Who to Give Gift Cards to This Season (and Why)
Main image courtesy of 1-800-Flowers.com.
The art of gift giving can be tough when you’ve run out of ideas on what to get someone close to you–whether it’s a family member, best friend, significant other, coworkers, or even your employees that help keep your small business up and running. Sometimes the fear of getting someone a gift that they potentially don’t need or want is too great, so opting for gift cards can help ensure that you’re getting them a gift they’ll truly appreciate.
Gift cards not only make it easier on the person purchasing the gift to give to someone, but it can also allow the recipient to have the freedom to choose how, where, and when to spend the money. Choosing something that pertains to someone's interests, hobbies, or tastes can help make it the ultimate gift this season.
Let’s learn just why gift cards can be a great gift for anyone and how versatile they truly can be for gift giving!
How Gift Cards Can Be a Game Changer For Any Occasion
Gift cards are a thoughtful gift that is often overlooked or looked down upon, but they can be the perfect option!
Choosing to give someone a gift card can be the perfect way to allow them to enjoy their gift and spend the money how they want. Image courtesy of LoveToKnow.
There are a number of reasons why gift cards can make the perfect gift every time. Instead of purchasing something you think someone will like–and have the fear of them hating it–give a gift card instead. The options for merchants are endless and the gift will always be appreciated for more reasons than you’ll know.
What Makes Gift Cards a Better Option?
Many factors go into why gift cards are a much better option when giving gifts to people close to you, or even your team of staff at your small business. First off, if you want to give a gift to someone but aren’t entirely sure where they shop, or what their interests or hobbies are, then a gift card can come in handy. This can allow them to choose where, when, and how they want to spend the money on the card and they will appreciate it more.
Flexibility is the main reason why many people love to give and receive gift cards. It allows recipients to have a sense of control over what they spend their gift card money on–plus their own money–and it often comes across as a more generous gift than something that is worth the same value.
Gift cards also eliminate the fear of giving an unwanted gift, and the convenience of giving this type of gift instead. Many gift cards can be purchased physically in stores, but with the advancement of technology, websites offer digital gift cards that you can give to recipients that can be sent via text message or email. This way it can be added to their virtual wallet on their cell phone, or it just simply makes it easier to keep on them instead of accidentally leaving a physical copy at home.
Gift Cards Can Be a More Personable Option
Another reason why so many people are hopping on the gift card bandwagon is not only because of their convenience, but they also make a more personable option that feels more thoughtful to the recipient. When you send digital gift cards, many merchants offer the option to personalize it before sending it. This can include customizing the gift card with a picture on the card itself, attaching a video to the email or text message, and even adding a customized and personal message before hitting send.
For example, personalized gift cards are the perfect option when you’re purchasing them in bulk to give to staff because not only are they an easier gift to give, but they can also be customized to show appreciation to your team and all of the hard work that they have done for you throughout the year. Staff members–or anyone who receives personalized gift cards—appreciate them more than company gear or other random gifts.
What Makes Gift Cards Better Than Cash?
Lots of people assume that cash is a superior option compared to other types of gifts, including gift cards. While giving someone cash can make for a great gift, it is also something that they will use on their general expenses, bills, or stash away in their savings account to use for emergencies or a purchase they’ve been saving up for.
Comparing this to cash, gift cards are a better gift because it can be an incentive for the person receiving it to splurge a little bit on themselves. While saving money, budgeting, and only spending money when it is absolutely necessary is how many people live, gift cards offer an emotional impact of choice and encourage recipients to put some money into themselves.
Who Should You Be Giving Gift Cards to and Why? The Ultimate Guide to Gift Card Gift Giving
Knowing who you can and should give gift cards to is crucial–plus why they can be a better option too!
Gift cards are a great option to give to anyone, especially when you personalize them to create more meaningful connections. Image courtesy of Yeo & Yeo.
Whether it’s for the holidays, a work achievement or milestone you want to celebrate with your team, or simply for family members or friends, there are many people that you can give gift cards to this season. There are many reasons why giving personalized gift cards to these individuals is important because it can strengthen relationships both personally and professionally.
Your Small Business Staff Members
As a small business owner, it’s important that you pay special attention to your staff. Small businesses are what keeps this country running and the people that are involved in the evolution of your business deserve just as much recognition as the work you put into it too. Whether it’s for the holiday season, for work achievements and milestones, birthdays, or other special occasions, it’s important to give back to your staff members and appreciate them for all they do for you.
A personalized gift card that includes a picture or company logo and a special message can be a great gift for any staff member–no matter their role in the company–and help them feel appreciated in a business where they can contribute to its growth.
Remote Teams
Many businesses rely on their remote teams who do a ton of work for any company even if they’re not physically in the office. Their role is just as important to a business as someone who shows up to work everyday and they should be appreciated as such too. Even though these teams feel as if they work behind-the-scenes, there is so much that they contribute to any company–hence why a gift card is a great option for them.
A gift card for someone on your remote team can show that even though they’re not there in the office every day, their work is more than appreciated and they should be treated like any other employee.
Customers
Something that many businesses don’t think about is giving back to their customers. While holding events, sales, and open houses can be a great way to meet new people, expand your business, and keep long-term, loyal customers, it’s also important to give back to them too. Gift cards can come in handy as a way to give back to your customers, show them how much you appreciate your service, or even give back to certain groups of customers too to keep business afloat.
There are many ways to use gift cards to give back to your customers–for example, using a loyalty program (such as a gift for their birthday or purchase milestones), tying purchases to donations, and if they spend so much money, you can give them a gift card for a certain dollar amount. This alone is a great way to keep customers coming back, using your products or services, and to help build a successful business.
Non-Profits
One of the most important things to do is to give back and contribute to causes that you are passionate about. Whether it’s taking care of our veterans, volunteering at an animal shelter, helping to better the lives of children in the foster system, or supporting your local schools, giving gift cards to non-profits can be a great way to give back to the community and have your business become a sponsor as well.
Donations are always special when it comes to non-profit organizations that work hard to make the lives of people and animals better every day. By donating gift cards, you can do your part in helping to give back to your community and make a difference in the lives of people who need it most.
Choose PerfectGift+ For Gift Giving This Season and Beyond
PerfectGift+ offers a wide variety of options when choosing the perfect gift card for someone–and with a personalized touch too!
Finding the perfect gift card to customize and give to someone can feel like a lot of weight on your shoulders since there are so many to choose from. If you’re stumped on what kind of gift card to get someone, sometimes allowing them to select the merchant and where they want to spend the money works best–like the PerfectGift+ gift card!
What is PerfectGift+?
For those who may not be entirely sure what kind of gift card to get someone, PerfectGift+ has you covered with their own gift card that allows the recipient to choose the merchant they wish to spend the money through. With thousands of popular merchants to choose from–including restaurants, department stores, grocery stores, movie theaters, and other popular places–PerfectGift allows you to choose their gift card, customize it with a personalized message and a picture, then you can easily send it via text message or email.
PerfectGift also offers the option to send a Visa gift card with a similar process to sending the PerfectGift+ gift card. Visa gift cards are a great way to spend money wherever their credit or debit cards are accepted–which is pretty much anywhere! All you need to do is add the amount, customize it with a picture and message, and have it printed and shipped out all in the same day, which is great if you’re looking to send out a physical gift instead. If you want to get it sent out to someone ASAP, it’s important to purchase it before 4 pm EST time Monday through Saturday to have same-day shipping. No matter the occasion, this gift card is the perfect gift for anyone every time!
Other Gift Card Options to Select For Someone
There are also many other gift card options that are super popular to choose for your staff, remote teams, customers, or to give back to your local community. Some of these top options include:
- Amazon
- Best Buy
- Target
- Walmart
- Starbucks
- Disney
- Chipotle
- eBay
- Nike
- Old Navy
- Home Depot
- Apple
- Kohl’s
- Fandango
- And so much more!
Choose the Right Gift Card For Your Staff, Remote Teams, Customers, Non-Profits, and more as a Small Business Owner
Being a small business owner is a ton of work, but it is rewarding to do what you want to do and make a living. No matter what your business is, it’s important to give back to your staff, customers, and the local community around you–and gift cards are often some of the best options to choose to surprise them with.
Consider purchasing a gift card through PerfectGift, or another option to give back to the people who help your business stay successful!
