According to a recent survey by the Gift Card and Voucher association, the research reveals that 23% of shoppers are intending to purchase more gift cards this year than ever before to maintain their Christmas budgets, allowing them to eliminate postage costs, refrain from exceeding budgets and avoid waste or unwanted gifts.
NB: This is an article from ARO
Now is the time to position your brand and the unique experiences that you provide to attract those pro-voucher shoppers.
IMAGERY & VIDEO
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have stunning imagery and video to promote your property, the experiences staying on property and your gifting options.
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If you do not have festive imagery ready this year, there are excellent stock options. However, nothing beats authentic imagery so book a photographer/videographer now to create timeless imagery for next year and beyond.
THE FUNDAMENTALS
Perform a check that your website has been optimised for the festive season on both desktop and mobile.
Place gift vouchers in the main navigation menu.
Include gift voucher call-to-actions on all pages.
Optimise your gift voucher landing page with festive key words, a meta title, and a meta description.
Create a gift voucher pop-up promoting gift vouchers for your luxury hotel.
FORMAT OF VOUCHERS
Examine your historical data to gain insight on which vouchers have performed the strongest in previous years and in recent months.
Let this inform the order index in which gift vouchers are presented on the gift voucher booking engine.
While Monetary vouchers generally perform best, create multiple voucher options such as spa, dining, overnight stay, afternoon tea, as well as themed value-added vouchers that are available to use in need periods.
Upload imagery to match each gift voucher.
IN-HOUSE WINTER THEMED COLLATERAL
Promote gift vouchers to guests and non-residents that are in your hotel in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Place Gift Voucher fixtures in public areas including a magnificent display in the hotel lobby and at other touch points such as at the hotel reception desk, in lifts, in the spa, restaurants, bars and event spaces.
As an alternative or in addition, Promote Gift Vouchers as Christmas gifts on digital displays throughout the hotel in the reception, spa, restaurant, bar and especially in bedrooms on televisions.
If you send a mid-stay email to guests to gauge their feedback, tag a gift voucher banner onto the email and you can offer an incentive if you need a boost to sales.
Include Gift Voucher Call-to-Actions in communications with the guest before and after stay.
Change the hotel’s email signature files to a call-to-action button for festive gift vouchers.
PAID ADVERTISING
Allocate a budget towards PPC and Social campaigns for Hotel Christmas Gift Vouchers.
Target specific audiences and locations. Include call-to-action buttons focusing on the end user, ‘Give an Exceptional Gift.’
Digital ads are an excellent way to monitor your ROI and give you the flexibility to improve ads as your campaigns progress.
Ensure social ads include festive Imagery and imagery of winter experiences on offer at the hotel.
SOCIAL MEDIA
You can really go to town here highlighting all the wonderful services on which Gift Vouchers can be redeemed.
If you need to reach a wider audience, consider organising a gift voucher competition on your hotel’s social media to raise awareness of your brand as a gift idea.
Add Gift Vouchers to your Google Profile by creating a post and do not forget LinkedIn for corporate purchases.
CHRISTMAS GIFT VOUCHER EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
It is now peak gift voucher season, so it is essential to create festive gift voucher ezines from your luxury hotel.
Target specific segments with different messages.
Send an ezine to your corporate list offering hotel gift vouchers as Christmas presents for their staff.
Inspire your domestic list to support local this Christmas. Ignite the memory of your previous guests who may wish to revisit in the new year or gift the experience to a friend or family member.
Distribute a personalised email marketing campaign in the final days leading up to Christmas to offer gift vouchers as a solution for gifts that have not yet been purchased.
Relieve the panic and hassle of searching for a gift by providing last minute gift experiences.
LEVERAGE YOUR OTHER PROPERTIES
If you have other properties in other locations, make sure there is the ability to cross-sell vouchers and that your brand is also advertised as a gifting option there on the ground also.
PROMOTE GIFT VOUCHERS AS GIFTS TO THE PLANET TOO
Sustainability is no longer a trend but is now imperative for organisations.
Show your sustainable credentials while promoting your gift vouchers this festive season as an inspiring gift experience for friends and family, rather than giving unwanted and unnecessary physical gifts that could end up in landfill.
Inform your consumers that a digital gift card is the ultimate environmentally friendly option.
For those that may wish to avail of a physical card, biodegradable gift vouchers are a great sustainable option.
