Gift card marketing is a type of strategy that uses gift cards and certificates as a marketing tool, And this is used worldwide for increasing customer base.
A September 2018 report by Mercator Advisory estimates the total loads on open-loop gift cards will reach $22 billion in 2019 in the US alone.
Gift cards and vouchers are a new way to capture customers, and they are very beneficial marketing tools that lead to ravishing sales.
These cards persuade the buyer to make additional sales. Gift cards also help create awareness about the brand because people buy gift cards on festivals and birthdays, so it helps in dispersing the brand name. And if you are interested in getting gift cards do check out these apps to earn gift cards, Of Amazon that can be used for the purposes you like.
Now as we all are aware, in today’s era of technology, marketing techniques of rewards like paper certificates are vulnerable to loss, theft, or fraud, so gift cards are convenient as well as a safer option, and it also enables easy distribution. Read on to know how to elevate your gift card marketing:
6 ways to elevate your gift card marketing
Follow the Marketing Mix
According to the marketing mix of marketing management, a successful person is the one who makes a positive image of its product and then makes it available in the market. We can use gift cards and vouchers as a marketing tool because people like them, and they can’t get over it.
A customer always wishes to get a card or keep getting it because they love the deals they offer, and such fantastic gift vouchers make a brand image in the market. So one should think like a customer that, if you were a customer, would you get enough of the gift card?
2. Compose a striking gift card
One should ask oneself as a customer-first while marketing; that’s why do you prefer classy black stilettos over a dull, flat shoe? What’s the point of going on vacations to eye-pleasing beaches or mountains?
One answer that will come that will make you feel happy, whatever pleases your eyes, pleases your soul.
The focus here is to make sure that your gift cards are so enticing that they will please the buyer so much that they take them even if it is not of their use.
For perfection, one must go to a professional designer or some professional, reliable website.
But make sure the design, content, and color schemes match your company’s niche.
3. Utilize gift cards to expand the social media base
The generation Y or echo boomers are often referred to as millennials, and these millennials tend to buy those products that are promoted on social media.
Millennials are much inclined towards social media, consider offering giveaways, lucky draws, and then offering gift cards to the person who is your consistent follower. This will help in maintaining the right social image as well as it will increase the following, and also it will help in spreading the right word about the company.
4. Using a gift card as a non-financial incentive for motivation
Motivation is the process of knowing the needs of employees and providing them with motivation. Sometimes financial incentives don’t work much on employees, then non-financial incentives such as gift cards are needed to boost the morale of the employee. The idea here is that a gift card can be used as an employee reward.
Also, providing a gift card to one of the employees is a lovely way to show thankfulness and appreciation. Even a gift card costs you less than cash and still means a lot more than money to the employee. It’s also productive to allow employees to try your product, no matter your industry. People are better at selling products that they are more familiar with.
5. Using a gift card as the customer return policy
When a customer is not satisfied with the product bought, he might come over to return it, and always giving money back might not be an option, so one should try to include gift cards in the return policy.
Of course, it’s essential to also offer full cash returns, especially with a receipt present, but you can always suggest a gift card in place of a cash return. More customers will accept this than you might think.
6. Advertise your gift cards
Advertising refers to a market tactic paying for the promotion of a product, and the goal is to catch hold of even those customers that are not from your niche. One strategy is to attach an emotional element to it.
Imagine yourself as a customer; imagine that an ad portrays a happy family enjoying a vacation on the beachside in a luxurious 7-star suite. You can then fulfill a reverie of a middle-class man with a gift voucher, and hence it will increase your sales because it will touch the heart of the customer. For that middle-classed man, you’re like a messiah who helped him in fulfilling this expensive dream.
Adding an emotional line to advertisements always works. For example, Cadbury uses all Indian festivals in their ads, and hence it helps boost their sales.
Salman Zafar is a serial entrepreneur, digital marketer, writer and publisher. He is the Founder of Techie Loops