6 Tips to Increase Gift Card Sales at Your Business

Gift cards are a powerful revenue driver for businesses, and their popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Globally, gift card sales are projected to reach $2.31 trillion by 2030. For fitness and wellness businesses, gift cards offer more than a convenient payment option for customers; they also deliver upfront revenue, encourage repeat visits, and act as effective marketing tools that increase brand awareness and foster customer loyalty.  

For consumers, gift cards are an easy, go-to choice, especially for last-minute gifting. They take the guesswork out of finding the perfect present while giving recipients the freedom to choose exactly what they want, whether it’s a workout class, spa service, or wellness product. With 52% of consumers purchasing gift cards for their convenience and 32% buying physical cards on the same day they plan to give them, there’s a clear opportunity to capture both planned and impulse sales. 

Here are six tips to help boost your business’s gift card revenue. 

1. Train your staff in upselling tactics

Your staff is essential to driving gift card sales. Because they regularly engage with clients, they have even more opportunities to naturally promote gift cards during those interactions. Equip your staff with effective scripts and skills that help them identify opportunities to naturally suggest gift cards during checkouts or conversations.  

For example, they could recommend a gift card as a thoughtful option for a guest booking a service or highlight it during peak gifting seasons. When your staff feels confident about upselling, they can significantly increase conversions.  

2. Offer physical and digital gift cards

Maximize your gift card sales by offering both physical and digital options. Each format meets a different need and offering both increases your chances of making a sale. Digital gift cards are convenient options that appeal to last-minute shoppers. With just a few clicks, customers can purchase and send a gift instantly, making it ideal for birthdays, holidays, or spontaneous thank-you gestures. They’re also easy to promote online and integrate seamlessly into email and SMS campaigns. 

Physical gift cards, on the other hand, are often preferred by shoppers who enjoy giving something tangible. They add a personal, thoughtful touch that can make the gift feel more meaningful and memorable.  

By offering both options, you’re giving customers and recipients the flexibility to choose what works best for them. This added convenience not only improves the gifting experience but also helps your business capture more sales across a wider range of buying behaviors. 

3. Create seasonal promotions

Special occasions and holidays are ideal opportunities to attract both new and existing clients with gift card promotions. Since many gift givers turn to gift cards, these events are a great time to create a sense of urgency around your offerings. For instance, if you own a spa, consider offering a $10 bonus card with the purchase of a $100 gift card. Limited-time incentives like this not only encourage more purchases but also add extra value that appeals to both the gift giver and the recipient. 

Pro tip: Design your gift cards to match the occasion. This adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness and visual appeal that can make the gift feel more personal and intentional.  

4. Collaborate with local businesses

Partnering with neighboring businesses can help you reach new audiences and add extra value to your gift cards. For example, if you own a yoga studio, consider teaming up with the juice bar next door to display each other’s gift cards at the checkout counter. Look for partnerships where your ideal clients already spend time, like local wellness clinics and athletic apparel shops. In addition to cross-promotions, bundled offers, or shared giveaways, having your gift cards visible in high-traffic, complementary locations can significantly expand your reach.  

5. Showcase your gift cards

Ensure that your gift cards are easily visible in person and online. You want to attract your customers' attention, so display the gift cards in prominent locations such as the front desk, near the checkout area, or within product displays. Online, feature the gift cards prominently on your website, booking pages, and social media channels. Visual cues, such as signs, display stands, and creative graphics, can help convert passive browsers into buyers. 

6. Develop an effective marketing strategy

Promote your gift cards year-round to keep them top of mind with your clients. Use email marketing, social media, in-app messages, and SMS campaigns to consistently showcase their convenience and versatility for any occasion, from birthdays to thank-you gifts. The more you feature gift cards across your marketing channels, the more opportunities you create to drive sales and attract new and returning clients.  

Pro tip: Use Mindbody’s integration with Attentive to streamline your marketing efforts. This partnership makes it easy to create and manage coordinated email and SMS campaigns so you can send timely, targeted messages about your current gift card offerings to both existing and prospective clients. 

Make gift cards work for your business

Gift cards are more than just convenient gifts; they also have the potential to drive a significant amount of revenue. By implementing the right strategies, overtime, you can turn gift cards into a reliable and powerful growth tool for your fitness or wellness business.