7 summer gift card campaign ideas to help ease the summer slump

School’s out, and the hot weather pulls many people outdoors–to travel, explore, and look for deals. Beach towns, tourist locales, and warm-weather businesses often see an uptick in revenue that can sustain them throughout the year. For other industries, however, summer can mean a sales slowdown. Sustaining sales and revenue throughout the year means understanding seasonality and what your business can do to manage it.

The seasonality effect

Seasonality, or recurring patterns in human behavior, economics, and even weather, can have a significant effect on how and when your customers spend their money. For instance, the winter holiday season can bring in an average of just under 20% of annual retail sales for many stores–much more for some retailers. Summer, in turn, can be a boon to businesses like ice cream shops, lawn care services, or tourist sites that thrive in warm weather. For businesses that typically experience a summer slowdown, summer can bring an unanticipated opportunity–an opportunity to create seasonality.

Create seasonality with gift cards

Your business’ seasonality depends on lots of factors–from the products or services your business sells and the market’s effect on your industry to the location of your business and even local weather patterns. That means it can differ–sometimes wildly–from other businesses even in your industry. An ice cream shop may thrive in a hot, beachside summer, but struggle in a mild mountain summer. A soup shop may fare well in the cold winter of a snowy mountain town, but slump in the mild winter of a beachside resort.

Surprisingly, the summer slump is an often overlooked opportunity for many retail businesses to launch new products, run promos, and create seasonal milestones that could build business. And gift card campaigns can help just about any retail business extend seasonal revenue into other times of the year. It just takes a little creativity and an engaging gift card program.

Beat the “summer slump” with a gift card campaign

Here are 7 summer marketing ideas by industry to help boost summer sales and extend revenue throughout the year with gift cards.

1. Create a retail holiday

Depending on where your retail business is located, summer can be hot–really hot. So think of creating a “hot days” event or holiday. Run a “hot days” gift card campaign that rewards a gift card purchase with a smaller-value bonus gift card. For instance, offer a $5 gift card with every $50 gift card purchased. Or, incent the purchase of certain seasonal products or services with a free gift card–from flip-flops and bathing suits to air conditioners and fans. Remember, too, that in many parts of the country, summer is also a season for weddings and other special events. Be sure to tap into celebratory events by offering gift cards tailored to special occasions. 

2. Offer frozen treats (and air conditioning)

When it’s too hot to cook, a restaurant gift card can offer families air-conditioned relief to help celebrate an event or enjoy a vacation. From iced drinks to gourmet ice cream, frozen treats are a part of summer. So, consider running a “give a treat, get a treat” promo–customers get a cool treat for the purchase of a gift card of a certain value. And, remind guests that digital gift cards are an easy and convenient way to pay on vacation or anytime.

3. Celebrate staycations and personal services 

Help customers celebrate summer staycations with friends or family by offering staycation gift cards. If you own a spa, salon, or other personal services business, a staycation gift card could be just the ticket to help your customers treat themselves or their loved ones to a special spa day or experience as they enjoy time at home. Consider offering custom-branded “staycation” gift cards that offer full-day treatments or simple services like a relaxing mani or pedi. 

READ: Best practices for gift cards

4. Help with home projects  

For many homeowners, summer promises hot summer BBQs, sunny poolside activities, and warm patio evenings. And, it’s a time to spruce up their homes and yards. If your business is in the business of home improvement, lawn or pool maintenance, or home and lawn supplies, offering gift cards could be a great way to extend your reach to new customers, boost summer sales, and help homeowners fund and kick-start new home projects that could last into the cooler weather. What’s more, for some families summer means moving to a new home before school starts. In a competitive moving and storage landscape, offering gift cards for moving services or packing products could help you edge out the competition.

5. Create experiences and digital deals

When it’s hot outside and kids are home, boredom can set it. If your business focuses on digital devices, audio equipment, or even musical instruments, consider creating an experience for customers and incent them with gift cards. For instance, you could offer special opening times for an in-store, hands-on demo of hot new devices, instruments, or audio equipment with the purchase of a gift card of, say, $100 or more. That’d provide your customers with something unique to give to the teens and tweens in their lives–a gift card and an experience. Or, offer a digital freebie–maybe a downloadable, low-cost device, or concierge service–with the purchase of a gift card. Partner with local musicians to sponsor a neighborhood music event–and offer a free ticket with the purchase of a gift card.

6. Welcome hospitality guests with a gift card

A road trip or a flight can take travelers to their destination–gift cards can help them enjoy it. If your hospitality business sits in a popular summer vacation spot, consider offering vacation-themed digital gift cards that travelers can purchase from your website even before they start their trip. Remind customers that gift cards are an easy and safe way to pay–especially digital cards–when they don’t want to take cash or cards out for a day of sightseeing. You could also partner with local entertainment venues, museums, nature reserves, or theme parks to offer discounted or even free tickets with the purchase of products, services, or gift cards from your business. 

READ: How to boost gift card sales

7. Extend automotive sales through the year 

Whether you sell automotive parts, offer auto repairs, or run a gas station, gift cards are a great way to extend the summer bounty to other times of the year. Market your gift cards as a convenient way to pay for gas, goodies, or car washes for tourists. And, if your business is in an area that doesn’t get a lot of summer visitors, remind customers that an automotive gift card is a great summer vaca or birthday gift for road-trippers whose cars may need servicing before–and after–a big road trip. Gas and automotive gift cards, for instance, can come in handy long after summer cools into autumn. 

Check out even more ideas for boosting gift card sales and why offering physical and digital gift cards is crucial to the success of your gift card program and business. For more on setting up a Clover gift card program, reach out to your Clover Consultant today. 

Editorial Team

Gift cards, Marketing, Retail, Run your business

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