If you’re launching a local gift certificate program, adoption is key to its success. You need people to buy. Getting a variety of merchants on board helps with that. Here are a few other ways to increase adoption early on:
Ways to Increase Local Gift Certificate Purchases
Pre-buy Them Knowing You’ll Use Them
A lot of people think that local gift certificates are for giving. There’s no reason you can’t buy them to cover future purchases. In fact, you should and so should your staff. If you eat out in your community or buy from participating vendors, don’t pay in check, cash, or charge. Lead with action and buy knowing they’ll be used.
Ask Your Board
Ask your board to do the same as above. If you have a very involved board, ask them to buy a minimum each year or quarter. They won’t go to waste and they can always be given as gifts.
Approach Big Business
Large companies give bonuses, gifts, and incentives all the time. If you can get them to support your local currency program it benefits the community in two ways. The big business now gets to be a part of supporting shopping local and your gift certificate program will thrive if they spend even a small portion of their gifting on local.
Contact Local Groups
Contact local groups that give out awards. These could be local church groups, veterans groups, or your local social club that often give out awards or host contests. Ask them if they’d be willing to give out local currency instead of their normal gift card.
Host Your Own Contest
In order to sell local currency, you need to remind people it’s out there. When you’re hosting contests or giving away awards, give local currency certificates. It supports local and helps you spread the word.
