5 Best Gift Card Marketing Strategies
Looking to grow revenue, drive retention, and make your gift cards work harder? These five tried-and-tested strategies are inspired by Wrapped customers who are successfully using gift cards to connect with new customers, create repeat business and strengthen customer engagement with their brands.
The five strategies at a glance
| Strategy | What it is | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Give cards locally | Hand out cards at markets, events and through local clubs | Lowers the barrier to a first visit — an invitation rather than an ad |
| Automate bonus credit | Issue bonus credit automatically when customers hit a threshold | Rewards feel like a win without discounting the brand |
| Sell year-round | Market cards as the last-minute gift outside the holidays too | Removes the guesswork from gifting, and the demand is not seasonal |
| Make them visible | Place cards at the counter, on the homepage, in product pages and email | Captures impulse buyers who were never going to search for them |
| Incentivise referrals | Use cards as the reward for referrals, sign-ups and surveys | Feels more personal than a discount, and brings in similar customers |
1. Hand out gift cards in your local community
Gift cards aren't just for selling - they're one of the easiest, most effective ways to introduce new customers to your brand. When used thoughtfully, distributing gift cards in your local community at markets, events, or through strategic partnerships with local clubs isn't a giveaway. It's an acquisition strategy.
Why it works: Gift cards act as an invitation to experience a brand, no strings attached. You're lowering the barrier to entry, building goodwill, and giving someone a reason to experience your brand for the first time.
2. Run gift card automations that offer bonus credit
Using gift card automations allows you to drive sales and customer engagement with minimal manual effort. By automatically issuing bonus credit or gift cards when customers meet specific criteria, you can strategically incentivize behaviors that increase average order value and customer lifetime value.
Why it works: It taps into the psychology of value-added rewards. Customers feel like they're getting a win, which encourages them to spend more, without undercutting your brand or reducing perceived value.
3. Position gift cards as the ultimate last-minute gift
Gift cards solve real gifting problems - fast. They're thoughtful, flexible, and instant. Retailers miss a key opportunity to drive year-round revenue when they limit gift card messaging to the holiday season.
Why it works: Digital gift cards are the perfect solution for a convenient, thoughtful way to give - without the guesswork. By giving the recipient the freedom to choose what they truly want, gift cards remove the pressure of picking the perfect item.
4. Maximize visibility in-store and online
One of the simplest yet most overlooked ways to sell more gift cards? Make them impossible to miss. Wrapped retailers who succeed here place physical and digital gift card messaging in high-traffic areas - both in-store and online.
Why it works: Prominent placement at checkout counters, on your homepage, in product pages, and in email marketing captures impulse buyers and last-minute gifters.
5. Use gift cards to incentivize referrals & surveys
Gift cards are a powerful incentive for driving customer referrals, newsletter sign-ups, and survey participation. Unlike traditional discounts, they feel more personal and valuable.
Why it works: When tied to surveys, gift cards help you gather valuable customer insights, while referral incentives bring in like-minded new customers who are more likely to convert.
