5 Reasons Your Studio Should Offer Gift Cards for Black Friday

With Black Friday fast approaching, you’re probably wondering what to offer your clientele as part of your holiday deals. While deep discounts on classes and discounted apparel can be enticing, you may want to consider adding gift cards to your offerings. A recent study showed that gift cards are projected to cross $221 billion by 2024, despite the pandemic slowing spending in some shopping categories. Millennials and Gen Z buyers are helping to fuel this expansion and are purchasing gift cards for both gifting and self-use. Here are 5 reasons that gift cards can be ideal for Black Friday and holiday gifts in general: 

1. Increased smartphone use has made digital gift cards incredibly easy to use via mobile applications. Your clients can use or send them as gifts from their phones, no waiting in line or commute required. Whether on an app or stored in a digital wallet, they can redeem or gift with just a few taps and swipes.  
   

2. Even before social distancing, more customers were shopping online and using gift cards to purchase items. The pandemic has only increased the amount of people sticking to online vs in-store shopping. Some of your clients may prefer to avoid shopping malls during COVID-19, making gift cards the perfect solution. And don’t forget about Cyber Monday--you may want to consider extending your Black Friday sale.
   

3. Gift cards can help take away the frustration of having to return unwanted gifts. Your clients and their loved ones won’t have to worry about being in big crowds to return a gift they never wanted in the first place. They’ll be able to redeem for sessions or apparel at your studio at their convenience. 
   

4. Most customers end up spending more than the gift card amount, with one study showing that 3 out of 5 consumers surveyed said they planned to spend over the value of their gift card, with half expecting to spend as much as $30 more. So even if a client buys a gift card worth $50, it could wind up being a sale of $80.  
   

5. Many customers spend their gift cards immediately to take advantage of holiday sales. In fact, there’s a National Use Your Gift Card Day on 1/16/2021 to encourage people to spend with their cards. If you’re looking to fill up your classes during the winter, this could be a great way to appeal to more clients. 
   

A marketing platform like BrandBot can inform your clientele that you’re selling gift cards as a holiday offering. With COVID-19 affecting both small and large businesses, it’s important to be both creative and communicative this gifting season. BrandBot’s automated marketing can let your clients know about upcoming holiday deals and gift ideas, and keep them connected with your studio. 

**Contact BrandBot for a demo today!