Gift cards are pretty common these days as more than 40% of consumers in the United States said they prefer to buy gift cards for a holiday gift due to how convenient they are.
Businesses should leverage this popularity and incorporate them into their marketing strategy. One effective method is to send gift cards via text.
In this blog, learn everything about digital gift cards and how to send gift cards via text.
Recap: What are gift cards?
A gift card is a prepaid card that holds a designated sum of money for users to spend on their purchases. Individuals opt for gift cards when they want to give a gift but prefer to offer a monetary option for the recipient to use as they please. Some gift cards also allow for cash withdrawals.
Gift cards are specifically designed for special purposes, such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, women’s day, etc and you can assign your wish amount. This process becomes simple with the use of the best mobile gift card solutions. You can understand this with the image below of one of Amazon’s gift cards.
Why send gift cards to customers?
Sending gift cards to customers is a smart move for a few simple reasons:
- Flexibility customers love: Customers love gift cards because it gives them the power of choice. Gift cards enable them to use gift cards as per their liking. For example, when you give customers a specific coupon for some fixed purpose, there might be chances that your customers may not like it. Gift cards tackle this problem.
- Customers spend more: One of the biggest advantages of gift cards is that customers tend to spend more while redeeming their gift cards. 61% of consumers spend extra money beyond the gift card amount, averaging around $31.75 more. So, it’s not just a gift; it’s also a boost for your sales.
- Quick redemption: No one hates extra money in their pocket. Gift cards are that extra money in your customers’ pockets that they will not be able to overlook for a long period. Customers use gift cards pretty quickly after receiving them.
Why should you send gift cards via text?
To send gift cards via text has become a popular choice due to its many benefits:
1. Wider audience
When you send gift cards via text, it helps you reach a wider audience. Approximately 5 billion people send and receive SMS messages every day and over 6 billion have access to phones. This statistic is enough to know that almost everyone nowadays uses smartphones and text messaging. Gift cards when sent over the text ensure it is received by your customers.
2. More engagement
Text messages have a higher open rate, with over 98% of text messages being opened and read within three minutes of being sent.
This means when someone receives a gift card via SMS, they are more likely to engage with it immediately. This means that your customers will redeem the gift card, visit your online store, or have a positive experience.
3. High redemption rate
Gift cards sent via SMS often have a higher redemption rate compared to traditional methods. This is due to the reason of instant deliverability of text messages to your customers. Customers love gift cards for their monetary value and hence tend to use them quickly.
4. Increased brand awareness
Every time someone receives a gift card from your brand via SMS, it reinforces your brand in their mind, increasing customer retention. Customers start associating your brand with a positive experience whether it is a thank-you gift or a promotional gift from your businesses.
When to send gift cards via text?
Text message gift cards work best in situations where you want to express gratitude, celebrate special occasions, mitigate inconveniences, or attract new customers. Here are some of the examples:
1. Thank you gifts
You can send gift cards via text immediately after a customer completes his purchase. This gesture will make them feel appreciated and encourage them to come back as they will remember for you this appreciation.
2. Reviews and testimonials
Encourage review sharing by offering them gift cards in exchange. This reward will enable more and more customers not to skip the review writing process. Also for consistent review writers and one who shares positive reviews, you can also offer add-on gift cards to show your appreciation.
3. Special occasions
Remember your customers’ special occasions and celebrate them with your customers by sending them a gift card via text. This personal touch leaves your customers feeling valued and increases brand loyalty. For instance, this year’s Black Friday SMS campaigns could include special gift cards or challenges to win amazing gift card deals.
Read next: Black Friday SMS Marketing: Schedule, Timing, & Templates
4. Shipping delays or project hold-ups
If there are any delays in shipping orders or project completion, sending clients a gift card via text can help soften the impact. They can use the gift card right away, which can alleviate any frustration caused by the delay.
5. Attracting new customers
To attract new customers, consider sending gift cards for your business via text as an incentive. You can offer them as part of a trial sign-up or as a way for potential customers to experience your products or services.
How to send gift cards via text?
To send SMS gift card campaigns using Txtcart, you have two options: sending a gift card link or sending a gift card image.
Send a gift card link via text
- Log in to your TxtCart dashboard and navigate to the campaigns section.
- Choose SMS as the message type.
- Select the link icon in the message box and type your message, including the link to your gift card.
- Your message could look like this: “Thank you for shopping with us! Here’s a $50 gift card to use: [LINK TO GIFT CARD].”
- Recipients can click on the link in the gift cards SMS examples to access their gift card.
Send a gift card image via text
- Log in to your Txtcart account and go to the campaigns section.
- Choose SMS as the message type.
- Select the image icon in the message box and upload the image of your gift card.
- Make sure to also include a link to direct clients to their gift card. You can paste the URL into the message box along with your message and image.
- Your message might look like this: “Here’s your $50 gift card! [IMAGE OF GIFT CARD] Redeem here: [LINK TO GIFT CARD].”
Recommended read: SMS Marketing Trends 2024 – How Text Marketing Is Changing With the Times
Conclusion
To send gift cards via text, the right timing is very important for effectiveness. So you need to choose the best segmentation and automation SMS marketing tool for your business.
TxtCart is built exclusively for eCommerce businesses and therefore has all the dynamic features and capabilities that you need for improved SMS marketing automation.
Install the TxtCart app today and reach out to our team of experts for better results.
