Gift cards, gift vouchers, gift certificates – what ever you call them they work! So, why do so many medi-spas and other aesthetic businesses only think of them as an after thought if they even think of them at all?
Sure gift cards are more popular around holidays and special occasions, but they don’t sell themselves.
Instead of passively waiting for your clients to ask about a gift card, let's looks at ways to market them and grow your aesthetic sales.
DID YOU KNOW? 5 reasons why gift cards are winners:
• Upfront payments is a cash flow winner for salons and spas.
• Helping to solve clients gift dilemmas = happy clients.
• Introduce new clients to your business.
• Introduce existing clients to new services.
• Nurture clients by increasing value and saying thanks.
Be sure to showcase your gift cards on your website and Facebook business page
Many beauty and media-spas don’t highlight their gift vouchers on their website, treating them more as an after thought.
• Feature your gift cards on your main navigation menu.
• Create a dedicated gift card page. Be sure to include the how/where to buy the gift cards, the denominations available and any terms and conditions you may have.
• During peak holidays and special occasions be sure to highlight them on your home page promotions too.
• Feature them on your Facebook business page banner.
• Feature them on your Instagram description and be sure to have a link to purchase
Actively sell your gift cards in your beauty business
• Give your cards high visibility at your front desk or near your beauty station. Don’t forget areas of high traffic like washrooms and treatment rooms.
• Be sure to mention your gift cards on your businesses voice mail.
• After you have completed a clients service is the best time to let them know about your gift cards. They will be relaxed and in a great mood and excited with the idea of sharing their experience with someone they care about.
Promote regularly.
If you don’t regularly promote your gift cards across all your platforms, they will be forgotten. Don’t just post them the week before Christmas. by having them as an ongoing promotion they better serve your business and increase revenues.
Don’t forget your email marketing. Always include mentioning your gift cards in all your email communication. Add them to the bottom of your signature. Also create unique emails to send out on a regular schedule through out the year.
Occasionally give your gift cards away. Really!
It might seem like a bad business idea to give your gift cards away for free, but remember they are also bringing in new clients that will likely take advantage of your other services.
Think of your big spenders. Discover which are your top clients during a year and surprise them with a complimentary gift card when an appropriate occasion arrises. Their word of mouth and referrals help bring in new business.
Offer a free gift card as a prize. Use your social media and in-spa displays to create a contest with a gift card as a prize. It’s a great way to collect potential new clients contact information and get buzz going around your business
Try a special promotion for your gift cards. To encourage gift card sales, try ‘Buy a $XXX dollar gift card and get $XX off your next hair removal treatment’. Or, ‘Buy a $100 gift card and get a free skin rejuvenation treatment valued at $100’. The options are endless.
Have a flash sale on gift cards.
Flash sales are popular all times of the year, but on special holidays like Christmas it can be encouraging for clients to self-gift as well.
Be sure to market and advertise the flash sale well in advance and only hold it for one day to increase excitement and urgency.
Example: For this ONE DAY ONLY flash sale, buy a gift card worth $100 and we’ll upgrade it to $120’ Wow.
With a flash sale, you might also stipulate that the treatment can only be redeemed in January and February making it a winner for filling in the quieter months (or choose another slow time of year).
Lastly, don’t forget that if you are actively promoting and selling gift cards to remember to refresh both their look and the offers so that they don’t become stale and overlooked by your clients.
__________________________________________
If you want to learn more about the Dermalase IPL - the lowest priced, Health Canada approved IPL Laser Hair Removal and Skin Rejuvenation device manufactured and serviced right here in Canada, including training and certification - just give us a call at 604-788-3413 to book your FREE demonstration.