by Mike Peterson | Nov 4, 2024 | Gift Cards, Merchant Services, News
Small businesses everywhere are gearing up as the holiday season approaches for the busiest shopping months of the year. With shoppers looking for quick and versatile gift ideas, gift cards for small businesses have emerged as one of the most popular holiday items. Not only do they provide convenience to the customers, but they also provide massive benefits to small businesses. Gift cards are a win-win for both buyers and sellers, and from free marketing opportunities to additional revenue streams, there’s plenty to like about them.
In this post, we’ll talk about how gift cards help small businesses during the holidays and explore some creative ways to promote them.
Why Small Businesses Should Stock Up on Gift Cards for the Holidays
The most simple and powerful way to attract new customers and boost sales is with gift cards. They’re especially great for gifts during the holidays, as they’re ideal presents for those friends and family that are hard to shop for. Stocking up on gift cards for the holidays is more than just selling a product, it’s giving your customers the gift of flexibility. It’s especially handy when people are trying to manage a bunch of lists, gifts and schedules.
The main thing for small businesses is to have a lot of gift cards and put them out everywhere. Make sure you have your gift cards visible at checkout, on your website, and in any seasonal promotional materials. You’d be surprised at how gift cards help small businesses during the holidays by providing an easy, attractive option for last-minute shoppers.
The Benefits of Gift Cards for Small Businesses: Free Marketing in Every Gift
One of the best parts about gift cards for small businesses is that they’re essentially free advertising. When a customer buys a gift card, they could be bringing your business to someone new. This new customer would not have come into your store or visited your website if it weren’t for that gift card.
Gift cards are especially powerful because they have a personal endorsement from the giver. Gift cards for small businesses are given to people by their friends and family who really like the business they are giving the gift card to, so the gift feels more trusted and meaningful. That kind of word-of-mouth recommendation is priceless for small business. The more you introduce your brand to new customers, the better the chance you have of turning them into loyal patrons.
It’s a great idea to take this effect a step further by creating branded, visually pleasing gift card designs. These cards are mini billboards for your brand and guarantee that your business makes a good impression even before the gift card is redeemed.
Creative Ways to Sell Gift Cards for Small Businesses
One easy way to boost your gift card sales is to incorporate them into seasonal raffles, gift baskets, or holiday bundles. Here are a few creative ways to sell gift cards for small businesses this holiday season:
- Holiday Raffles: In store or online, host a holiday raffle in which customers can win a gift card. This can also get people excited about your gift cards and will increase your foot traffic or website visits. Likewise, many customers who have not won will end up buying a card.
- Gift Baskets or Bundles: Make gift baskets with small gift cards which include your store’s popular products. If you’re a salon, this works great for a “spa day” package, or if you sell gourmet treats, this works great for a “movie night” bundle. This card encourages people to return and explore what you offer.
- Buy One, Get One (BOGO): During the holiday season and in the days following Christmas, think of trying a “buy one, get one half off” promotion on the gift cards. For instance, customers purchase a $50 gift card and receive another $25 of the same to themselves or to gift to someone else.
This holiday season, add a personal touch to your gift baskets with gift cards for small businesses. They’re a meaningful way to support local shops and offer unique options for your loved ones.
Unredeemed Gift Cards: The Secret Revenue Boost for Small Businesses
Did you know that a lot of gift cards never get redeemed? Research found that a good chunk of gift cards for small businesses never get fully redeemed, and often never are, as recipients forget or gift cards go to waste. For small business owners, this means an immediate kick in revenue without having to order more inventory or add more service.
Extra revenue without additional expenses is provided by unused or partially redeemed gift cards, sometimes called ‘breakage’. During slower times after the holidays, when every little bit of money counts, this financial benefit is especially useful for small businesses.
This added revenue cushion is good, but keep in mind that the goal is still to provide a great experience to every customer who visits, whether or not they’re redeeming a gift card. Each visit is a chance to make a one-time gift card holder a regular customer.
Using Gift Cards as a Year-Round Marketing Strategy
Gift cards aren’t just for holiday sales, they’re a year-round marketing tool. Some people purchase gift cards as gifts during the holiday season, and people may still purchase gift cards for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other celebrations even after the holiday season. If you make gift cards a regular part of your promotions, you’ll continue to get new customers all year long.
To keep gift cards top of mind, consider these strategies:
- Email Reminders: Seasonal emails like promoting gift cards and how they can be the perfect gift for any occasion.
- Social Media Promotion: Post photos on social media of your branded gift cards. Help customers show friends and family how much they would appreciate a card and how easy it is to pick one up.
- Incentives for Use: Challenge current customers to redeem their gift cards using seasonal or limited time discounts. For instance, you can give a small discount on the first-time purchase with a gift card and thus convert new customers into repeat buyers.
Ready to Start Selling Gift Cards for Your Small Business?
We make it easy for small businesses to offer gift cards at Card Systems, Inc. We’re here to help whether you are just getting started or stocking up for the busy holiday season. Our gift card solutions are easy to use, affordable and streamlined so you can provide your customers with what they need most—your service.
We can help you make gift cards a profitable part of your business this holiday season. Don’t wait, reach out today to learn more about how easy it is to get started!
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by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Mar 14, 2023 | Marketing, News, Uncategorized
Support Food Trucks
Supporting food trucks is a must for the local community for several reasons. First and foremost, food trucks provide diverse cuisines not commonly found in traditional restaurants. This allows people to expand their palates and support these new entrepreneurs as they grow. The prices are lower due to overhead costs and are great quick-serve options compared to restaurants.
Locally Sourced Food
Additionally, most food trucks often source their products locally, supporting the local economy and promoting sustainable farming practices. K
Affordable Dining Options
Many customers frequently visit Food Trucks due to faster service and more affordable dining options, especially for those who can’t afford expensive restaurants. Remember, these are the customers who will support our full-service restaurants later on down the line.
Restaurants in the Making
Many food trucks have turned into Brick-and-mortar restaurants, which attract more customers and support local growth and commerce.
Supporting food trucks helps build a more vibrant community while promoting local sustainability and cultural exploration. Also, don’t miss the 2023 War of the Food Truck Wars on May 28th at the German-American Club.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Apr 1, 2022 | Featured, POS Systems, Restaurant Industry News, Services, Uncategorized
What are the differences and the best choice for your business?
Are you considering Surcharging or Cash Discounting? Accepting credit cards is a necessity in today’s world. However, credit card processing fees are taking a larger chuck out of your profit margin these days, especially with the ever-increasing popularity of rewards cards. Moreover, many of the merchant fees associated with rewards cards tend to increase year after year, due to the escalation of the “Cash Back” incentives the Card Issuers give their cardholders.
Who pays for the majority of these incentives? You the merchant. More and more merchants are now electing to add a surcharge or implement a cash discount program to combat these rising costs. This may be a great option for your company if done correctly. So, what is the difference between surcharging and cash discounting?
Surcharging
- Surcharge: Adding a small percentage to a credit card transaction to offset the merchant fees for processing the credit card payment. This surcharge is added to offset the processing fees associated with accepting credit cards. This fee only applies to credit cards and does not apply to other forms of payment such as debit cards, cash, or checks. Surcharging must also be done in a compliant manner and by a processor that follows the rules and ensures their merchants are compliant.
Cash Discounting
- Cash Discount: A reduction in price for customers who pay with cash or check instead of credit or debit cards. The discount is deducted from the advertised price at the time of sale. Another method of Cash Discounting is adding a small percentage to increase the price of the sale, known as a Non-Cash Adjustment.
Making this Win-Win Solution
Ask yourself, is this a good move for your business? Will there be pushback from the customers? The solution is simple. Giving your customers an option to pay with a lower-cost alternative is a win-win! They continue to receive great pricing if they pay with cash or check, and you are able to offset your processing fees. It is good for both parties when these programs are rolled out correctly with proper signage, employee training, and a good Point of Sale System, which calculates and ensures compliance.
Card Systems understands that every business is unique, which is why we take a consultative approach to find the right solution for your business and card processing needs. Whether you’re just getting started or have been in business for decades, Card Systems can offer endless benefits to help you run your business more efficiently and more profitably.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Feb 18, 2022 | Digital Menus, Marketing, News, News Alerts, Online Order, POS Systems
Join us for Great Food, Vendors, and Fun.
The weather is perfect, and with so much to do in Southwest Florida, now is the time to get out and enjoy the fun events around town. The ArtFest, Bike Night, Taste of the Cape, and Food Truck Wars started the season with breaking record crowds and revenues. This weekend, the Edison Festival of Lights and the much-anticipated return of our Greek Festival will be the focus of fun and good food.
Is your Business Pivoting with Technology and Online Ordering?
Most businesses have pivoted to curbside or pickup services for their restaurants or retail establishments. If not, they are less likely to be found, limiting their exposure and significantly reducing sales. Consider beefing up your site, adding online ordering, or implementing a third-party app to facilitate delivery. Remember to make in-store, pickup, or delivery orders easier for your business.
When are Delivery Apps Beneficial?
Third-party apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash have their place, as they give your restaurant great exposure to first-time diners and support their delivery needs. Just ensure you control your online pickup orders, or they can take a big bite of your profits. Also, take advantage of all the social platforms to market your events and link to your online ordering page. Use two buttons, one for online pickup and the other for the delivery app.
Digital Menus for Order Ahead
Our POS Software and POS Apps can create an easy-to-read menu with links for you to post everywhere. You are less likely to be found if you are not adopting this technology. These simple tools enable your customers to review your menu prior to ordering. This saves time, turns tables faster, and reduces your precious labor costs.
by Chandra | Feb 2, 2022 | News, PCI, POS Systems
Is Your Merchant and POS Provider QIR Certified?
Visa requires all merchants including Level 4 merchants (small businesses) to have their payment processing devices and systems installed by Qualified Integrator and Reseller (QIR). That means ensuring your EMV or chip reader and/or software used in your business is installed, maintained, and serviced by Qualified PCI Certified Technicians. Small businesses tend to be more susceptible to fraud thus more at risk. ACCORDING TO VISA, since EMV adoption, credit card theft has dropped about 76%.
The Difference Between EMV and the Old Magnetic Swipe Process
Although an EMV (or chip) reader can be slightly slower than the old card swipe, it is safer for the cardholder and the merchant. This is because the magnetic strip once carried all of your account information, and it was easy to copy. The new chip technology creates a unique code from with communicates that “this amount of money from this card was used for this transaction and this one only.” Thus removing the ability to reuse the information because of the unique code generated from the chip. Make sure you are using credit card terminals and or software systems that already have this technology-enabled.
Why do you need a QIR-certified Payment Provider to Install Your POS System?
The biggest reason is, securing your data. Only qualified professionals should install or troubleshoot your Point of Sale System or credit card terminals. This we where restaurants become vulnerable and open to malware. The POS goes down and someone does a quick fix or remotes in and leaves a firewall open or with an easy-to-hack password. Also, Skimmers can be placed within a machine and sold to unsuspecting merchants resulting in stolen information and potential fines.
The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has a certification for eligible resellers to give the business owner peace of mind. The customer’s information is secure when making transactions. In addition, the technicians installing and servicing your terminals are trained to do so with the most up-to-date standards, no matter the size of your company.
PCI DSS recommends always checking your current or new providers to ensure they maintain the highest security standards. We make sure our team at Card Systems is PCI certified. Even though filling out the form every year and doing a security scan can be painful at times with cameras and other connections in your business, it helps protect you and your customers. It is just common sense like closing your front door, locking it, and then checking it from time to time.
Search by country, region, or state on the PCI SSC Qualified Integrator & Reseller List.
by Chandra Spary-Kontinos | Jan 6, 2022 | News, Uncategorized
Employers’ Vaccine Mandate Advisory
Florida businesses have just experienced more red tape and costs. Ensure you read and discuss the following information with your HR Directors, managers, and any decision-makers within your company.
This advisory is focused on employers within the State of Florida and how Florida State law may or may not impact the Federal mandates. Fortunately, the law office of Boy Agnew Potanovic Miller (BAPM) has published an advisory (Information re: OSHA ETS (mailchi.mp) on the upcoming OSHA ETS vaccine mandates for private employers with 100+ employees.
They have also provided links for employers to download templates to create the required policy by OSHA ETS. These templates are free of charge and can be downloaded for editing purposes. Unfortunately, most businesses don’t have the time or resources to keep updated on all the regulatory mandates happening. Thank you, BAPM, for your guidance.
Please take time to utilize this resource to implement policies that comply with the new guidelines. This is especially important considering that none of us really know what the US Supreme Court will rule once the case is heard on January 7th.
If you need help downloading any of the files, please don’t hesitate to call eGuarded, LLC, at 855-348-2736. They will be happy to assist you.
