How are your XMAS GIFT CERTIFICATE REDEMPTIONS?

[i. jones]

I kept a spreadsheet with my Xmas GC sales and as of today 39 have been redeemed out of 89. That's less than 50%! It would be nice if they came in now when it's slower - instead of calling me 2 days before Christmas.

How are YOUR redemptions? Are you doing any reminders for ppl to use their GC's?

I put a sticker on my Xmas GC telling them if they use the GC during their b-day month, they will get a paraffin dip or a mini hot stone massage - to spread them out more evenly. Not too many came in.

I really don't want to do 6 massages a day the week before Xmas and I wanted to take the week after Xmas off.

 

[jimmy_mankoo_86]

Mine are doing better this year than last. I still have a few out there, but I really had a ton come in very quickly, thank goodness!

That said....set your schedule. When they call and ask for an opening, check your schedule. You don't have to be a slave to last minute calls. I would let them *schedule* their massage at the last minute, but they may have to wait a week or three or four to get in.

 

[Meghan M]

How are your XMAS GIFT CERTIFICATE REDEMPTIONS?

I kept a spreadsheet with my Xmas GC sales and as of today 39 have been redeemed out of 89. That's less than 50%! It would be nice if they came in now when it's slower - instead of calling me 2 days before Christmas.

How are YOUR redemptions? Are you doing any reminders for ppl to use their GC's?

I put a sticker on my Xmas GC telling them if they use the GC during their b-day month, they will get a paraffin dip or a mini hot stone massage - to spread them out more evenly. Not too many came in.

I really don't want to do 6 massages a day the week before Xmas and I wanted to take the week after Xmas off.

Maybe this year at Xmas time you should include a note with all gc sales that states something along the lines of they should call at least X amount of weeks before it expires to ensure your availablitly to accomoadate them, and you are not responsible if you can't get them in last minute?

Back to the question - I didn't sell too many at Christmas, and I don't think I've seen any of those people come in. But the ones that got gcs for mothers day have almost all cashed them in!

 

[Mrs.C]

Mu Mother's Day GC's are doing better, too.
I usually put a piece of paper with the GC explaining the hours and the busy times but in my expereince ppl will get a GC and shove it in a drawer so theyr don't revisit the info. Then they frantically call me on Xmas Eve b/c their GC just expired.

 

[RosaMario]

At Christmas, I give a slightly longer expiration date, so I'm not inundated right at the Holidays. So, if they purchase the GC in December '08, it will expire, say, February '10. February's a really slow month for me anyway.

 

[Beebs]

Where I work in Evanston, the GCs have no expiration dates (I think because in Illinois, it's illegal for expiration dates on GCs).

Like it was mentioned above, simply because clients decide to redeem their GCs in the two weeks prior to XMas, it doesn't mean you have to overwork yourself. The old saying 'Lack of planning on your part does not make an emergency for me' (or something like that) comes to mind.

You might want to send out a little note maybe in October/November as a reminder to plan ahead to get on your schedule.

 

[nosa]

According to our Oregon Board of Massage, a law was passed here in Oregon this last year making it illegal, with a few exceptions, to put an expiration date on a gift certificate. It's sort of a pain for small businesses. As it is, I get two or three requests a year to use GC's that are several years old (I always honor them).

No one EVER buys me massage gift certificates! (Whatzup with that? Do other MT's ever get massage gc from family?) If I got a massage gift certificate, I'd hop to and schedule asap! I can't imagine waiting a year to use one, but that's what happens with the majority of them.

One of my friends puts alternative wording on hers, something to the effect of "Please redeem this Gift Certificate by............" She doesn't say she won't honor them, but it does give a gentle suggestion.

Gift Certificate people are most likely to be the ones that call me at 10:30 am, having taken the day off, and want an appointment later in the day. And usually it expires by the end of the week.
saVANNh

 

[exxed]

I just sat on a GC my daughter bought me for Christmas. 5 months to redeem it. :

But I agree, don't stress out, I just tell them to get the appointment in the books and of course mention the cancellation policy.

I do have a statement on the back of the certificates that states the policy and also suggests at least a 2 week notice for an appointment time.

 

[mamaw2305]

In MN, gift cards can't have expiration dates. The majority of our winter holiday sales come back in Jan and Feb, with the rest trickling in here and there through the rest of the year. Now and then we get a gift card that was purchased over two years ago, but that's pretty rare.

 

[Akshay]

A thought: Since it's coming up on the holidays, maybe you could send the GC hold outs a special note with these ideas:

1. You're probably waiting for the right time to use the gift of health a loved one gave you last Christmas
2. The approaching holidays and all their business make a great time to treat yourself. (eg: Think how great it would be to have a massage right after Thanksgiving weekend)
3. Keep in mind my bookings run about two weeks out during the height of the holiday season and I'm taking the week before Christmas off.
4. I want to be sure that you get the best bodywork possible in the most relaxed situation, give me a call and book the right time for yourself today.

It's always good to remind people that you're waiting, to give people a good reason to book (# 2), hint at busy-ness in a caring way and then sum up with a call to action.

If you have brochures, include one in your note. This removes a lot of unknowns for someone not used to massage ... or used to you.

Perhaps consider telling people that if they can't use this gift of health they can pass it on to someone who can. If they're never going to use it, they can at least send an other potential client your way.

 

[Metallica]

I usually write on the Gift Certificate "My schedule of available openings fills fast. Please call before X-a-date so we can work you in at a time convenient for you."

:-D

Angela

 

[familyguy]

Our spa GC sales have been redeemed at an alarming rate.

90% +!

I suppose that is a compliment, but not the cash flow bonanza GCs are supposed to be.

 

[The Closer.]

Our spa GC sales have been redeemed at an alarming rate.

90% +!

I suppose that is a compliment, but not the cash flow bonanza GCs are supposed to be.

R&R - I don't understand the last part of your comment; could you elaborate?

 

[Lloyd J]

GC redemptions typically run 50% or less.

If you state allows expirations, then the 50% that is unredeemed goes straight to your bottom line - pure profit at the end of the year and cashflow right away.

If you can't do expirations, you at least get the cashflow benefit of having 1/2 of the sales in your bank account that you don't have to pay to your techs for many months.

When our Gift Cards are redeemed at such a high rate, it is compliment that people really want to use them right away and not just stuff them in a drawer. This year we were the favorite gift for end-of-year teacher appreciation gifts, but the week after school ended we were invaded with teachers wanting to redeem their gifts.

The downside is, financially it is about the same as a same-day sale since we don't get the benefit of having 100% of their money in our bank account for every long.

Ideally, each month you sell more GCs than you have redeemed, so you are constantly growing our cashflow benefit. When you redeem more than you sell you are "upside down" in GC sales, which puts a hurting on your bank balance (but not your profitability)

 

[tndv]

What R&R said. Some people will never redeem those GCs, so you've basically been paid for nothing. That's a good profit margin.

As a business owner, I don't mind if people take their time redeeming a GC. Having the extra cash around is kinda nice. :grin:

But as a therapist, I always want them to show up so I can work on those painful problems! :

 

[:) smile (:]

A question occurs (okay, several questions):

Do you (the MT Universe) find that your GC recipients are already clients? Or new (potential) clients?

Do you think most of the recipients say, "For my birthday, I want a GC from [Massage by Carleen]" and give them your contact info?

Or do you get clients buying GCs from you and giving them to people that they feel would benefit from you but they haven't been to see you before?

 

[Kelly B]

Most of my gift certificate sales are for people who haven't been to me before, which is great! Many of them will buy a gift certificate for someone else, having benefited from the gift so much themselves. Even better!

***

A related topic: I know that unredeemed gift certificates mean getting paid for doing nothing. To most people this is a good thing. I am trying to see it that way. However, when I look at my gift certificate log and see the number of unredeemed certificates, I feel like I'm in some kind of debt. I owe these people massages. Lots of them. I understand this is kind of a wacky way to look at it, but I can't seem to shift how I feel about it. Anyone else?

 

[kyliexkryptonite]

...when I look at my gift certificate log and see the number of unredeemed certificates, I feel like I'm in some kind of debt. I owe these people massages. Lots of them. I understand this is kind of a wacky way to look at it, but I can't seem to shift how I feel about it. Anyone else?

yes, me :iagree:

In trying to negate the guilt of having been paid for something that hasn't been received, I have decided that it is the Universe balancing out the no-shows ~ or ~ the Universe paying for the times that I've found someone in pain and helped to relieve it without being asked.

I'm not saying that I keep a checklist, "Ok, here's a freebie for GC #9019", I don't view it as paying-forward, or anything like that - it's just a way that I have come to terms with the guilt.

 

[Hedwig Loves Pigwidgeon]

In trying to negate the guilt of having been paid for something that hasn't been received,

Do you feel guilty about giving someone a sweater they never wear or a serving tray they never use?

People give gifts because it makes THEM feel good for giving. Same is true for Massage GCs

 

[Piggy]

Do you (the MT Universe) find that your GC recipients are already clients? Or new (potential) clients?

The majority of our GC redemptions are people who have been to us before, but we get a good number of first-timers too.

Do you think most of the recipients say, "For my birthday, I want a GC from [Massage by Carleen]" and give them your contact info?

Our returning people usually get massage GCs from family/friends that know how much they love coming to us for massage. When we offer package specials, our regulars take advaneforum.xxxe so they can save $ over the long run.

Or do you get clients buying GCs from you and giving them to people that they feel would benefit from you but they haven't been to see you before?

We see a lot of this too. Many of our regulars started by redeeming a GC received as a gift.[/b]