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10 gift card marketing ideas for the holidays

10 gift card marketing ideas for the holidays

Are you ready to rock your holiday season sales targets? Chances are, gift cards are going to play a huge part in getting you there.

Before you dust off the same old displays that you had last year, here are some marketing ideas designed to help your gift cards fly off the shelves – keeping your pockets, as well as your appointment books, filled well into the New Year.

1. The helpful reminder

Are you guilty of leaving holiday shopping to the last second? So are your clients! Email them early to remind them that your cards could be the perfect addition to their shopping list.

2. Get social

Your social media pages are the perfect place for creative gift card promotions. Post beautiful images of the cards, consider taking pictures of gift card givers and recipients when they are in the salon, or do a social media give-away with a card as the top prize.

3. Makeover your front desk displays

Grabbing your clients’ attention with a gift card display at the front desk will dramatically impact your holiday sales. If yours are in need of a makeover, why not make it in to a fun competition for your staff?

4. Get in their faces

Why restrict your promotional materials to the front desk? There are many places that you can promote gift cards throughout the salon – think stickers on your mirrors and front door, a message on your receipts and even signage in the bathroom.

5. Refresh your design

Is it time to makeover your gift card design? Taking the time to do this creates a great icebreaker to bring them up to every client, and grab their attention.

6. Make the most of packaging

Your packaging should reflect your brand, as well as the experience your clients can expect to have with you. A beautiful card backer or box can transform the experience for the giver and recipient. Having samples of these arranged at the front will help your clients imagine giving them to their loved ones!

7. Generate referrals

If you’re looking for a way to reward your VIP clients, a gift card is a seriously smart way to do it. You can give them one to use themselves as a special ‘thank you’ as well as one to give to one of their friends. Not only are you nurturing the relationship – but you get introduced to a potentially lucrative new client.

8. Bundle with a purpose

Bundling a gift card in with purchases over a certain value is a great way to incentivise product and treatment sales! This trick will help you maximise every sales opportunity through the season.

9. Give back

The holidays are a time when everyone loves to give back, so spread those warm and fuzzy feelings by donating a gift card to a local charity initiative. If you find the right partner, this can be a great way to gain exposure to potential new clients.

10. Motivate your team

The most important ingredient to a successful gift card season is a motivated team. Internal competitions or incentives for reaching certain numbers are a great way to get your staff on board and boost morale during a busy time.