Promoting your gifts
From your own website and app to emails, social media and in house promotions, here’s our tips & hints on how encourage visits to your gift shop.
Website links
The main source of visits to your gift shop are likely to be from your own venue’s website.
Emails
Engage with people who already know and love your brand via their ‘In’ box.
Social Media
Be sociable about your gift vouchers reaching current & new customers via social channels.
In-house promotion
Promote and sell gifts in your venue – we have lots of ideas to help!
Website links
The main source of visits to a gift shop are likely to originate from your own website. Remember too, to include a link on your venue’s app.
Main traffic source
Half of the traffic to your gift shop is from your own website, so ensure that the links are easy to see and click on. Visitors from your website are also more likely to buy a gift, than any other visitor source.
Raise awarness
Each and every person visiting your website is a potential buyer, even if today they came to book a room for a business trip. They just might be looking for Birthday gift for their partner…
Generate revenue
Links to your gift shop are as important as ‘Book a Stay’ or ‘Book a Table’ buttons, as they are revenue generating links.
Homepage
Our top performing clients have a prominent link to their gift voucher shop on their homepage in the form of copy and/or an icon.
Main navigation menu
It’s also essential that there is a ‘menu item’ for gifts/gift vouchers in the main navigation menu/bar.
Guest app
Ensure you have included a link to your gift shop on your venue’s app, helping raise awareness.
Feature ‘block’ on site pages
Include a promotional ‘block’ on your homepage and/or on other key pages, illustrating your gifts, linking to your gift shop.
Sub menus
Include a link to Gift Vouchers (alongside other menu items) in relevant main navigation links, such as Dining, Afternoon Tea, Spa, Overnight Stay and Activites.
Deep links
Include gift voucher links on key pages within a page, such as your Afternoon Tea page.
Pop-up box
Use this feature for gift vouchers in the lead up (and on) key gifting events, such as Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Black Friday and Christmas.
Footer
Your website footer helps visitors find information and navigate your site (from any page), so it’s helpful to include a link to your gift vouchers here.
Having links in the right places is VITAL to successfully sell gifts.
Emails
Wondering when & how to email your subscribers about gift experiences? Here are a few ideas…
Include a section in all your emails
Links to your gift shop generate revenue, in the same way call to action buttons such as ‘Book Now’ or ‘Reserve a Table’ do and it’s best practice to ensure that a gift link is visible at all times, in every email, including transaction emails.
‘Flash’ sale/offer emails, with exclusive codes
Make people aware of any sales or offers via email, sharing any exclusive codes with them.
Dedicated key dates emails
We’d recommend building awareness six weeks prior to a gifting event*, (such as Mother’s Day) with a series of emails dedicated to a key date, with at least one email exclusively promoting gift vouchers, followed by regular reminders and a ‘last minute’ email 1-2 days before and on the day itself, promoting instant e-voucher gifts.
*With the exception of Christmas, where we recommend beginning to promote in September.
Include in other targeted campaigns
Be sure to include a gift voucher message in your emails when promoting /sharing news about your spa, afternoon tea, dining, overnight stays, golf and other activity emails, inspiring your customers, helping you reaching a wider audience.
Gifting ‘events’ emails, such as weddings
Include gift vouchers in any ‘event’ emails, such as weddings – they make such perfect gifts!
Take a moment to review your email templates
and include gifts campaigns in your email calendar.
In-house
A quarter of total gift sales are purchased by staff members. If you only sell gifts online, you are missing out on a big opportunity!
Mention your gifts on your collateral
Reach people, creating awareness around the idea of your lovely gift experiences as perfect gifts. Think about all the places you can add a gifting message.
Incentivise front of house and sales teams to promote and sell gifts
Remind your guest facing teams to mention your gift experiences in their conversions with guests: passionate staff, genuine customer care and suggested selling goes a long way in helping to generate sales.
Setup a pop-up shop in the lobby in December
Have an eye catching designated gift voucher ‘area’ at your venue over the festive period, with a team member on hand to help with sales. It could be a pop-up ‘shop’ or iPads / laptops available for potential buyers in key areas, giving gift inspiration, ready to capture sales.
Display your gift stationery
Ensure your Gift voucher ‘visuals’ are on display, helping to create awareness and demonstrate that your vouchers will have the ‘wow’ factor when received, as well as the recipient being able to look forward to the special experience.
Ensure your front of house teams are comfortable
to process and print orders in-house.
Training Guides
All you need to know about the gift voucher app from creating a new gift to uploading new images or processing a complimentary order.
Log onto the Gift App and click onto the ‘How To Guides’ button.
Help!
If you need help, please contact us:
enquiries@skchase.com
Social Media
Inspire your buyers and make it easy for them to find the perfect gift.
Inspire
Remind your followers you sell gifts by sharing examples of experiences on a regular basis.
Show off your branded stationary.
In your highlights compile your best sellers. In your seasonal highlights, such as Christmas or Mother’s Day, add some stories about your gift offering.
Create ‘guides’ with a selection of gifts for occasions or recipients – i.e. ‘Wedding gifts guide’.
Sell
Promote your special offers. Make sure to link directly to the offer/gift.
Add links to your stories. When people tap on the sticker, they’ll be redirected.
Setup a Facebook shop to make it even easier to buy your experiences.
People buy gifts all year round,
share ideas with them – it could be just what they are looking for.