How to Do a Mobile Gift Card Marketing Strategy to Boost Sales

Mobile Gift Cards Deliver Perks for Brands & Customers

As restaurants remain in the midst of adapting to their customers changing behaviors and the changing state mandates for dining as colder weather approaches and the pandemic persists – gift cards offer restaurants and retailers a bright spot. Gift cards were initially served up to customers by the restaurant industry to help keep their favorite places afloat during the spring while businesses were quickly trying to implement online ordering, pick-up and delivery. 

Many restaurants and retailers remain in the position where they need to drive revenue without having full-capacity seating, having limited hours and/or serving a limited menu. What many brands do have now is a digital model for online ordering and curbside pick-up and delivery.

To compliment their new digital operational strategies, brands need to enhance their digital marketing strategies to grow their customer loyalty base through mobile gift cards. Guests who purchase gift cards are signaling their loyalty to a brand with a promise to come back in the future. In fact, building loyalty is just one benefit among many that brands may experience. Gift cards help brands:

• Grow their profit margin – the moment a gift card is sold you’ve enhanced your capital and liquidity
• Increase their revenue – according to Fiserv data, 80% of consumers spend more than the initial value on their gift card 
• Drive repeat business – customers that have a balance on their gift card will visit a second time, creating loyalty and driving additional spending
• Incentive frequent purchases – encourage customers to reload their gift cards turning a single purchase or visit into multiple purchases and visits
• Acquire new customers – giving branded gift cards is a form of free marketing that can grow customer acquisitions  

Brands should take a smart approach to implementing gift cards in order to meet new industry standards and consumer expectations for a safe, secure contactless purchasing experience. Restaurants and retailers clearly need the ability to virtualize their mobile gift card experience – especially with the busy holidays right around the corner. By providing guests digital gift cards through a mobile phone app, their customers can purchase and give their e-gifts at any time, anywhere, and to anyone. 

Even better, with Punchh gift cards, restaurants and retailers can provide their guests the seamless ability to pay, earn loyalty rewards and redeem offers all in one scan in-store or pay with stored value when purchasing online. Marketers working from the Punchh Loyalty and Engagement Platform can easily create campaigns that reward guests who purchase new gift cards or reload them. This helps drive sales and also further increases a brand’s margin by promoting loyalty offer discounts or points instead of traditional gift card incentives. 

Plus, working from a platform gives marketers the tools to create customized digital gift card images for the holidays that also reflect their unique branding. Gift cards are just one of many product features Punchh integrates into a comprehensive loyalty solution. Learn more about the benefits of the Punchh Loyalty and Engagement Platform, schedule a demo today!