'Tis the Season

To sell gift cards and certificates. Judging by my email inbox, many of you are doing just that. Judging from phone calls I've received, many of you are doing ONLY that.

Here are 5 Tips to Selling Gift Cards to get you started, but you should be sure to integrate into your existing LSM plan as well.

Sell to existing customers.
Just like you can't sell catering to someone who has never tried your food, you won't sell many gift cards to people other than your existing customers. That's OK though. Gift cards and certificates give you the opportunity to create evangelists who spread positive word of mouth.

Sell small
You might sell the occasional $25 card to a regular customer, but if this is a convenience purchase you're more likely to sell 3-$10 cards to last minute shoppers or those who have a lot of peripheral (read: "not family") gifts to buy. Answer the phone: "Thanks for calling. We have gift cards in every denomination for everyone you forgot to buy for."

Sell big
I can think of several reasons why each of the following would be good prospects for gift cards / certificates:
Pharm reps
Real estate agents
Financial planners
Insurance agents
HR, large retail store managers, small business owners, hotel managers
Past catering clients

Use your fishbowl
"Drop your business card here to win a $20 Gift Card!" It's possible that you won't sell even one more gift card using this tactic. But it's also very likely that you increase your email list and find several more catering leads. Use gift cards to get what you really want: Raving Fans.

Email - 3's a charm
Send three emails to your customer base. The first announcing gift cards and all of the people who'd be happy to get one (mailman, barber, UPS driver, son's teacher, daughter's coach, next door neighbor). The second message (sent in November) provides an incentive for acting NOW! Free sandwich with $25 purchase, for example. The third message is sent mid-December (10th - 15th) and offers "last minute shopping for those you forgot".

The holidays offer some unique sales and marketing opportunities, as well as the chance to develop your staff and solidify your foundation for growth. You should create a 45 - 60 day plan just for the holidays to keep you focused and in control.