27 tips for marketing your business with Gift Card & Loyalty Programs

Posted by Sage, E-Commerce Exchange on 30th Aug 2016

  1. Give shoppers more options - Offer a variety of different card designs based on popular occasions or seasons such as birthdays, holidays, graduations, back to school, etc.
  2. Draw attention to card displays - Place marketing materials (such as acrylic/metal display, table tent, vinyl cling, and sticker) in high traffic areas such as checkout counters or special sale displays.
  3. Motivate staff to sell gift cards by offering employee incentives - Spotlight an employee of the month who sells the most gift cards by giving them a credit on a prepaid card.
  4. Offer tiered rewards based on purchase amounts or a flat reward based on a preset level - For example: Offer a $5 gift card with purchase of $100 or more.
  5. During the holidays, offer a deal that gives back for every gift card purchase - For example:Purchase a gift card for $50 or more and receive $10 FREE! Store receives funds up front and then the customer receives a deal at your business.
  6. Re-use unwanted cards - Our gift cards are reloadable! Once a card is returned, reload and sell it to a new customer. Or turn in it into a loyalty card!
  7. Advertise your gift and loyalty card program through a variety of platforms - Market your program through radio and TV commercials, occasional emails, text messaging, Facebook™,Twitter™ and other social media sites.
  8. Evaluate card sales and redemptions on the web reporting site - Offer an incentive to purchasea gift card on slowest days.
  9. Set up a registration page - Collect (consenting) customers demographic information, such as customer name, address, email, birthday, phone number, etc to use for marketing purposes.
  10. Convert gift card holders into loyalty program members - Offer incentives for gift card customers to enroll into a loyalty program (such as bonus points or an additional credit).
  11. Use gift card credits for merchandise returns, instead of giving cash back - This works especially well during and after the holidays by keeping funds from unwanted gifts inside your store.
  12. Use gift cards as name badges - Have employees wear gift cards for name badges to catch shoppers attention.
  13. Give back to your local community - Offer gift cards as an auction item at a raffle, charity or local organization’s event.
  14. Setup a referral program - Reward the referring customer with a pre-loaded gift card. Drive new business and reward your most loyal customers at the same time!
  15. Use gift cards as promotional / thank you items - Great for vendors, contractors or business associates. Mail them a pre-loaded gift card along with their invoices, statements or other letters.
  16. Reward your most loyal customers - Using customer demographics, mail a gift card with promotional value to the most frequent shopper each month.
  17. Offer a Gift Card Lottery - Ask customers to drop in a business card, randomly choose a card each week or month and reward that customer with a pre-loaded gift card. Load cards with various amounts and place them in a raffle –
  18. Load cards with $10 and a select few with higher values ($50, $100, $200). Randomly mix them in a promotional container and place on display. Offer consumers the chance to purchase cards at $10 for a chance to win the larger value cards. If cost is properly analyzed, this will boost gift card sales and bring in revenue.
  19. Promotional gift card giveaway - When outside of the business, hand out promotional gift cards that are pre-loaded with $5 or $10 to bring in more customers to your business.
  20. Create business “gift” cards to provide to partners or potential customers -These cards can look like a business card on front, but will contain data or a card number on back which is linked to a promotional value for your business ($5, $10, $25, etc)
  21. Give back to big spenders - When selling a packaged deal, throw in a promotional gift card pre-loaded with $5 or $10.
  22. Bring local businesses together with the Shop Local program - Customers can buy a gift card at any business and redeem at any other business that participates in the program. You are promoting your business and other local businesses in your area. Great for economic development in the whole community.
  23. Consider selling your gift cards with a Third-Party Retailer - Partner with a leading supermarket in your area to offer your gift cards for sale. Cards can be pre-loaded and provided to that business for resale.
  24. Sell gift and loyalty cards on your website - Generate more online traffic, by offering an incentive for gift or loyalty cards used for online purchases (for example, double the rewards points).
  25. Pre-load gift cards for rainchecks - When out of stock of sale items, use a card as a rain check or for a percentage off another item as a courtesy.
  26. Give new employees gift cards for family and friends - Upon hiring, give a few cards with a small value to your employees to distribute to their friends and family.
  27. Offer special cardholder only discounts and incentives - Provide unique rewards to your clients such as access to early sales, exclusive discounts, free shipping or invitations to special events.