As a tour operator or activity provider, many of your customers find your business from your primary marketing channels. 

But it can help to leverage other methods of driving bookings, especially during the holidays when demand is high. One of the better ways to ensure you get that traffic is by creating a dedicated page on your website for gift cards, promotions, and similar discounts and deals. 

This allows you to attract new customers, maintain the interest of repeat customers, and unlock the niche market of those looking for penny-saving deals or last-minute gifts.

Why You Need a Gift Card or Special Offers Page

Odds are your website is already where many of your bookings occur. If that’s the case, you already have online customers that would benefit from an extra push to get them to book — like a gift card and special offers page. 

And if you’re hoping to drive more traffic to your website versus taking bookings in person, highlighting your gift cards and seasonal deals is a great way to encourage online bookings.

In either scenario, having a separate page that targets gift cards means a new landing location that you can use to drive future bookings. It makes your promotions easier to find because you can title that page “Special Offers,” “Promotions,” or “Discount Tours” and hook in readers looking for cost-saving advantages.

In addition, you get a domain-level link you can use for advertising your promotions on social media or with affiliate programs that drive sales of gift cards and promotions in your off-season. 

There are all kinds of unique touring companies, like clam bakes off Nantucket or railcar rides in California, that rely on selling out 2-3 months before the season.

Plus, it’s like having extra money in your pocket for less output.

Around 61% of consumers tend to spend more than the total value of their gift cards (Capital One).

So, if you have a gift card shop, you’re increasing customer satisfaction, especially around holidays or special events.

Gift Cards: A Constant Revenue Stream

Gift cards offer your business a year-round value and consistent revenue stream. It means you can sell tickets to your annual fair when you’re still six months out and need that revenue to put on the event.

Pro Tip: Start with the gift card setup on your FareHarbor Dashboard that makes this whole process much more manageable. After filling out a form with your gift card information, the FareHarbor team will get your gift card item and up and running. 

The trick is to make sure your gift cards are:

• Always Available: Regular gift cards (like the kind you purchase at Target or Walmart) are always available for purchase — meaning that is what your customer will expect.
• Fully Redeemable: The gift cards you sell should be redeemed at any time on any activity you offer, unless you’re selling a specific gift card that only works for a given time or set of activities. 
• Seasonal: Do you want a surefire way to boost gift card sales? Make them promotional during holiday seasons, local events, or wrapped into cost-savings like a $50 gift card for $40 during a two-day sale.

Special Offers: A Window to Exclusive Deals

Special offers are a little different than gift cards because there is often more emotion and excitement surrounding the promotion.

Think of being able to take your family to an indoor skydiving facility for a three for one deal. Something about that entices your interest and makes you act because you can almost physically feel the offer motivating you further.

Try using special offers like:

• Group Discounts: Local schools and organizations will be thrilled if you promote bookings for larger groups or tiered savings based on the size of the party. Just be sure you clearly outline the details, so you don’t paint yourself into a corner.
• Holiday Promotions: Just like gift cards, leverage holidays to the max. Don’t forget that a lot of customers will purchase your tour or activity as a “last minute” gift because it doesn’t require a physical item they have to wrap on Christmas Eve.
• Military/Veteran Discounts: Include clear guidelines stating whether this can be applied in-person or online, and whether they need to present a military ID, for example.

Best Practices for a Gift Cards & Special Offers Page

1. Page Structure

This must be a sales page. You need to construct a funnel based on the content you are providing. Decide if you want to place gift cards and deals on the same page or separate ones.

2. Engaging Copy

It’s time to dust off the thesaurus and use compelling language that directly leads to action. You want to hit your customers’ pain points in a way that compels them to make a purchase. This could be:

• “The perfect gift you can’t find in any store”
• “Memories that last forever”
• “Limited time offer”

3. Search Optimization

Google is your friend, even with this promotions page. Maintain proper SEO tactics and insert strategic keywords for your industry, local area, and niche market. All you’re doing now is using additional phrases like [name of business], [activity type] + “deals” or “discounts.”

4. Transparent Details

Specials can get confusing sometimes, and customers are always looking for a good deal but don’t want to wade through complex regulations. Make your rules clear as day. The “fine print” should be simple, easy to understand, and transparent on your website so you don’t have to deal with too many questions or customer satisfaction issues down the road.

Pro Tip: FareHarbor has a gift card design feature that will highlight the purpose of the card. That way, you can match the gift card purpose with visuals that represent Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and more.

An example of special offers in action.

5. Limited Time Offers

People love a limited time offer. You’re creating FOMO (fear of missing out) by having time limits on great deals that will directly impact your customers. 

Be sure to put these promotions at the top of the page, and anywhere else you think they may stand out, like social media, email blasts, or newsletters.

6. Easy Navigation

When creating a new page, make sure it is discoverable through your navigation menu. Include this new page on the main menu to get prime visibility and accessibility. You may even want to consider adding a highlighted banner across the top of your website that viewers will find first when they visit.

7. Effective Promotion

You are going to promote your gift cards on social media. It only makes sense. However, when you add a link for purchasing those cards or taking advantage of a promotion, make sure to link back to the correct page.

If you link to your general homepage or booking flow from an ad about gift cards, you’re creating extra steps (and potential confusion) for your consumers. Keep it simple and link back to where they can select the promo or card and make a purchase.

Promotions and gift cards open up new avenues to deepen customer relationships, establish brand loyalty, and drive consistent revenue all year round. Centralize these offers on a dedicated web page and watch your customer engagement skyrocket.

If you want to learn more about gift cards and how to use them for the holiday season, check out this webinar.