Christmas gift cards: the plan to start in November

01Why start in November

Mid-December, someone writes: “Can I buy a gift card? I need it by Friday.” You are in the middle of a treatment, no cards are printed, and you reply that evening. By then they have bought a gift somewhere else.

Gift cards are one of the few things you can sell in December without making your day longer. A card takes no calendar time until it is used. But it only works if everything is ready before the rush. So here is a plan by week, starting in November.

02What a gift card gives you in December and January

A gift card pays twice: the money arrives in December, and the visit happens later, usually when the calendar is emptier.

• New clients. The recipient often hasn't been to you. That's a new client brought by an existing one.
• Visits at quieter times. Many people use their card in January and February, when bookings usually dip.
• Fewer no-shows. The visit is already paid, so there is less reason to forget it.

The basics on amounts, validity and rules are in Gift cards: are they worth it and how to sell them online.

03Which amounts to offer

A card matching a real treatment sells better than a round number. People want to give “a manicure”, not “€35”. Look at your most popular treatments and choose 3 amounts:

04The plan, week by week

1. Early November: get the basics right. Choose amounts, validity and rules. If you will sell online, connect payments now, because connecting and checks can take several days.
2. Mid-November: buy one yourself. Walk the whole path on your phone: buy, get the email, check how the card looks.
3. Late November: first announcement. Tell regulars during their visit and post on Instagram.
4. First two weeks of December: remind. A story once a week with the link. At the till, ask: “Thinking about gifts yet?”
5. Last week: the last-minute gift. An emailed card is available even on the evening of 24 December, and that is your main argument.
6. January: remind recipients. A story saying “Got a gift card? Free times are here” helps fill quieter slots.

05What to write

You don't need to “sell” a gift card. It's enough to remind people it exists and make it easy to buy.

06Before you start: check

07How it works in RINDIQ

RINDIQ gift cards are available on every plan. To sell them online you need Stripe connected and gift cards activated for your account, so start in good time. The client picks an amount (their own from €15), can add a message, and pays by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The recipient gets the card by email, and the money goes to your Stripe account.

The card can be used when booking online or in person with you. You can also use your own card design, and adding ?gift=1 to your booking page address opens the purchase directly, which makes it handy for Instagram.

For putting your link everywhere clients look for you, see How to add your booking link to Google Maps and Instagram.