Stores and suppliers are constantly reminding us that issues with supply chains mean this year the gift buying procrastinators among us may find themselves out of luck if they wait too long. In fact, according to a survey by CreditCards.com, 27% of shoppers are planned to do their holiday shopping before the end of September this year.
So, for owners of bars and restaurants, how can you prepare for holiday shoppers and ensure this season is as profitable as possible? Two words: gift cards.
According to research done by the National Restaurant Association 72% of people would find a restaurant gift card an appealing gift. Even better, 47% of adults they surveyed said they’re already planning to give someone a restaurant gift card. Now the only question is, how do you make sure your business is the one they’re getting a gift card for?
Some further research gives us helpful insight: 56% of people would like to receive a gift card to their favorite restaurant, and a further 22% would use a gift card to try out a new restaurant, which means your satisfied patrons and loyal regulars can be putting a bug in the ear of their loved ones to get them a gift card to their favorite spot (yours) or buying a gift card for their loved ones to go to a restaurant they know they’ll love (also yours). All that’s left is making sure they know that’s an option!
That’s where digital signage can come into play, as one of the most effective and easy ways to promote your holiday gift cards to customers. As we talked about in another blog 25% of restaurant customers are likely to be influenced by digital signage, and that number no doubt increases when we’re talking about gift giving that’s already on the brain. By making sure that you have digital signage automated to play throughout the week, you’re automatically boosting the chances that your gift cards are top of mind for guests when they go to do their shopping.
What else can you do to make that signage as effective as possible and sell more gift cards? Dayparting your digital signage is always a good strategy, regardless of the time of year. For example, you should have digital signage playing throughout the day, but increasing the frequency during dinner service can provide that spark of imagination for guests which links the excellent service they’re currently experiencing with the feeling they want their gift recipients to have. After all, one of the main benefits of giving gift cards is the ability to gift someone an experience rather than just a material item.
Another helpful tip is to make sure your gift card digital signage mentions where they can buy those cards. Specifically, make sure your guests know they can be purchased online. Sure, there’s a high likelihood they might purchase a gift card from you while they’re onsite, but research also shows that 62% of consumers plan to do their gift buying online. So why not make it easier to do so?
For more information on how to effectively use digital signage, check out our page here.
And for assistance making sure your gift card digital signage is automatically scheduled to play, feel free to contact us. We love to help!
