Gift vouchers are a great way of boosting 3 things: awareness of your brand, knowledge of your property’s key features and, of course, revenue!
Easily forgotten and maybe even cast to the side by smaller properties, gift vouchers are a source of revenue that will pay off if they’re consistently included as a part of your marketing strategy.
In the overwhelming age of too much information, we instinctively rely more and more on the thoughts and recommendations of peers – in fact, ‘social proof’ is probably the most powerful marketing tool a brand can utilise! By providing gift vouchers, you’re equipping satisfied guests or people who are confident in your reputation with a way of actioning their recommendation into practise! Your brand advocates will repeat their purchase, too – a lot of voucher buyers are loyal to the property they’re advocating and are likely to buy for more than one friend or family member over time! Whilst we’re on the topic of loyalty, why not consider rewarding loyal customers with a voucher bundle deal or discount? Perhaps something to look into as a secondary offer down the line, but worth keeping in mind!
Ultimately, the success of gift vouchers for your property are determined by the strength and quality of your product and communications. If the quality of your product is strong, people will like it and will be happy recommending it to friends or family.
Start by strategizing your gift voucher marketing using the same formula you would for other forms of marketing. Consider first: who are your target audience? Your gift voucher communication should be clearly targeted and appealing to the right people, depending on the product or occasion. Avoid a ‘one size fits all’ approach. According to Google Analytics demographic data, 61% of hotel gift vouchers sold are bought by females (this is based on voucher purchase information analysed from our clients’ data over a 12 month period). However, men spend marginally more on average – an additional 3%. Good to be aware of!
Now, onto pairing the right target audience with the right dates! Make a list of the key ‘gifting’ dates throughout the year and highlight them on your marketing plan. Consider the likes of:
Mother’s Day
One of the top peak for voucher sales throughout the calendar year, think afternoon tea, a mother-daughter sleepover, or a spa day!
Christmas
The ultimate season for vouchers (and the top selling period) – think romantic dinners for two, a short break away incl. spa, that kind of thing. Whilst we’re on the topic of Christmas, it’s time to start planning your voucher strategy now!
Birthdays / weddings / celebrations
These aren’t ones for the ‘key dates’ section of the calendar, but it’s a reminder that there are constant reasons to gift vouchers throughout the year. Don’t miss out on the opportunities to tap into ongoing occasions!
We’re a world of internet fiends and social media obsessors. Social platforms are a great place to advertise your gift vouchers because of the specific targeting capabilities they allow, for example, we can target people who are living abroad, but are from the local area. On the run up to a key date or season, try running a social campaign targeting these young people living away from home who will be searching for handy, hassle-free gifts for family or friends!
You can also be so specific with your social marketing, that you can target people who have friends with birthdays approaching.
Need proof of how effective social marketing can be? Cyber weekend and Black Friday last year should be proof enough!
Another effective advertising platform for your gift vouchers is, of course, Google ads – whether it’s a search campaign or bumper ads, we can help you figure out what will be more cost effective depending on the campaign.
Creating your own snazzy online gift vouchers doesn’t have to be complicated! Actually, it can be as easy as a couple of clicks. Take a look at our gift voucher solution and try it out for free.