HOW TO GET Consumers to Purchase More Gift Cards

Do More In-Store Promotion#1

Can your customers easily find your gift cards

in-store? Do you display them in more than

one location? As a professional in the gift

card industry, I often look for gift card displays

in stores and I am surprised by how difficult

they are to find sometimes. Don’t make your

customers seek them out! As the saying goes,

out of sight, out of mind. Definitely display

them at your checkout area and, if you can,

promote them with plenty of signage. Mirror

clings in the bathroom, sign clings on windows

and doors, and buttons for the sales team are

just a few ways to give customers a gentle

reminder that you do, in fact, sell gift cards.

Promote gift cards across multiple channels#2

Promoting cards in-store is great, but that

marketing push is only hitting customers that

already shop your store. What about everyone

else? A great media mix always yields

better results than selecting one marketing

avenue - so mix it up! Do you prominently

promote gift cards on your website? Do you

market gift cards across your social media

channels like Facebook, Instagram and

Twitter? Create a campaign that not only

brings awareness to your gift cards, but also

helps to sell them. Buy one - get ones,

contests and discounts all help to drive gift

card sales.

Consider the design#3We often buy based on how we feel about a

product, both emotionally and tactilely. The

texture, color and design of a product can either

prompt a sale or dismiss a sale. The same can be

said for gift card purchases. For example, a gift card

with an image of a father and son fishing can spur a

purchase because the recipient loves fishing with

his son. Or, if a woman is looking for a gift card for

her trendy daughter and comes across one that

includes a carrier that looks like a shopping bag, she

may purchase just because of the carrier. Offering

more card designs, different substrates or unique

carriers can all contribute to increased gift card

sales. Consumers want something special -

something that speaks to them.

#4 Partner up

Although gift card malls are a great way to increase

visibility, it’s not the only way to merchandise your

gift cards in additional stores. Consider partnering

with other merchants to cross-promote each

other’s gift cards. By partnering with a

complementary brand (i.e., a home improvement

store and a furniture store), you can gain extra

exposure for your brand without the risk of losing

customers to your merchant partner. Start with an

extended promotional campaign to test the waters

(neither party will want to lose valuable floor space

if it is not a beneficial partnership.) Building

partnerships can help you reach new customers

and improve brand awareness.

#5 Appeal to all demographics

While the majority of millennials are “all digital, all

the time”, there is still a huge population that has

not embraced the mobile lifestyle. To appeal to the

widest set of consumers, you must offer both

physical and digital gift cards. Physical gift cards

provide consumers with something tangible that

can be given as a gift, whereas digital cards provide

the immediacy that is sometimes required for those

last minute gifts. Even when it comes to selling gift

cards on your ecommerce site, both options should

be available. There are even a few gift card

companies that can manage the fulfillment of

physical gift cards to both consumers and

businesses, so that you don’t have to.

#6 Who doesn’t love a discount?

We often see the “BOGO” campaigns during the

height of the holiday season, but they disappear

after December 31st and don’t reappear again until

holiday time rolls around the following year.

Presenting this offer at another time of the year,

perhaps in the spring or summer, would be a

great test as to how well a promotional offer

helps boost gift card sales outside of the holiday

season. The only caveat here is to be mindful of

how often you present this offer, as it can cause

consumers to delay their next gift card purchase if

they know another promotion is just around the

corner.

#7 Plant an idea

Sometimes people don’t even realize they need a

gift card until they see one. Your gift card display at

the point of purchase is great, but what if you

added a few more items to create a complete gift

(and increase the value of the sale)? Displaying a

complete gift package can help consumers by

giving them gift ideas. This could be as simple as a

button-down shirt with a gift card peeking out of

the pocket or a flower pot complete with gardening

tools, seed packets and a gift card. Sometimes

people just want to make the gift a little more

personal and by adding additional products, they

can really create a gift that is tailored to the

recipient.

#8 Run a contest

Giveaway gift cards as part of a contest. Not only is

it a great way to generate awareness of your cards,

but you’ll also benefit from gift card lift AND you’ll

be able to collect customer data in the process that

can be used in your marketing efforts.

#9 Don’t forget your loyalty

Finally, don’t forget about tying in your loyalty

program. Run a campaign that gives customers

rewards points (or maybe triple points) whenever

they purchase a gift card.

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