Using gift card sales to increase your revenue: 3 proven ways
Summer is just around the corner and things are about to get busier. Birthdays, weddings, barbeques, Father’s Day... the list goes on. That’s why we are here to help you find a quick and easy way to continue to grow your business. Two simple words: e-gift cards. E-gift cards are a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition, foster customer loyalty and bring in new business. Whether they will complement your existing gift card system or will be a completely new feature, e-gift cards are a proven way to increase sales and help you capture your share of a $313 billion dollar global industry.
In Canada alone the gift card market is estimated to be worth more than $8 Billion annually, considering that 46% of consumers are more likely to buy a gift card over a gift today. With that in mind, we came up with three tips to help your restaurant take gift card sales to the next level!
Increase their visibility online
E-gift cards are a proven way to significantly increase sales and encourage repeat purchases. This success, however, is often affected by how visible e-gift cards are on your website. Keep things simple for your customers by putting a gift card button front and centre on your website. You should also consider promoting your e-gift cards on homepage banners and in drop down menus, making sure no customer can miss it!
Promote e-gift cards across multiple channels
Canadian consumers are more connected than ever. Their dining experiences are now extended through their mobile phones from the Instagram pictures of their delicious (and photogenic) dishes, sneak peeks on SnapChat, check-ins on Facebook, and so on. This makes it key that you promote your e-gift cards both online and offline. Here are a few easy ways to do this:
Social media campaigns are a great way to target and reward consumers that already ‘like’ you. You can frequently promote e-gift cards on posts about special offerings by including a link to your e-gift card system on your website. Take advantage of Facebook and Instagram ads, through which you can promote e-gift cards to select audiences.
Email newsletters are one of the best ways to offer targeted content to your patrons and track their responses. Balance out engaging and inspiring content with promotional offers to ensure customer satisfaction. You can reward your readers by including lead generation links to receive $5-$10 promotional gift cards and later track their redemptions to better target your content in the future.
In-store promotions are just as important as online campaigns! Be proactive and actively promote e-gift cards at your restaurant, on your menus and with visible signage. Don’t forget to train your staff to do the same by asking a simple question to customers if they might be interested in purchasing an e-gift card for a friend or loved one’s birthday as they are paying the bill. The more your customers are aware that e-gift cards are available, the more they will buy.
Customize e-gift card promotions around special occasions
While summer might be a special occasion on its own in Canada, it also includes holidays and celebratory seasons like Father’s Day, Canada Day, weddings, graduations, baby showers and so on. Just like you, your customers are getting busier and busier, often leaving gifts to the last minute and resorting to purchasing gift cards. By offering customized e-gift cards for these special occasions, you will give your clients the chance to show their loved ones how much they care by instantly sending them a personalized e-gift card to their favourite restaurant, your restaurant. By selling gift cards online you make it easier for your customers to buy them 24/7 from wherever they are.
