Remember Blockbuster Entertainment? Well, believe it or not, they apparently created the first gift card program back in 1994, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Gift card schemes have come a long way since then and countless businesses have utilized the concept. Yet, some companies used gift cards to great effect, while others flopped with their gift card offerings. So what makes a successful gift card program?
Well, in this short guide, we’ll run you through some proven strategies that help your gift card program flourish. Now let’s check them out!
Create a Stand-Out Design
One of the better gift card program tips we can give you is to create a stand-out and eye-catching gift card design. Since there are so many gift cards out there these days, you have to stand out from the crowd.
If you manage to draw someone’s gaze to your card, it may even be the first time they notice your brand. So, an excellent gift card design can bring you new customers! Therefore, it’s worth time and effort to create a unique design.
Ensure Your Gift Cards Are Easy to Use
It’s not good for people purchasing your gift card to give to someone if the person receives it doesn’t know how to use it. Also, if you have a complicated process in place, the person may just give up trying to use it. This will slowly but surely develop a bad reputation for your company.
Thus, when you set up a gift card program, make sure that you make the process simple. As well, make it super easy for anyone with one of your gift cards to find out the information they need to use it. This info could be online and in print form even.
Use Gift Cards to Learn About Customers
Many companies now offer free gift cards in exchange for people answering questions on surveys. If you choose to do this, you can learn a lot about what customers think about your brand and their opinions on aspects of your specific industry.
The amount you offer could be a small amount, with the total amount classified as part of your market research budget. Some companies even offer gift cards to spend at other stores, like this free Amazon card, for instance.
Promote Your Gift Cards
If you’re going to run a gift card program, you need to promote it for success. Therefore, you need to have a clear budget in place for marketing.
Furthermore, you need to decide on your marketing strategy. A good way to go about deciding these is to look at your target audience and figure out where you can reach them the easiest.
One of the classic and proven places where companies tend to place their gift cards is next to cash registers. This is an ideal placement for people who impulse buy.
You can also employ the same tactic in the digital realm if you have an online store. At the checkout phase, you can add a section just before that asks if the customer would like to add a gift card to their purchase.
Create Your Own Gift Card Program
It’s not so hard to set up a successful gift card program. All you need is a decent budget, stand-out design, and good placement to make some headway. And, don’t overlook the free gift card program idea as a way of learning about your potential customers!
So, good luck, and thanks for checking out this post. If you found these tips helpful, there are many more to discover on our website.
