Valentine’s Day – Lovin’ Those Gift Certificates Sales

In 2014, gift certificates and gift cards made up more than 12% of the gifts for loved ones on Valentine’s Day.* This year, the projected amount of total gift certificate sales in 2015 is an estimated $138 billion.⁺

That’s a lot of gift certificates – and a lot of opportunity! With this year’s Day of Love just around the corner, now is the time to take advantage of that opportunity and spread some of that revenue love around.

In order to do that successfully, here are some basics to remember while you’re building a money-earning gift certificate campaign.

Promote Those Passes That Pamper

One of the basics of successful gift certificate sales is to make sure your clients know you offer them.  This is a simple – but crucial – element of your gift certificate sales plan. Promote them on your website, social media accounts, and in your store. You might also consider placing ads in your local newspaper and with your local sports radio station.

Convenience Keeps Clients Cooing

Making your gift certificates convenient to buy can boost your sales. Your spa and salon management software should have both print and email delivery options available online, and a variety of Valentine’s Day designs to choose from – think about designing one for singles, one for men and one for couples. Offer them in a range of dollar values and make sure they are easy to purchase in person at your spa or salon.

Endless Love

Gift certificates not only deepen the love your existing clients have for your spa or salon — they also introduce your facility to friends and family. Customizing your gift certificates beyond colorful designs may mean the beginning of a beautiful relationship between you and a new client. So, don’t forget to include your logo, phone number, address and website URL on your gift certificates.

Romancin’ Your Retail

Gift certificate purchasers who come to your shop to buy will be forever in your debt (and might even recommend you to others) if you make their buying experience easy. Be ready to help them by having wrapping supplies such as boxes, ribbons and bags on hand. You also might want to stock up on a selection of greeting cards for the one-stop convenience of your buyers. Print out gift certificate purchase forms and have them ready on clipboards to speed up processing. Finally, place gift certificate add-ons right at your point of sale—men’s grooming gadgets make great Valentine’s Day gifts, as do lip glosses, hair accessories and other items for teen and tween girls.

For more detailed information about how to sustain your gift certificate sales all year round, check out our gift certificates best practices guide.

*Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey

⁺Card Hub® 

About the Author

Kate Rankin is a writer and communicator with extensive experience in Public Relations, Media Relations and Marketing. She's spent the lion's share of her career in networking, which served as the perfect segue for writing about Booker's innovative software platform.