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Get In the Black with this Black Friday Gift Card Strategy

Black Friday is the official kick-off to the holiday season. Many salons tend to ignore gift cards, regarding them as rather impersonal, but in truth, gift cards give salons the opportunity to solve holiday gift giving. When promoted properly gift cards make an indulgent gift and a fabulous source of holiday cash flow. To boost salon profits this holiday, start planning your gift card promotion launch for Black Friday now! Get in the black with this Black Friday gift card strategy.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS
HOW TO IMPLEMENT A BLACK FRIDAY GIFT CARD STRATEGY:

1. Gift card packaging helps sell gift cards – make sure your salon gift card is attractive.

Everyone likes a gift card, but sometimes it’s hard to make it look like a thoughtful and clever present. It’s a Christmas gift card, not a discount coupon. At the very least you need an attractive gift card presentation. This should reflect your salon brand, and be contemporary and high quality. For larger gift card purchases a bespoke branded box is more fitting. On Christmas morning it is much more exciting to discover a gift card nestling inside a pretty box than just a dreary certificate printed on cheap paper.

So many hair and beauty salons present cheap-looking gift cards which proudly boast $75 on them. If a guest is spending $75 + on a present – it needs to look and feel special!

2. Strong campaign offer.

The first step to a strong campaign is the right message, the right offers, and the right design to help promote gift card sales in the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Promotes deals that are a low cost to your business but provide added value to the purchaser.

A “Buy One, Get One Free” gift card special is the perfect solution for easy holiday gift-giving:

Spend $100 and receive $25 gift card good for salon services (give or keep for yourself).

Spend $150 and receive $50 gift card good for salon services (give or keep for yourself).

Spend $200 and receive $75 gift card good for salon services (give or keep for yourself).

Spend $250 and receive $100 gift card good for salon services (give or keep for yourself).

3. Create gift card packages.

In addition to offering gift cards for dollar amounts, consider putting together some packages. When people receive a gift certificate for a dollar amount, they tend to use it to purchase services they are already receiving at the salon. It is more profitable to sell “luxury service” packages. Luxuries are the perfect gift. Packages are also a great opportunity to sell combinations of services, and get guests to try services they may have otherwise never tried.

Create packages at several price points and get creative. Don’t be afraid to offer high-priced items like “A Year of Hair Color” or “A Massage of the Month”. Gift givers can be very generous if the gift is right. Encourage higher gift card sales by combining 3 or 4 services into a “beauty day” specially priced at 25% off for a limited time. Pull together hair and skin packages that engage your guests with fun names, pretty packaging, and wonderful bows.

4. Tell your clients!

Create in-salon signage to let your clients know what gift packages are available. Give the cards high visibility in your salon, many hair and beauty businesses mistakenly hide gift cards away and miss many opportunities. Create attractive in-salon displays with a promotional graphic and promotion. Custom signage helps you sell even more. Spread the gift card idea through social media postings too.

5. Dedicate a specific page for gift cards on your salon website.

Include how/where to buy, the denominations available, and any terms and conditions. Make sure you highlight them on the Home Page too.

6. Gift card email campaign.

The easiest gift to give? Salon gift cards. Be sure to include gift cards in your e-mail marketing campaigns commencing on Black Friday and continuing right up through to Christmas. Send out an e-newsletter reminding clients that the holidays are on their way.

Run your campaign like this:

Email 1: Black Friday: Initial Offer

Email 2: December 10: Offer reminder

7. Last-minute option.

Promote your salon or spa’s holiday gift cards as perfect “last minute” gift options. Gift cards can be a big money-making opportunity for salons if panicked gift givers, who didn’t plan ahead, can step in or access your salon’s website and purchase a thoughtful gift at the last minute. Remind your guests about the convenience and last-minute opportunities of salon or spa gift card giving.

Run your campaign like this:

Email 3: December 21: Only 3 Days left!

Email 4: December 23: Last 24 Hours!

8. Make it easy for clients to buy.

Make it easy for clients to buy! Instant purchase applications help you work smarter, not harder and can add thousands of dollars to your bottom line. Online commerce should be easy and all salons and spas should maximize the power of the web. You too can sell gift cards online by providing a stand-alone, turn-key, secure, and full-featured gift certificate shopping cart system branded with your company’s logo. It is easily added to your existing website with a simple link or buy now button.

9. Gift card guest = potential loyal client.

Gift card promotions provide the opportunity to turn a “gift card guest” into a repeat and loyal client. A solid first impression with their Holiday Gift Package experience will make them more likely to return. There are 3 other ways to turn holiday guests into loyal clients. First, ask each guest to fill out a client card to allow future correspondence. Second, treat each “gift card” guest like a VIP. Third, re-book the client for a follow-up service at the end of the experience. Each gift card client can turn into a $2000 annual revenue guest.

10. Hire professional concept & design services.

To appeal to the right market all promotional materials must be professionally written and designed. From the actual marketing concept to copywriting, to imagery, a marketing professional is well-trained and experienced in the field of marketing. Leave the job of marketing to the experts. Get in the black with a Black Friday gift card strategy!

Need help?

Did Black Friday “arrive” before you had a chance to put together a gift card promotion? Let BeautyMark Marketing come to your rescue, get in the black with a Black Friday gift card strategy. We offer stylish, professionally crafted, agency-quality marketing at a small business price.

Make sure to follow BeautyMark’s Blog for weekly salon marketing tips HERE

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