5 Ways Gift Cards Can Make Your Happiest Halloween

In our last blog, we explained the ways in which gift cards can benefit your business. With the holiday season coming up, it only makes sense to begin offering them to your client base. However, with Halloween coming up in just one week, you may want to take this opportunity to “treat” your favourite customers by handing out some small denomination gift cards to get the ball rolling.

As we mentioned yesterday, this will not only encourage your customers to come back to your store to shop, but will also remind them that gift cards are available for purchase at your place of business. It is widely known that gift cards are ideal gifts for shoppers of all types. They ensure recipients that they are able to purchase exactly what they want. Not to mention, the sale of gift cards in your store just makes it look good!

Perhaps, more importantly though, is the fact that gift cards can greatly help your business to make good impressions. They can be used to help boost business by incorporating them into some clever marketing strategies. On Worldpay.com, this is explained. “Gift cards are an inexpensive way to attract new customers and can more than pay for themselves through increased sales revenue,” the site reads. Here are five suggestions on how to use them.

1. Special promotions. When you hand out your gift cards as treats this Halloween, you don’t just have to hand them out as if they were candy. Worldpay.com suggests that you offer a “special promotion where a customer can buy a $25 gift card for $20 when they purchase two or more at a time.” Clearly, this will serve to increase the number of gift cards that you sell. And don’t worry, as we mentioned yesterday, shoppers tend to spend more than the face value of their cards. So you’re not bound to lose out!

2. Rewards. Saying “thank you” to your most loyal customers is an excellent way to secure their loyalty for the long haul. The more they support you, the more you should thank them. Offering gifts cards is an excellent way to do that. Worldpay.com suggests that you “reward frequent customers for their business by giving them a promotional gift card when they spend a minimum purchase amount.”

3. Respond to customer complaints. Customers love it when you show them your appreciation. So saying “thank you” is important. But saying “sorry” may even be more important in the customer-retention game. You never know when you may run into an irate customer. The website advises that you offer gift cards to those who have had bad experiences “to help protect and restore the relationship and potentially encourage them to give your business another chance.”

4. Store credits. When customers make returns, you’ll want to do all you can to keep the money they spent in your store. Gifts cards are the ideal ways to do that. Instead of offering cash back, place a store-credit for returned items on your gift cards. This will not only ensure repeat business, but it will help to limit the possibilities of fraudulent returns. For the most part, customers will appreciate receiving back a credit of any kind.

5. Expand your reach. According to Worldpay.com, if you “give small-value cards to organizations such as chambers of commerce, realtors, charities, etc. (you can) expand your business’s exposure to new residents in the area.” When you think about it, is there any reason to not offer gift cards at your business? Order them from Canadian POS Corporation today by calling 1-877-748-2884. They’re bound to help you have your happiest Halloween yet!