supercharge Your Holiday Sales with Gift Cards

By Ronald Smith

I’ve got some fantastic tips to help you skyrocket your holiday sales using gift cards. So, let’s dive right in and light up your business this festive season!

1. Make it Personal: Create customized gift cards that reflect the spirit of the holidays. Add delightful designs and warm messages to make your customers feel extra special.

2. Spread the Word: Use social media platforms, newsletters, and your website to shout out about your irresistible gift card offerings. People won’t be able to resist!

3. Say Goodbye to Expiry Dates: Ditch those sneaky expiry dates on your gift cards. Let your customers enjoy the flexibility of using them whenever they want, even after the holiday season.

4. Go Digital: Embrace the digital age and offer e-gift cards alongside physical ones. This way, you cater to different customer preferences and make gifting hassle-free.

5. Incentivize the Purchase: Encourage customers to buy gift cards by offering enticing rewards or discounts. It’s a win-win situation for both your business and your customers.

6. Team Up: Collaborate with other local businesses for cross-promotions. By offering joint gift cards or promotions, you can expand your customer reach and create a buzz around your brand.

7. Utilize Point-of-Sale Genius: Display eye-catching gift card holders near your checkout counters to attract impulse buyers. These little displays can work wonders!

8. Jingle All the Way: Use holiday-themed packaging for your gift cards. Capture the magic of the season with festive colors and designs to make your customers feel the holiday cheer.

9. Make it an Event: Host a gift card giveaway or a special event to celebrate the joy of giving. This creates excitement and encourages customers to spread the word about your generous offerings.

10. Don’t Forget Thank You’s: After the holiday rush, express your gratitude to your customers by sending thank-you emails or notes. A little appreciation goes a long way in building customer loyalty.

So, there you have it! Ten awesome tricks to turbocharge your holiday sales using gift cards. Get your creative juices flowing, put these tips to use, and watch your sales soar this holiday season!

10 Tricks to Supercharge Your Holiday Sales with Gift Cards

So, whether you’ve got a little shop on the corner, a cozy salon, a yummy restaurant, or even a cleaning service, listen up! I’ve got a great idea for you to increase your holiday sales – gift cards! Now, don’t go thinking that gift cards are only for those big fancy stores. Nope! Turns out, lots of folks are totally into buying gift cards from independent businesses like yours. In fact, a recent study says that about half of the people in the U.S. are all for it! And get this, over a third of them even admit to buying gift cards for themselves. (Check out the cool picture at the end of this post for more info on the study.)

How Small Business Gift Cards Can Boost Your Holiday Sales

I’ve got some great tips to help you boost your holiday sales with gift cards. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Give shoppers options with both plastic and e-gift cards. It’s important to cater to different preferences. While most shoppers still prefer plastic gift cards, e-gift cards are becoming more popular. Plus, they have some advantages over traditional ones:

  • Setting up an e-gift card program on your website is quick and easy, taking only a few hours. No need to wait for physical cards to arrive.
  • E-gift cards are perfect for tech-savvy young shoppers who rely on their phones for everything and don’t want to carry around a physical card.
  • Did you know that you can buy e-gift cards right up until the very last minute? Yes, even on Christmas morning! And the best part is, you can email them instantly to the lucky recipients. This is super helpful for all us last-minute shoppers and can really boost your sales.
  • Picture this: you absolutely hate dealing with those crazy holiday crowds just to buy a plastic gift card. Well, guess what? E-gift cards are here to save the day! You can avoid all the chaos and still give a thoughtful gift.
  • Here’s a clever perk of selling e-gift cards: when a customer buys one, you not only collect their information but also the details of the person they’re giving it to. This means you have the opportunity to keep in touch with both the customer and the lucky recipient, by sending them new offers and promotions. Smart, right?

I’ve got something important to tell you. So, you know how e-gift cards are getting more and more popular? Well, now’s the perfect time for you to jump on the bandwagon and start offering them too! Don’t worry, I’ve got some awesome suggestions for you.

First things first, let me introduce you to GiftFly and Yiftee. These two amazing e-gift card providers are perfect for small businesses like yours. They’ll help you set up your program and get you on your way to success!

Now, let’s talk about promoting your gift cards. Social media is where the action is these days! Everyone’s searching for the perfect holiday gift on their social feeds. So why not take advantage of that? Start advertising your gift cards on social media, or create some organic posts that will catch people’s attention. Trust me, they’ll be tempted to buy those cards right then and there!

But wait, there’s more! Did you know that gift cards aren’t just for giving to others? Nope, that’s right! Most people end up treating themselves to a little something while they’re shopping for the holidays. And gift cards are no exception. So, here’s what you can do: create some marketing messages that encourage your customers to spoil themselves with a gift card. I bet they won’t be able to resist!

Let me tell you a trick that businesses can use to attract more customers and boost sales – gift cards! Yep, those little rectangular gems can do wonders for your business.

So here’s how it works: imagine you’re out shopping and you spend $50 at a store. Well, with a gift card promotion, that store could give you a $10 gift card as a little thank you. Cool, right? And if you spend $100, they might even give you a $25 gift card.

But wait, it gets even better! Sometimes, businesses might just straight-up give you a small gift card, even before you spend a dime. They might send it to you by mail or email, and you can use it to shop at their store.

Now you might be wondering, Why would a business do that? Isn’t it costly for them? Well, here’s the secret: when customers have a gift card in hand, they’re more likely to visit the store. And once they’re there, they tend to spend more than the value of the gift card. It’s like a little temptation that leads to bigger purchases!

So the next time you see a business offering gift cards, you might want to take advantage of it. After all, it’s a win-win situation: they gain more sales, and you get to enjoy some extra shopping with their generous gift cards. Happy shopping!

5. Offer deals on gift cards themselves. If you’re thinking about buying gift cards for the holidays, I’ve got a great idea for you. How about getting a little extra bang for your buck? I’ve got a promotion going on where you can score a $25 gift card for just $20. That’s right, you save $5! Or, if you’re feeling generous, you can snag a $100 gift card for only $85. That’s a sweet deal! And if you want to spread the gift-giving joy, you can grab two $25 gift cards for just $40. It’s like getting an extra gift for yourself, all while making someone else happy.

6. Place gift cards at the point of purchase. Picture this: you’re standing in line, waiting to pay for your latest fabulous find, and you spot a display right next to the register. What’s on the display? Gift cards, of course! They’re just calling out to you, tempting you to add a little extra sparkle to your purchase. And who can resist? Trust me, it’s hard to say no when the perfect gift is right there, ready to be picked up and taken home. So why not make it easy for your customers to indulge in these little delights? Put some gift cards, envelopes, gift-card bags, or even gift-card cases right by the registers. You’ll be amazed at how many people can’t resist the temptation.

7. Use gift cards to reward loyal customers. Hey, you know how much I love seeing you around. And I want you to know that your loyalty means the world to me. That’s why I’ve got a special treat just for you – gift cards! Now, instead of just offering discounts, I’m giving you the chance to treat yourself with something special. Because let’s face it, gift cards feel like a little extra treat compared to discounts. They give you the freedom to choose exactly what you want, without any strings attached. So, as a thank you for being the awesome customer that you are, I want to give you the opportunity to enjoy the perks of being a part of our loyalty program. Trust me, it’s a win-win situation for both of us. You get something special, and I get to show my appreciation for your continued support.

8. Get the most out of the holiday season by promoting gift cards as Christmas and Hanukkah approach. As the clock ticks down, shoppers start to feel the pressure, and gift cards become even more appealing. Let’s remind everyone that gift cards can be used after the holidays are over, when the crowds have eased up and there are plenty of great deals to be found. Since most people don’t use their gift cards until January or February, this is a fantastic opportunity for small retailers to increase their sales during a typically slow season.

9. Gift cards: the ultimate solution for anyone! Unsure about what to buy for a teacher, client, employee, neighbor, or mail carrier? Well, look no further! Gift cards are an ideal choice for absolutely anyone, so let’s make sure to highlight that in our marketing messages.