As a small business owner, you’re always looking for innovative ways to improve how you handle different aspects of your establishment. And choosing to incorporate gift cards into your operations is just one of many ways you can do this.
That said, like everything else, you’re going to run into a few common problems with them. The good news is that there are many practical solutions you can use to circumvent these issues. So, delve into the common gift card problems and solutions and learn how these methods could work positively for your business.
Can’t Send Multiple Gift Cards Out at Once
One of the common problems that gift cards present is that it can be quite challenging to send out multiple simultaneously. To be specific, as a business owner, you’d ideally like to be able to send nicely packaged cards to your regulars as a way to thank them for their business. But you have a multitude of other things that need your attention.
So, adding postage, packaging, and writing heartfelt notes to the list can quickly become taxing and tedious. As a result, many business owners send these cards out in increments, which usually costs more time and money anyway. Well, what’s the solution?
The Solution:
Nowadays, business owners can explore a new world of possibilities with digital rewards platforms. Not only are these platforms easy to navigate, but they’re also often more secure than regular postage. These platforms also have features that allow you to customize each card design and add particular messages to each one. Then, you can send all of them off instantly to each customer.
This is an excellent way to ensure that you’re making the most efficient use of your time, money, and resources. Plus, it also makes it a lot easier for customers to receive their rewards. And this can only be a positive for those looking to attract more customers by offering gift cards.
Designing Each Card Is Time Consuming
Part of getting a gift card system for your small business is coming up with the designs for each card. And especially if you’re looking to incorporate various designs, this entire process can become quite the time suck.
Plus, once you start adding premium customizations to them, the process becomes even more difficult to manage. The amalgamation of these things leads to costly delays and exhaustion. And even if you decide to push through it, it can result in subpar gift card designs. So, how can you avoid this problem?
The Solution:
Depending on what sort of gift cards you’re looking to design, there are a few different directions you could choose to go in. If you have one or two designs in mind, you could outsource the work to an artist who will give you the results you’re looking for.
Depending on what sort of gift cards you’re looking to design, there are a few different directions you could choose to go in. If you have one or two designs in mind, you could outsource the work to an artist who will give you the results you’re looking for.
Another option is to work with your gift card provider. Some gift card providers will incorporate some gift card design work with their service.
Accessibility To Gift Cards Can Be a Challenge
Among the common gift card problems and solutions is a lack of accessibility. Specifically, it can be challenging for all of your customers to enjoy your gift cards if they have minimal options for receiving them. To illustrate, perhaps you only sell your gift cards in your storefront.
While this might be nice for those who visit your brick-and-mortar regularly, it’s not so convenient for your customers who do their shopping in your online boutique. Just as well, people tend to crave variety, especially when it comes to how they purchase their products. So, limited access to your gift cards can become a hurdle for their success within your business.
The Solution:
The solution here is easy: offer your customers a variety of delivery options for their cards. For instance, suppose your store has an excellent following on an email newsletter. Well, that would be a perfect opportunity to send out gift cards to your reading list digitally.
Just as well, if you have a website or ecommerce business, offering gift cards through these mediums can also be quite helpful. Essentially, people need convenience and variety new more than ever. And when you present your customers with choices that afford them both of these things, it will incentivize them to purchase your cards.
It’s Hard To Create a Buzz for Gift Cards
No matter how fancy your designs are, sometimes gift cards are still difficult to sell. Why? Well, because it’s challenging to create buzz around a gift card program. And in fact, many business owners make the mistake of skipping over investments in marketing and promotions.
But these are the very things that could get people excited about gift cards. And when you consider that most people are looking to make speedy purchases, this problem becomes even more apparent.
The Solution:
Well, the good news is that the solution to this problem is relatively simple. If you have gift cards collecting dust on your counter, it’s likely because no one knows about them!
So, it might be wise to consider stepping out of your “word-of-mouth” comfort zone and try some different marketing strategies on for size. Some of the best methods for creating gift card buzz include:
- Offering loyalty program benefits
- Offering subscription or membership benefits
- Referral and upsell marketing strategies
Just as well, offering your customers some extra incentive for purchasing a gift card can be an excellent way to captivate interest. You can do this by attaching discounts or coupons to each card you sell. For instance, perhaps you run a coffee shop, and you’re just starting on your gift card journey.
In this case, you could offer a free drink with every twenty-five-dollar gift card purchase. Or maybe you own a massage spa. You could provide a hefty discount to anyone who spends one hundred bucks or more on a gift certificate.
The point is, giving your customers a positive push in the right direction urges them to purchase more gift cards. Plus, they’ll likely tell their friends about the fantastic deal they snagged just by doing business with you. Ideally, this would lead to an increase in gift card sales, positively impacting your business.
