4 Tips for Selling Gift Certificates Online this Holiday Season

Do you know what the number one requested holiday gift has been for the past nine years in a row? Here’s a hint: they’re small, rectangular, give the receiver the power to choose… if you guessed gift certificates, give yourself a pat on the back because you’re correct! Gift certificates have been the king of the holiday season for nearly a decade now raking in a whopping 26 billion last holiday season.

With the big November shopping days of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday (especially this one!) approaching, now is the time to start promoting and selling gift certificates online.

Selling Gift Certificates Online Tip #1: Spread the Word

First things first — you’ve got to let your customer base know that you even offer the ability to buy gift certificates online. This is not a luxury every local business offers. So, you want to make sure customers are aware that this is an option to begin with.

So, spread the word as far and wide as you possibly can across the internet. Be sure to get all your major online real estate involved such as your...

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest

Create a banner, write a post, and/or make a tweet — just make sure you get the word out.  

Selling Gift Certificates Online Tip #2: Showcase a Holiday Theme

We’ve explained how important themes can be for motivating purchases many times on this blog; however, during the holiday season the importance of themes is tenfold. Think about how crazy people get over Starbucks and their holiday cups. Customers literally line up just to get their hands on those holiday themed cups. This is just one shining example of how powerful a theme can be for influencing purchases during the holidays.

So, if you’re selling gift certificates online be sure to create and highlight a holiday theme. Give customers the option of suiting up their certificates up with a fun, cheery holiday theme. Showcase these options online. Think snowmen, snowflakes, reindeer — whatever you think will drive home the holiday spirit for your customers.

Selling Gift Certificates Online Tip #3: Create a Gift Certificate Promotion

Something that can greatly increase the success of your online gift certificate sales is a gift certificate promotion. Business owners frequently overlook creating specials centered around gift certificates. Instead, most focus them around promoting services or products. However, creating a gift certificate specific promotion can be hugely beneficial.  

One gift certificate promotion you can try is somewhat of a bogo sale. For instance, a compelling gift certificate special might be something like “For every gift certificate purchased over a certain amount, say $150, the purchaser receives a certificate for $25 towards a visit of their own.”

This helps your business…

          1). Increase the chances of making the primary gift certificate sale

          2). Ensure not only 1 visit but 2 visits coming your way in the near future

So, once you’ve crafted your gift certificate special be sure to promote it across all your online pages so customers are aware of the great savings.

Selling Gift Certificates Online Tip #4: Available in Multiple Online Locations

By selling gift certificates online you’re already making a step in the right direction to offer customers the convenience they demand these days. However, the next step to take is to offer gift certificate purchases in as many places, online, as possible. The two major spots you definitely want to hit are…

1). Your Website

2). Your Facebook Page

These are arguably the online locations your business gets the most traffic. It’s here that potential customers will be connecting with your business. So, if you can break down the barriers and make purchasing a gift certificate as easy as with the click of a button, that’s a sure fire way to make selling gift certificates online a major success for your business. Remember — convenience is king!

Learn how Booker can help your business master selling gift certificates online as soon as Small Business Saturday! Check it out!

About the Author

John Rigo is a content marketer with Booker. His areas of expertise are writing and market research. John brings a unique perspective to the blogosphere with his extensive background in publishing. He also has a love for small and local businesses – how they work, how they grow, and why they succeed.

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