Are you offering gift cards this holiday season?

John R Ramos • November 9, 2020
Well, it’s almost that time of the year!  This year to have some positive vibrations started early, I would probably start putting up decorations up at Thanksgiving and leave them there until after the New Year.  Why can’t there be a Valentine’s Day tree? Just saying.

Whether you’re into the holiday spirit or not, as a business owner, you need to take advantage of this time of year.

Gift cards make the perfect present for the fussy shopper.    They make an even better marketing tool for local retailers.  Not only do they guarantee sales, they also increase brand awareness and generate new customers.

Whatever your multi-location business, selling more gift cards is going to increase profits. With the holidays approaching, there’s no better time to boost sales.  Here’s how you can leverage your growing digital presence to sell more holiday gift cards online and in-store.

Start With Your Website

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Your website is your business’ online storefront and the perfect place to start selling and promoting your gift cards.


Ideally, you should also be selling e-gift cards online.   As busy customers increasingly look for ways to send instant gifts electronically, offering e-gift cards has become a prerequisite for any retailer that wants a slice of that growing pie.


Think about designing a website with banners to make it clear to customers that you offer gift cards as soon as they land on your website.   They should be in clear view throughout the holiday season.   And don’t forget to create a link to the gift card section of your website, too.   You’ll still want customers to be able to purchase gift cards when the holiday season is over, after all.


Banners alone aren’t enough.   Consumers will browse your website for different reasons and in different ways. As such, it is important to include links and call to actions throughout.   A subtle reminder on relevant pages that vouchers are available can bring them back later to buy a gift for friends or family.


Look to Applebee’s for a great example of how to sell gift cards on your website.   There is a very obvious link to the gift cards section in their navigation bar, which can be accessed from any page.   On the gift cards page, customers are offered three ways to buy and send gift cards: by email, by postal mail and in bulk.

Spread the message across Social Media

Social media can be particularly powerful because consumers are increasingly turning to their favorite network for gift inspiration.   Create content to encourage customers to buy your e-gift cards online.   The transaction is automated and once processed, you have that buyer’s contact information for up-sells and future promotions.


What’s great about using your social media profiles to promote your holiday gift cards is that you can actually show them the card.   You could even go as far as to couple gift card promotions with in-store items.

Consider posting an image of the gift card next to an in-store item.   If customers don’t know the size, color or style to get, a gift card is the perfect solution.


You probably aren’t short of social media content over the holiday season.   But promoting your gift card on social media will make sure you definitely don’t run out. If you want to take things further, it is recommended offering a special discount to your social media audience, if they make a gift card purchase online.


Don’t forget to push the last-minute angle when promoting gift cards on social media.   Electronic gift cards make the perfect present for someone who hasn’t got time to visit your store and pick out a present.

Hit Up Your Email List

Great email marketing campaigns are a key part of your holiday season sales strategy.   There are a number of tactics that you can use to make your emails stand out and convert.


As a small or medium size business, you probably already have an email marketing list that you send promotional emails to.   They should hear about your gift cards just as much as they hear about other products.


Also, it is recommended adding value by creating a holiday gift guide that includes your gift card alongside other popular items.   This means the email looks less like a sales message and more like a helpful source of information.   Any special gift-card related offers should be emailed separately to your customers, too.


Sending emails to your customers is a very efficient gift card promotion method.   With an eye-catching email template and some clever marketing tactics, you could see your gift voucher sales rise significantly.


If you’re looking for proof that it works, take a look at the theatres.   They have seen a significant jump in gift voucher sales following an email marketing campaign.


A Christmas Eve email promoting gift vouchers as excellent last-minute can be particularly successful.


Give your customers enough time to actually make a decision to buy, even when it’s a last-minute purchase.

Plan on sending out emails promoting your gift cards just before big holiday events, like Black Friday.


Another tactic is to advertise your gift card alongside product or service promotions.   Even if customers don’t purchase the product or service, they might be sold on the prospect of a gift card that can be used for anything.


Also, gift cards are particularly useful for service-based sales where the recipient might wish to redeem them after the holidays.

Get Noticed on Google

So far, I only have discussed free tactics that promote gift cards across your owned media properties.  But let’s talk about paid advertising.


Google AdWords provides a relatively inexpensive way to promote your gift cards.   The benefit of AdWords is that you can target specific keywords.   This allows you to promote your store’s gift cards when users search broad queries like “spa gift cards” as well as searches that are specific to your brand.


Another way to promote your gift cards through Google is to use Merchant Promotions.  Although you can never go wrong with a discounted price or free shipping, I think a particularly good offer for the holiday season is a gift card.   Why? Because it allows shoppers to show their loved ones that they’re thoughtful while also giving them a little bit of insurance.


Through Google Shopping’s Merchant Promotions, retailers can include a free gift card when customers spend over a certain amount.   To be clear, this gift card is offered for free, but it is still a great way to encourage users to complete an online order while adding an incentive for them to return to your store after the holidays.

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And as always..


I would like to say "thank you" for taking the time to read this blog.  I hope that if you found it of value, that you would share it on your social media platforms. 


Please let me know if there is anything that I can assist you with marketing.  I have been an Email Marketing Specialist for over seven years.  It has allowed me to help small business owners integrate email marketing, online registrations and online surveys into their marketing strategies.  You are certainly welcomed to reach out to us if you want to have a free ½ hour consultation thru Zoom.  Please email us at john@thejrsolutions.com to set up an online session.


If you have a specific topic as it relates to Email Marketing or Digital Marketing, we would be very happy to try to accommodate your request.



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