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Morticia

Morticia

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Do you send out a 'holiday' newsletter? Do you use it to sell gift cards or maybe a discount for the upcoming year? (Book now and save 10%!) Does this work? When do you send the email - right around 'black Friday' or closer to Christmas?
I have a feature on my booking engine to offer coupon discounts limited to making the reservation between certain dates. I thought I might give it a try this year in December. "Make your reservation for next year any time during Dec and take x% off."
I do know that I use % off coupons in emails if they hit right when I want to buy something. Otherwise I delete them unread because I know what they are. (ex- I always send brownies to the grandkids for their birthdays. I wait for the discount coupon even tho I'm sending the brownies anyway. Because their birthdays are around holidays, I always get the coupon right when I need it.)
 
As a customer, I always respond to these kinds of offers.
My grown children are all happy to get gc's to places ... for dinner, a night or two away ... right around Thanksgiving is good timing for me. I am always looking for BLACK FRIDAY and CYBER MONDAY offers. Do you know I routinely get gc's for each of my coupled kids to restaurants (have done so for the past 4 years) and I never get an email offer ... why? Someone is missing out on an opportunity to sell more to me.
As an innkeeper, we had to close in winter so I loved making a sale in December. Offering an incentive sounds like a great idea.
And I don't bother with gift cards (as a customer) ... I want an email to go to the recipient with a copy to me. So much easier for them. There is a gift card option, but I choose the email option. Either I can print out something or the recipient can. So I would offer that option if I were you.
I used to think ... gift card? blech ... not personal enough ... but not anymore ... I especially love getting gift cards to Star bucks!
 
seashanty said:
As a customer, I always respond to these kinds of offers.
My grown children are all happy to get gc's to places ... for dinner, a night or two away ... right around Thanksgiving is good timing for me. I am always looking for BLACK FRIDAY and CYBER MONDAY offers. Do you know I routinely get gc's for each of my coupled kids to restaurants (have done so for the past 4 years) and I never get an email offer ... why? Someone is missing out on an opportunity to sell more to me.
As an innkeeper, we had to close in winter so I loved making a sale in December. Offering an incentive sounds like a great idea.
And I don't bother with gift cards (as a customer) ... I want an email to go to the recipient with a copy to me. So much easier for them. There is a gift card option, but I choose the email option. Either I can print out something or the recipient can. So I would offer that option if I were you.
I used to think ... gift card? blech ... not personal enough ... but not anymore ... I especially love getting gift cards to Star bucks!.
Click to expand...
You would want to send your own email with the gift info in it, or have me send an email after you purchase online or via phone?
I'm just thinking that my gc purchase isn't working online right now. I'll have to ask about that. I don't mind fielding calls but it's easier if there's a link you can click right away.
The PO's used to have printable gcs online that you were supposed to pay for and then they would be validated. We got calls for a few that were simply printed out and never paid d for. I couldn't understand the theory behind the print, then pay philosophy.
 
I create my GCs specifically to and from. I create & send an e-mail to the giver for their approval and then I print on card stock and send to the giver (or if they wish - to the receiver) AFTER I receive a check for payment. I think I might read up on the invoice system of Square if they want to charge - but prefer to do the check so I lose nothing on the deal other than a stamp. My GCs cannot be duplicated since each is different.
A couple years ago the giver said it was to be from The Gang. I did the Little Rascals "Our Gang" GC. The s-i-l loved it but the lady did not (joint gift) so I changed it to The Gang of Angels and everyone was happy.
 
gillumhouse said:
I create my GCs specifically to and from. I create & send an e-mail to the giver for their approval and then I print on card stock and send to the giver (or if they wish - to the receiver) AFTER I receive a check for payment. I think I might read up on the invoice system of Square if they want to charge - but prefer to do the check so I lose nothing on the deal other than a stamp. My GCs cannot be duplicated since each is different.
A couple years ago the giver said it was to be from The Gang. I did the Little Rascals "Our Gang" GC. The s-i-l loved it but the lady did not (joint gift) so I changed it to The Gang of Angels and everyone was happy..
Click to expand...
Same here but not so creative and we accept cc for payment so the gc can get on its way sooner.
 
Payment at the time of purchase.
I used to mail out a gift card tied up in a bow along with a rack card to be given by the giver to the recipient. I used a friend's laminator because I didn't want to buy 250 plastic cards which was the quantity for buying them online - plus they all had to be the same amount. It was little tricky with all different room rates ... and I had to say 'this gc will be good for these rooms'. Someone would buy a gc for a room but the recipient would want to book the nicest (most expensive) room and not want to pay the difference. So then I had just one available gc price - worked for my two nicest rooms.
Sometimes I buy gc's online and they send me a little gift box with the card inside looks quite impressive and they charge extra. I got each of 'my girls' a gift card to a spa. Little gold boxes with self ribbons on them. Gave them for Christmas. I think the fee was $5 extra each for the trimmings.
 
seashanty said:
Payment at the time of purchase.
I used to mail out a gift card tied up in a bow along with a rack card to be given by the giver to the recipient. I used a friend's laminator because I didn't want to buy 250 plastic cards which was the quantity for buying them online - plus they all had to be the same amount. It was little tricky with all different room rates ... and I had to say 'this gc will be good for these rooms'. Someone would buy a gc for a room but the recipient would want to book the nicest (most expensive) room and not want to pay the difference. So then I had just one available gc price - worked for my two nicest rooms.
Sometimes I buy gc's online and they send me a little gift box with the card inside looks quite impressive and they charge extra. I got each of 'my girls' a gift card to a spa. Little gold boxes with self ribbons on them. Gave them for Christmas. I think the fee was $5 extra each for the trimmings..
Click to expand...
I stopped doing the 'this room' gift cards and went to dollar amounts. Just had one show up for a package that was $100 different from what the gift was for and the room. They knew that and were ok paying the diff.
But, otherwise, we were getting the hairy eyeball when the guest showed up 5 years later and the price had gone up $50 over the value of the GC.
 
It's a strange thing, Morticia. If you have a gc for a restaurant, you have a $ amount and you look at the menu and see the prices. You don't argue that you should be able to get more.
Anyway, that's why I went with the two rooms (subject to availability etc) instead of a dollar amount that the recipient would see ... I think I added a perk to round it up
 
Our gift cards are for the price of our best room rate in summer.... It says one night stay. That's that.
 
Duff2014 said:
Our gift cards are for the price of our best room rate in summer.... It says one night stay. That's that..
Click to expand...
I wish I could do this, but most of the time we have a 2 night minimum. But we also have holiday weekends when the price climbs and two special events during the year where in once case room prices almost double. I can't do that. Also, when it doesn't have a dollar amount, it can expire (unlike dollar amounts that never expire.)
 
notice I contradicted myself in my post. said I don't bother with the cards ... and pretty packaging ... but sometimes I do!
 
Generic said:
Duff2014 said:
Our gift cards are for the price of our best room rate in summer.... It says one night stay. That's that..
Click to expand...
I wish I could do this, but most of the time we have a 2 night minimum. But we also have holiday weekends when the price climbs and two special events during the year where in once case room prices almost double. I can't do that. Also, when it doesn't have a dollar amount, it can expire (unlike dollar amounts that never expire.)
.
Click to expand...
***"Gift cards cannot be used on these dates, these holidays, and these events...."
 
Duff2014 said:
Generic said:
Duff2014 said:
Our gift cards are for the price of our best room rate in summer.... It says one night stay. That's that..
Click to expand...
I wish I could do this, but most of the time we have a 2 night minimum. But we also have holiday weekends when the price climbs and two special events during the year where in once case room prices almost double. I can't do that. Also, when it doesn't have a dollar amount, it can expire (unlike dollar amounts that never expire.)
.
Click to expand...
***"Gift cards cannot be used on these dates, these holidays, and these events...."
.
Click to expand...
Duff2014 said:
***"Gift cards cannot be used on these dates, these holidays, and these events...."
Click to expand...
If they're for a specific room, if it's for a cash amount then I don't think you can put limits.
 

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