3 ways you can help solve gift giving problems & market your massage

Holiday season is upon us, are you ready?

It’s the first week in November.  In just 8 weeks, we will have celebrated Hanukkah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Eid al-Adha, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving in the US, and, of course, Festivus.  That’s a lot of celebrating going on around the world.

As part of the holidays, many cultures give gifts during their winter celebrations.  Many massage therapists offer gift certificates and this is the big selling season for them.  Are you prepared?

Start Early

My first holiday season, I made the mistake of waiting too long to start promoting my gift certificates.  I missed the critical period of time, right before Thanksgiving, when most people are putting together their gift lists.  By Black Friday, your clients will have already been inundated with ads and promotions from retailers.  If you wait until after Thanksgiving, you will be too late.

So, I encourage you to start putting together your holiday promotional campaigns NOW.  Get them in the mail and on Facebook the week before Thanksgiving.

This is a great opportunity to use Facebook

Does your business have a fan page?  If Gift certificates are a big part of your business strategy, the holidays are the perfect time to use Facebook.  You’ll be promoting gift certificates and spa packages to non-clients as well as current clients.  You can have weekly, or daily, specials – last minute gift solutions – gifts for ‘the person who has everything’ solutions.

Don’t make my mistake

Get your holiday campaigns done early.  Get the postage bought now.  Have everything ready to go by November 18^th.

Remember to help the Gift Certificate purchaser solve a problem.  Here are 3 solutions you can offer:

1. Massage gift certificates are eco friendly – very little packaging is used and redeemed gift certificates are recycled
2. Massage gift certificates will not add to clutter.  For those who are trying to reduce clutter, this is a gift that won’t add to the problem and doesn’t need to be dusted or vacuumed.
3. Massage gift certificates are a great gift for the hard to buy for person.  Have someone who already has everything they need?  How about buying an experience instead of stuff?

My favorite Promotion:

Many counties in northwest Washington promote “Waste Free Holidays” to encourage people to buy gifts that don’t fill up landfills.  This is a terrific opportunity for massage therapists to promote massage as a gift that is easy on the environment, that won’t clutter up a home, and that the receiver will truly use and enjoy.

What is your favorite holiday promotion?  Share your ideas and let’s help our clients with their gift giving dilemmas.

photo credit:  Kasia