How to sell gift cards online: A comprehensive guide for salons and spas

Offering gift cards online can be a major win for salons and spas. Here’s why: Apart from boosting revenue, gift cards bring new guests into your business – people who could end up becoming customers for life. Did you know that one in four people who use a gift card at salons and spas are new customers? That makes gift cards the golden ticket to expanding your client base.

To help you gauge what online gift cards can do for your salon or spa, here is some data for businesses selling gift cards using Zenoti software:

Gift cards – Monthly new guest acquisition and revenue impact

*Per center per month. Sept. 2023 – Aug. 2024

How to interpret the table?
Let’s take the top row. At Zenoti-powered spas, online gift cards brought 39 new customers and $5,700 in revenue per center per month, on average. Multiplied by 12, that’s a sizable $68,400 in added revenue per year.

The yearly totals for medspas and salons are nothing to sneeze at either: $25,200 (medspas) and $5,856 (salons). That's per center. So if your brand operates across a chain of locations, the revenue boost from gift cards can really add up.

Here’s even more recent data showing the top-line impact of gift cards:

Now that we’ve looked at the revenue potential, we’ll cover the reasons to use social media to sell gift cards, and then some fun, effective strategies to get them flying off the virtual shelves.

After that, we’ll highlight software features that make gift card program creation and management easy. We’ll wrap up with a look at three great examples of gift card sales pages.

With 68% of Americans using Facebook and 47% on Instagram, social media is the perfect tool to ramp up your gift card sales. Think of it as your megaphone on the internet.

By hopping on the social media train, you’re boosting sales and shining a light on your brand like never before.

Now that you’ve got the scoop on why social media is your go-to, here’s how to make the most of it:

For gift card marketing, create eye-catching graphics and videos that make your promotions irresistible. Use beautiful images and chatty captions to describe all the perks.

See how Dermapure used a 12-second Instagram reel for a holiday gift card promotion.

The wording in the Dermapure promotion: “Still on the hunt for the perfect gift for that special someone? Give the gift of choice with a Dermapure gift card, offering a diverse range of treatments and skincare options for a personalized journey to self-care and revitalization!”

The ad also points out the physical and digital options for gift cards with “Available in clinics and online! DERMAPURE.COM”

View the Dermapure reel on Instagram.

Here’s one more example of an Instagram reel promoting gift cards. This promotion is holiday-themed: Neroli Salon & Spa.

Find influencers who vibe with your brand and have them share your gift cards with their followers. A thumbs-up from them can do wonders for your sales, bringing in new customers. Imagine a popular beauty blogger raving about a facial at your spa, gifted via your card. The reach and authenticity they bring can help boost online gift card sales for your business.

Engage your audience with polls, quizzes, and contests. How about a gift card giveaway where people tag friends and share your post? It’s a way to get folks talking about your gift cards. You could ask questions like “What’s your favorite spa treatment?” or “Shout out your go-to nail colors” to keep the conversation lively and engaging.

Everyone loves a good story. Share testimonials from happy customers who’ve used your gift cards. Consider creating a series titled “Gift Card Stories” where you highlight unique experiences customers have had at your spa or salon. It’s a great way to add a personal touch and make potential buyers feel the love.

Who can resist a good bargain? When you sell gift cards online, offer limited-time discounts or special deals to create a sense of urgency. This strategy is perfect during holidays or themed events when people are hunting for gifts.

See how Neroli Salon & Spa cleverly used Facebook to launch gift card marketing for Father’s Day:

The promotion includes a quirky photo and this offer: “Treat your father figure this Father’s Day with something special! Buy a $150 gift card and get a $20 bonus card for yourself. Offer ends 6/16, so don’t miss out on this amazing deal.”

Check out the Neroli Salon & Spa Facebook page for more inspiration.

While Facebook and Instagram are popular with salons and spas, Pinterest is an option too. See how Central Wellness used Pinterest to sell spa gift cards for the holidays. Here’s a look at the page:

With five social media tips for gift cards now in your pocket, you need software to go digital.

We rounded up four reasons why the software platforms can boost your beauty and wellness gift card programs:

1. Easy-peasy management: Whip up, sell, and manage gift cards without breaking a sweat. It’s all about making your life easier so you can focus on pampering your clients.

2. Automated magic: Send out personalized gift card offers that get people clicking and buying. It’s like having a personal assistant who never sleeps.

3. Smart insights: Learn what’s working with your customers so you can tweak your gift card strategies as you go.

4. A VIP guest experience: Offer mobile payments and online booking to make buying and using gift cards a breeze for your customers.

To help you visualize your gift card store, here’s a peek at how three top brands sell gift cards online.

The Ohio-based Sky Salon went with a readymade Zenoti template in silver, black, and white. Here’s a snapshot:

Some businesses, like Mane & Mani, use their own branded gift card templates. Here’s a look at the Mane & Mani webstore:

The W Nail Bar webstore offers five different templates, including themed options like “Happy Birthday” and “To My Bestie.” Here’s a peek:

On top of selling gift cards through your website, you can offer them via your salon or spa’s mobile app, too.

Salons and spas can tap into an easy revenue channel with online gift cards – these little wonders can really shake things up by bringing in new customers and boosting your business.

Think online gift cards are complicated? The opposite is true – selling digital gift cards is easy and efficient when you have the right technology tools and social media strategies. By teaming up with influencers, crafting engaging content, and using Zenoti’s handy features, you’ll be on your way to boosting your online presence and your gift card sales.

See more benefits of online gift cards for salons and spas.

Note: The salon and spa brands linked in this post are Zenoti customers at the time of publication.