Massage gift certificate for charity auction

[Stephanie Wilson]

I have offered a free full body massage as an item in a charity auction for the local scout group. I need to give them some sort of certificate or voucher but am not sure how to begin.

Does anyone have a template they could email me or some suggestions on where to look.

Thank you in advance

Heather

 

[Nibbabledic]

You could try downloading a certificate template from Microsoft Office on-line, assuming you have Microsoft word. I had a quick look, there doesn't look to be a really ideal one but you might be able to make some adjustments to one of the ones there...

[link=http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/templates/CT101527321033.aspx?Origin=EC010227111033&CTT=6&av=ZWD]http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/templates/CT101527321033.aspx?Origin=EC010227111033&CTT=6&av=ZWD[/link]

Hope that helps!

 

[Tracy John]

Thanks for the link , but it's more the wording I was interested in.

I have a really bad mental blank about it!!!!!

 

[TechnoMule]

Sorry, I misunderstood! I haven't done anything like that before but have bought a gift voucher for a friend from a local health shop for a friend of mine. I am trying to remember what it said...!

It doesn't have to be complicated, you could say something like:
Congratulations on winning the auction! This voucher entitlesyouto a 1hour (or whatever!)full body massage by HeathercBell, (you could list your qualifications here).
At (will be doing the massage in their own home/at yours/a clinic somewhere?)
To book your massage - tel.....
Voucher expires..... (definitely set an expiry date, perhaps 12 months!)

I think to make the person feel comfortable about the massage as they might never have had one before, it would be good to explain the benefits of massage, either a separate flyer that you have already done or a little text box at the bottom saying what type of massage you do and the benefits eg
Holistic massage can aid relaxation, promote deep sleep, eliminate toxins, etc etc When they phone up to book you can run through your screening questions with them.

Sorry not being very good with my wording either, usually I am better!

 

[Joe Momma]

I would also cover yourself with a line which says something like 'treatment is subject to a health consultation'. Just in case the winner presents with a huge contra-indication.

(Maybe then you can exchange it for another more suitable treatment).

Lesley

 

[Danie]

Heathercbell,

Just wanted to say I think its a great idea donating your skills for charity and especially to a local community group. It has given me a little inspiration to do the same here for the school table quiz prizes. I wish you the very best with it and I am sure the "winner" will enjoy a fabulous treatment".

Good luck, wishes and blessings,

Rachel.

 

[Emerald]

For donated gift certificates, I use a much shorter expiry date. For purchased certificates I use 6months, but I let people use it past the expiry date. For donated ones, I usually use 3months, though I can be flexible with that expiry date too. Donated gift certificates are a bit like a promotional offer, be more generous than "a free half hour for the month of November", but not "feel free to use this at any time over the next 5 years".

I also include something like "voucher forfeited if less than 24hr of cancellation given", "not redeemable for cash", and for donated ones you might consider "not transferable" even though you probably won't be told who won it, the organisers may have records, if you let someone pass it on, you have even less control over who uses the certificate.

This certificate entitles the bearer to a 60min massage at business name
From charity name
expiry in 3 months
authorised by xxxxxx certificate number
contact and address details for business
voucher forfeited if less than 24hr of cancellation given
not redeemable for cash
not transferable
treatment subject to health consultation (that's a good idea from Aromababe)

For certificate number I'd put something that indicated expiry and what the treatment is like 207M60 ie expiring at the end of Feb 07 for a massage 60 minutes, that way you don't have to cross reference with your records to check expiry date and what the treatment is. If you to home visits and clinic appointments, include H or C in the number, just put whatever info you want to know. So many times people with ring up with "I want to use my gift certificate" "what is it for?" "a massage" "how long?" "it's for a massage." "yes, but how many minutes?" "it's for a massage"etc etc When I could just ask "what is the reference number?" "906CS90" "Your certificate is expired, but that's OK, when would you like to have your 90min hot stone massage at the clinic?"Later I can go reference who purchased or I donated 906CS90A to.

 

[xaohmptq]

Personally, I don't put too many restrictions on the Gift Certificate, for the simple reason that I would much prefer that person (or even someone else nominated by the winner) to actually come and have my treatment and hopefully, become a regular client.

It doesn't always happen. but at least then there's a good chance that you will also benefit from your own generosity.

Lesley

 

[Naomi Irwin]

I sell a lot of gift certificates (I rank well on the web and actually sell a lot to people outside the area for their friends in my area, I've sold gift certificates to people in Asia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, UK, USA, Australia, South Africa, don't think there have been any from South America.... plus I sell quite a few locally, to people that are clients and not). Anyway, I've found that most people that are given a gift certificate do not become regular clients - many of the certificates are not even used, those that are used usually won't be prepared to spend money on themselves for a massage. So often someone will tell me how stressed their friend is and they need a massage, get a gift certificate, friend finally rings up the day before the certificate expires, because they are so busy, they get an appointment, (past the expiry date) they come in, say it was great at the end, I ask if they'd like another appointment and they say they are so busy and they'll get back to me. They never do. Almost everyone that pays for their own massage does rebook, and the few that don't usually do get back to me, even if it is a year later. Gift certificates are almost always the only time I see gift certificate recipients.

Donated certificates are even less likely to be used, and when they had a longer expiry date, I could almost see how they had been handed around as a present, particularly before I included the "from" line. The "this entitles the holder to a 60min massage expires <1 year later>" certificates just seemed to be handed around until it got so close to the expiry date it couldn't be handed on anymore, I even had a couple of "you've got a very short expiry date on your gift certificate" comments, on closer questioning they'd been given the certificate a month before the expiry date as a birthday present, or "just because". Talk about recycling presents! I can't recall any donated gift certificate that has been used that has rebooked. Relatively short expiry date and "not transferable" cuts that recycling out.

 

[Your.Aunt]

Thank you so much for all your replies.

I know quite a few of the people organising and attending the auction, it is very 'local' so feel quite safe with them.

Thanks again

Heather

 

[ccnofkzv]

this gift voucher discussion is really interesting and I thought I'd share my learning experience !
A friend asked me to make a gift certificate at 8pm last xmas eve! for a relative she'd forgotten to buy a pressie for.
I wanted it to look like a pressie so I went to alot of trouble making it look beautiful all tied up with ribbon etc and my friend was delighted and said her relative was delighted.
well the relative never booked the treatment andi felt so embarrassed that my firend had paid for 2 treatments that i eventually gave her 2 extra treatments without charging her to make up for the no show relative fee
But finally accepting that this is business i am trying to run I have learned from that experience and now have gift cards (vistaprint) on which i write a valid to date of 6 months and if they don't show well thats tough I don't any longer offer the treatment to the purchaser