[Jewelry making - Article 00471] - [Orchid] Gift Certificates Tips

[Rena Klingenberg]

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    Tips for Increasing Your Jewelry Profits with Gift Certificates

    Offering gift certificates is an excellent way of increasing your
    sales by solving your customers' gift-giving problems.  Often people
    would like to give your jewelry as gifts, but are hesitant to choose
    a specific item for someone. 

    I'm a jewelry artist, and when I realized I was losing sales to
    these potential customers, I started offering gift certificates -
    and discovered a wonderful sales tool. 

    Wherever you sell your work - at retail locations, shows, home
    parties - be sure to have an eye-catching sign advertising "Gift
    Certificates Available in Any Amount". And tell undecided customers
    about it verbally, too, emphasizing the benefits of a gift
    certificate, and how much their recipient will enjoy choosing the
    exact jewelry they want. 

    How to Make Your Own Gift Certificates: 

    Use your computer and printer to make special, fancy certificates
    using perforated paper or postcard stock you can find in office
    supply stores, and have matching fancy envelopes to go with them.
    They don't need to cost you very much, but they should really look
    like a special, festive gift to give them extra appeal! 

    Consider adding enticing photos of some of your most popular or
    original pieces.  My gift certificates have a neat vertical border
    of jewelry photos on each side. 

    Here's the information your gift certificates should have on them: 

    -	your business name and location, plus other contact info 
    -	a "To:" line 
    -	a "From:" line 
    -	an "Amount:" line (for the dollar amount) 
    -	"custom orders welcome", if applicable 
    -	the expiration date, if you want to limit the time period the
    certificate can be used 
    -	the certificate's unique number - on your computer or by hand,
    print a unique number (101, 102, 103, etc., or whatever numbering
    works for you) on each certificate's bottom corner, so each can be
    individually accounted for. 

    When you sell the certificate, you should write the dollar amount
    and expiration date (if any) on the certificate yourself, and then
    have the person purchasing the certificate fill out the To and From
    lines, so it will be in their own handwriting for the recipient to
    see. Then enter the certificate's information in your log. 

    How to Keep a Gift Certificate Log: 

    It's important to keep a log of each gift certificate you sell.
    Keeping a record of each certificate sold will ensure that you don't
    wind up honoring a counterfeit certificate, or one with a changed
    dollar amount when someone comes to use it.  My log has 6 columns,
    and for each certificate I sell, I record in my log: 

    -	the certificate's unique number 
    -	the purchaser's name 
    -	the recipient's name 
    -	the date sold 
    -	the dollar amount of the certificate 
    -	the date redeemed 
    -	optional seventh column:  expiration date. 

    I keep my log sheet and a stack of ready-to-sell certificates
    together in a two-pocket folder, along with a fancy pen for filling
    out the gift certificates in style when they're sold. 

    Use Gift Certificates to Their Fullest Profit Potential: 

    Gift certificates can be a great source of back-end sales.  When the
    recipient comes to redeem the gift certificate, it's easy to sell
    her an add-on item or two. Often she is already predisposed to
    splurge on something extra to go with the jewelry she's getting for
    free with her gift certificate, and needs only a little
    encouragement from you. 

    For example, the recipient will often purchase matching earrings to
    go with the bracelet she gets for free with her gift certificate. So
    be sure to show enticing things to the recipient that could
    accompany the item she chooses for her gift! 

    Use a gift certificate sale as an opportunity to add two new
    customers to your mailing list:  the person who purchased the
    certificate, and the person who received it.  Obtain permission from
    each to add them to your mailing list.  Both of them are now
    pre-sold on your jewelry, your service, and especially on your
    solutions to their gift-giving problems.  There's a good chance they
    will respond favorably when they receive a special offer from you
    before gift-giving holidays. 

About the Author: 

Rena Klingenberg 
http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com 

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