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As COVID-19 or Coronavirus has increasingly spread across the globe over the last few weeks, small businesses everywhere are being mandated to close their doors to help in mitigating the spread of the virus. Service providers such as personal trainers, hairstylists, and yoga instructors are just a few whose businesses have been heavily impacted by the implemented closures. For the foreseeable future, many businesses can no longer provide in-person services and instead are leaning on tools such as gift cards to generate money during this time. In this article, we’ll cover what options you have when implementing an online gift card program, software solutions to help you get your system set up and ways to promote your business’ online gift cards.
To start, check if your current POS company/payment process offers an option for online gift card functionality. When it comes to payment processing and reporting, this is the easiest way to get your gift card system up and running. If your POS integrates well with third-party software systems, this option works just as well.
When it comes to a third-party system, you have a few options. You can select to choose software that integrates with your existing POS system. This is a good option for businesses that want more gift card functionality than their current system offers. If you go this route, it’s crucial to make sure that gift card software and your POS system are compatible with one another. The easiest way to ensure that the two are compatible is to go directly through your current POS system. Some examples of POS systems and payment processors that offer digital gift card functionality include Square, Shopify POS, and Clover.
Note: Shopify’s Free Trials are now 90 days and the company has added “gift card support” to each plan.
If you’re using a basic POS system that does not have gift card functionality or it won’t integrate with other gift card systems, it’s best to use a standalone gift card company. To connect your POS with a standalone gift card company, you can use a company like Zapier. Zapier creates custom software integrations that can connect your POS software to a standalone gift card software or other business software.
Using an e-gift card app is another great way to get your gift card system up and running without having to worry about any integrations with your POS. An e-gift card app allows you to sell gift cards online. To eliminate the need for customers to redeem their cards in-person, you can email them their gift card using a numerical redemption card. An e-gift card system also allows you to sell gift cards on social media and your website. Some example apps include Giftly, GiftUp, Yiftee, and Givex.
Once you set up and implement your gift card system, make sure that customers can easily find and access your gift cards online. If you send out a newsletter, consider dedicating a section to your new gift card section. Include a link to the gift card page and what gift card amounts you’ll be offering. On your website, include a gift card button on the main navigation bar, as well as on the footer, so customers can access it wherever they are on your website. When promoting on social media, link your website’s gift card page in your account bio, so your followers can access it with just a few clicks.
With COVID-19 forcing many businesses to close their shops for an extended period of time, many are getting creative with how to maintain engagement with customers and bring in money to support themselves and their families. Implementing an online gift card system is a great way for your customers to continue to support you and eliminates the need for in-person contact. Need help selling your services digitally? Check out our article on how to use Vimeo OTT to do just that.
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