*This article was repurposed with permission from Fresha.

If you aren’t selling gift cards, you could be leaving one of your salon’s biggest growth opportunities on the table. 

Nowadays many people prefer to give the gift of a memorable experience, rather than something material; and studies show most people (about 61%) would rather receive an experience as a gift, too. Gift cards are your key to winning big sales moments throughout the year; like Black Friday, which is when almost three in four shoppers do their holiday season gift shopping. 

Let’s dive into all the ways gift cards can help you grow your salon, and how you can use your online booking platform to sell gift cards like a pro.

Why gift cards are your salon’s friend

From instantly boosting your cash flow to winning new clients, here’s what gift cards can do for your salon.

Get paid upfront for gift card sales

Selling gift cards brings revenue into your business right away, without having to wait for a booking date to roll around. They’re a great way to boost your cash flow, which you can then quickly invest back into the salon. 

Let your regulars win new clients for you

Every time a loyal client buys a gift card for their friends or family, they’re bringing new clients straight to your door, without you having to spend time or effort marketing your salon. You’ll have the chance to start a strong relationship with your new clients, win them over, and turn them into regulars.

Encourage clients to spend more

Whether they buy a gift card for themselves or receive one as a gift, clients tend to use gift cards on high-value services and spend more than the card’s value when redeeming them. They often see gift cards as a chance to treat themselves to a more luxurious experience than usual – making it a great opportunity for you to upsell, without actually having to persuade your client.

Win over holiday season gift shoppers

Like their name suggests, gift cards make the perfect present for friends and loved ones, especially if they’re hard to shop for. For instance: 27% of Black Friday purchases in 2022 were gift cards, many of which were then gifted during the holiday season. 

With the right online booking platform, you can make your gift cards even more appealing by running sales and discounts. You can even let clients customise their gift cards with messages or  fun images, for that extra bit of personalisation.

How to sell salon gift cards

Time to unpack the five best ways to make your salon gift cards a hit with your clients. 

Create a variety of gift card options

When you create your gift cards, offer them at plenty of different price points so clients can buy one that best fits their budget. 

Plus, use expiry dates to encourage clients to use their gift cards within a certain timeframe. For example, set any gift cards you sell during the holiday season to expire within two months; that way, clients are likely to use them in January, securing you bookings for the quiet period after New Year’s.

Spread the word with a blast marketing campaign

Send a blast marketing campaign to announce your gift cards, and time it for the run-up to Black Friday or the holiday season – right when clients will be doing their gift shopping. Lead with an impactful email campaign full of engaging content and visuals that match your brand, then follow up with short, punchy text messages to reach clients wherever they are.

Be sure to check the results of your campaign in your online booking platform’s reports, and resend it to any clients who didn’t open your message the first time. 

Run exciting promotions on your gift cards

Offer limited-time discounts on your gift cards to drive urgency in the lead up to Black Friday, the holiday season, or any other key dates. Use your online booking platform to quickly run flash sales, or to reward your loyal regulars with discount codes that can be used when they shop for gift cards. 

Remember, the more ways you can get the word out about your discounts, the more you’ll sell; so make good use of blast marketing campaigns to reach clients and drive sales.

Add your gift cards to your marketplace profile

Whether it’s new clients browsing for treatments or regulars making a repeat booking, your online marketplace profile will be the first destination for many clients interested in your services – so make sure it’s easy to find and buy gift cards on your service list. 

Plus, whenever you run a promotion or flash sale on your gift cards, clients will clearly see how your prices are affected and how much they can save. 

Give gift cards away (occasionally)

Gift cards make a great surprise reward for your favourite clients. They’ll feel seen and appreciated, which will strengthen their connection with your brand and keep them coming back to the salon for more. Not to mention, they may treat themselves to a higher value service, or share the gift card with a friend and win you a new client. (Just make sure to budget for the expense!)

Create your first gift card today

Let the gifting begin! If you’re signed up to Fresha, it takes just minutes to create and offer a range of gift cards, all with customisation options that let clients add a personal touch. The sooner you start selling salon gift cards, the sooner you’ll see the impact on your revenue and a surge of new clients through your doors. Create your first gift card now.

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