How do you market your gift certificates?

[Talltail]

In one year of business I've only actually sold 3-4 gift certificates, the others I've given away (one for charity). I'm thinking this must be a low number, it feels like it to me.  ;D What I am doing: a postcard mailing announcing my Mother's Day special rates with a "gift certificates available for purchase in person or on website" blurb and I have it listed under my rates page in the office. I am guessing seasonal promotion is the way to go? I don't really know, we didn't chat about this in school.Can you please share your successful gift certificate marketing strategies with me? Or did you find selling gift certificates was a pain?

 

[carr7853]

I have a framed sign in my treatment room on the little table where people put their jewelry and stuff, there are mints and tissues ect.  Also a sign on my desk where they pay.  I offer free delivery and really play that up (maybe make vistaprint magnets saying that)  clients have called me in a panic cause they forgot a gift for someone but they remembered that i offer free delivery so it was quick and easy for them.  

 

[Araz]

I have a sign on my desk and in the waiting room.  I also have "Gift Certificates Available" printed on my brochure.  Holidays are the biggest times for gift certificate sales.  I will usually mention gift certificates to clients around those types of holidays.  I'm not a big "sales push" person so I don't come across pushy.  I also send out a monthly newsletter to my clients and I will mention the availability of gift certificates around the holiday times.My biggest g.c. sales were at Christmas.  I was surprised by the demand for it, as it was my first Christmas in my own business, my business had only really started to take off in December and I hadn't done a big push for the g.c. sales.  Several of my clients bought gift certificates for themselves.  They wanted it and knew it was the only way they'd get it was to buy it and give it to their loved one and say  "wrap this up for me".  For my client's birthdays, I will send them a birthday postcard, offering a discount on their next massage.  Several times I have gotten calls from a husband or wife who will buy a g.c. for the birthday person because the postcard reminded them that the person likes massage and who their favorite therapist is!

 

[Ree]

I use my web site.  I've mentioned elsewhere on here I did over $1500 in gift certificates in the 2 days before Christmas - totally from being able to be found in search engines easily.  I mention "gift certificates available" on every page of the web site and have a "gift certificate" web page.  None of those gift certificates were from word of mouth, all from the web site.  I just email them the gift certificate they can print up themselves - people that find you on the web usually have access to a printer. I also offer to print and post/deliver/pick up but no-one has ever bothered taking that option.

 

[Pompal 09.]

How do you market your gift certificates?

I don't actively market my gift certificates anymore. I have a box full of records of gift certificates that I sold and no one has redeemed. I think the thing that finally made me stop marketing my gift certificates was a promotional that I did at a Middle School last Mother's Day. I partnered with the school to sell gift certificates in the front office. They announced it in their school newsletter. For every gift certificate sold, half of the proceeds went to the School's Education Fund. I sold a dozen gift certificates. Mothers day is coming up again next month and do you know that only 1 person has redeemed last year's gift certificates?What makes this so heart breaking to me is that payment for several of the gift certificates I sold came to me in little envelopes full of piggy bank change. How could a mother not redeem such a heart felt gift?I will sell gift certificates to my clients. But I will not sell gift certificates to the general public anymore. I just feel too sad when they don't get redeemed.-Melody

 

[ocean blue]

How do you market your gift certificates?

I will sell gift certificates to my clients. But I will not sell gift certificates to the general public anymore. I just feel too sad when they don't get redeemed.

I'm quite the opposite. I consider the non-redeemed certificates a nice holiday bonus.

For marketing gift certificates, I'm sure it will be a little different between a reflexology GC and a massage GC. With massage, many people give the gift as a "treat yourself to relaxation." When people think of reflexology, it's all about alternative health. We as MTs luck out in that we get both worlds, the relaxation and alternative health. But for GC sales, go for seasonal promotion. Spend the money you would normally market your GCs on the biggest holidays that people get reflexology near. Christmas, of course, and probably something such as mother's day or easter. Maybe rather than trying gift certificates, market series packages instead? Not sure if you do this already or not.

 

[naguero]

How do you market your gift certificates?

Seforum.xxx said"When people think of reflexology, it's all about alternative health. We as MTs luck out in that we get both worlds, the relaxation and alternative health."I have to disagree with you on this statement Seforum.xxx. As a Reflexologist, I have many clients fall asleep during a session. Some are so relaxed they stay in the chair or on the table for a while after I am done. I actually bought another table and chair just for the purpose of letting the client enjoy the relaxing after affects of the Reflexology session. Relaxation is a very big part of the healing process associated with Reflexology.By the way, I have read most of your other post and I enjoy them. This is the first one I have really disagreed on. Take care and have a nice day.Chris

 

[Margaret 003]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention in my last post that my clients relax until I come across a tender reflex!  And I also forgot the subject at hand, GS's. I advertise mine on the website with a discount price because people are buying for a friend or family member. But we can't force the people that received them to use them. Its like someone above said, look at it as a bonus! And put an expiration date on the GS's. I say mine will expire within a month.Chris

 

[ANNIE M]

To each their own.My exp. dates of 1 year (YES, of course I checked my state laws) have always been more of an incentive - but as I am in business longer and longer, and I sell more and more certificates each year I stand by my exp. dates.    As stated on this subject in this forum before - the gift is the certificate from the giver - its up to the reciever to redeem it within a reasonable amount of time.  I have never turned down a client calling in with an expired certificate because its not worth the bad feelings, but i do state firmly on each GC that they are nonrefundable, not redeemable on outcall services and expiration dates are final.   Next printing session the new exp. date will be 6 months.  I think ONE month is an incredibly short period of time to expire - however if its an incentive to be used rather than sit in the kitchen junk drawer for the next few years then - hey - like I said - to each their own.  

 

[dryphi]

How do you market your gift certificates?

aralia, That is some good points to think about. I will definitely be making some changes. I guess that goes to prove there are more ways of looking at things.Chris

 

[PUMPKIN head]

How do you market your gift certificates?

I print on the back of my GC "non-refundable, expires 6 months from date of purchase" they can opt for a different service than whats on the GC, as long as the price is comparable. I have not had any clients ask to redeem after the exp date, but Im sure it will come up eventually. I have had, however, donated some GC for charity events....and the person in charge actually asked me after the event (church auction) "since we didnt auction off all the GC "can I use them for my appointment?" uh, NO......

 

[Common Sense]

How do you market your gift certificates?

I have to disagree with you on this statement Seforum.xxx. As a Reflexologist, I have many clients fall asleep during a session. Some are so relaxed they stay in the chair or on the table for a while after I am done. I actually bought another table and chair just for the purpose of letting the client enjoy the relaxing after affects of the Reflexology session.

I agree that reflexology can be very relaxing. So can facials and body wraps, but people get facials for the effect it can have on their appearance. How many of your clients get reflexology JUST to relax? Many of my clients come get a massage JUST to relax, while most come for therapeutic benefit. When most of my clients ask me about reflexology, they are asking questions about the healing benefit, and they usually get an all-out massage if they just want to relax.

 

[WarpNet]

The office I work at has a sign outside the building on the lawn w/our name, phone number and has gift certificates.  We have a sign in the treatment rooms and at the front desk about gift certificates, I post it on my website and during the holiday seasons, its mentioned on the voicemail message.  They are popular, for Christmas and birthdays.

 

[Pompal 09.]

How do you market your gift certificates?

How many of your clients get reflexology JUST to relax?

Hey Seforum.xxxg,

I actually have a lot of clients come for the relaxation. I would say 60-70% of my clients fall asleep during a session. In Reflexology it is the actual relaxation that is promoted and considered the time when healing takes place.

Of course I work to help rebalance the body's systems but there are some reflexologists who practice purely for relaxation of their clients and feel that anything else that takes place during a session is a bonus.

But you're right, we reflexologists tend to advertise the alternative medicine side of reflexology and we should really expand into the relaxation a bit more! Excellent point! Thanks for sharing your opinion. It's nice to have the opinions of other bodyworkers share - I love this place.  

 

[gowebsolution]

How do you market your gift certificates?

its mentioned on the voicemail message.

I hadn't thought of mentioning it in my voicemail message! Excellent idea! I love it!

 

[Rahh-Harr]

How do you market your gift certificates?

But you're right, we reflexologists tend to advertise the alternative medicine side of reflexology and we should really expand into the relaxation a bit more!

I'd be careful with this, as you may end up getting more MTs in your area that offer "reflexology" while really only providing a relaxing foot massage. Personally, I think the entire alternative medicine side that reflexologists provide is what sets you apart, and makes people come to you rather than the MT that took a 6-hour workshop. I have MANY clients that think I'm doing reflexology when I do a foot massage, because I do a nice, deep, relaxing foot massage. If I were skilled in reflexology, I'd probably have a really good market for that. However, without being trained, I refuse to offer it as a service. Not really sure if I want to pursue the training for reflexology yet, maybe that will come in time.

 

[Pompal 09.]

How do you market your gift certificates?

I collect email addies from everyone, with their permission to send them e:newsletters & special offers. I use a service called Constant Contact ( http://www.constantcontact.com ) to generate very cool email campaigns. You can do a free 60 day trial. Its easy & fabulous. ($15 a month... best advertising dollar I've spent yet) Each ed, e:gift cert, newsletter, etc has hot links to my web site.

PM me with your email address & I'll send you my Mother's Day edition.

Most importantly, I make each new gift certificate offering (the major holidays, etc) unique. Sometimes its a special discount, a package deal, a free gift with the purchase, etc.

Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Delauria]

This has been mentioned already, but I feel it is important to point out that state laws vary regarding gift certificate expiration dates.

In California, gift certificates can not carry an expiration date. Technically, someone could redeem a gift certificate 5 years after it was purchased.

Check the laws in your state for more information.

Lane