Boost the Sales Of Your Salon Gift Cards This YearJune 21, 2020Don’t underestimate the power of gift vouchers because they’re going to be the best marketing tactics for your salon. Be it a wedding, birthday, graduation, or promotion; nothing makes a better gift than a salon gift voucher for special occasions. Gift vouchers or gift cards can also be bought for any person because self care is not restricted to age. The reason they’re so popular among clients is because they’re not something materialistic, and are more of an investment in your appearance. This makes the value of the gift last a long time, making it a good purchase. Gift vouchers can’t be mistaken for showing off a popular brand because the value of a spa treatment can’t me measured in numbers. But salons still seem to consider gift vouchers to be poor sellers. Here’s how you can use gift vouchers to boost sales. Design Them Attractively Even though technically you are buying free services for a friend, a gift voucher is not like a discount coupon or promotional code. It’s anything but a desperate-looking SALE-sign marked in bold red on a store front. The design of a gift coupon is a game-changer because that’s where all the charm lies. Imagine getting an hour-long full-body massage; what would be your first thought? We can bet it’s going to be about a dimly lit room smelling of essential oils and scented candles and a serene-looking masseuse waiting to massage stress knots out of your muscles. This is exactly what salons must aim to achieve with the outlook of their gift vouchers. The appearance should make it look like a wish come true that can’t be traded for anything else. In short, your gift card should look the biz! Unattractive designs can reveal in one glance how lousy the design team is. If you expect clients to buy a $50 gift voucher, better make it look like it’s worth spending $50 on! Pick Appealing Gift Carriers Regardless of whether you use plastic swipe cards or paper vouchers as gift certificates, an appropriate carrier is crucial to seal the look. You can pitch your ideas with a retailer and browse through their catalogue of envelopes and card carriers to see which fits your requirement best. Make sure your design team is fully invested in the process because they know what colors, designs and fonts reflect your salon best. Once you’re on the task, it’s important to create templates for every occasion: Valentine’s Day, Women’s Day, Christmas, Anniversaries or Birthdays. These are the most common occasions when clients tend to buy gift vouchers so it’s best to be ready to showcase your irresistible vouchers. A few things to keep in mind when picking out the carrier: The color palette should match your brand colors The quality should be immaculate and outlook modern Keep a variety of designs available for clients’ preferences Quote terms and conditions discreetly Note: a gift voucher will lose all its worth if the price is the first thing that catches the eye. Advertise the gesture and not the money which went into paying for it. Upgrade Design Quality With Higher Value A gift card certainly becomes more valuable if it can be used to avail a large variety of high-end services. The card carrier must reflect the investment made into getting it. Instead of printing the same text on a flimsy paper, it’s better to have it made on a hard material. You can go an extra mile by packaging it in a decorative box tied with a fancy satin ribbon. Imagine someone getting a gift box from your salon and undoing the ribbon knot to find a beautifully-crafted card inside. The delight on receiving it would be unimaginable, and it can mean uncountable sales for your business. If you think investing money in getting fancy cards printed is a waste, consider the revenue it’s going to bring for your business. State Terms Of Validity Upfront Even though it’s nice to get such a special gift, it’s disheartening to find that it has expired once you find the time to use it. If you choose to make this a limited time offer, it’s better to state it clearly on the voucher so that the receiver is not kept in the dark. Giving buyers a wrong impression about its validity and refusing to accept it after expiration (without mentioning the expiry date) is unethical. However, it would seem more like a gesture of good faith if the offer is not time-bound. Since the payment has been made in full already, it seems unfair to make it a limited time offer. If the gift vouchers are going to be non-refundable and applicable until a specific date, clients might not buy them all. Thus it’s important to first evaluate consumer preferences and then set the terms of condition. Market Your Offer Wisely When wording the text that will go on the gift card, be extra careful to make it sound like a gift offer and not a trade. Make them believe that the choice is theirs and that you’re ready to grant all wishes. Give them the impression that they’re loved, valued and special. Phrases like these are some examples of how the text should be worded: “A gift of love” “A gesture of care” “Your wish is our command!” “Pick your choice of essentials; the rest is our treat” “Pamper yourself because you’re special” “Love yourself through our love for you” Once you have the perfect gift voucher ready, it’s time to bring it in the public eye. Hoarding them on your reception desk won’t bring you any sales. You need to advertise them on the web, social media and e-mail threads. Have your design team make a graphic template of the gift voucher and post it on all online forums for maximum visibility. Attach them in e-mail threads and forward it to all your client contacts. Display them in your studio so that any visitors or clients don’t fail to catch a glimpse of your best offers! Looking to upgrade marketing strategies of your salon business? Salon Income Booster is what you need. We offer consultation services to salon businesses and help them grow into a more flourishing business. We focus on advising investment plans, marketing strategies, increasing revenue for hair salons and retail merchandise. Get in touch to learn how to revamp your business!