Just a quick update to make sure that everyone knows that it is important to know what the laws are regarding the sale of gift certificates. Here is a website with a list of states and the laws regarding gift certificate sales. Some things to be aware of:
- Gift Certificates that are not redeemed may be subject to laws regarding abandoned property and they may need to be turned over to the state.
- Some states don’t allow an expiration date to be placed on the gift certificate.
- There are some states that have specific time periods for expiration dates
Know your laws and what you are responsible for when selling massage gift certificates.
When selling Gift Certificates you also need to be aware of the emotions that are invovled in gift giving. Most people give gifts that they want for themselves. You will get some clients coming in who don’t really want to be there. I had a person come in one time on a GC who was so resistant – didn’t want to fill out the intake, was rude and just did not want to be there. Her parner was with her so she didn’t have a way out. I did get through the massage and she got up saying it was the best thing that ever happened to her and she was sorry she gave me such a hard time. I also had another guy who came in and had just stopped at a bookstore to buy a book specifically to read during the massage. Of course I didn’t let him but being his first massage ever he just didn’t ever relax and I never saw him again. Or the time a woman came in with one and was shocked to find out she had to take off her clothes. To me these people are too draining to work with. You can’t convert everyone nor is massage for everyone.
The idea that the person giving the massage is also the one who really wants or needs one can be applied to marketing to try to get that person in for the massage that they really want. You can offer a buy three and get a half hour free or something like that. I personally dislike selling gift certificates to people and the recipient never uses them. To me it is just a better business practice. Some massage therapists just say that a gift is a gift and is none of our business. It isn’t any of our business who the gift goes to. I just see it as a waste of money even though it is the intention behind the gift. It just feels like a cleaner business relationship especially when the buyer is themselves a regular client.
I always allow a person to use a gift certificate at any time. The buyer can use it themselves.
It is also important to set up a system of tracking the sale of gift certificates and also when the gift certificate is redeemed so there aren’t GC being used twice or anything like that. You can create a simple tracking sheet and number each gift certificate and track who bought it and when they bought it and any expiration date or special notes.
I use paypal on my website for people to purchase GC online. I can then send them the GC or make arrangements for them to pick it up themselves.
Gift certificates can be a big boost for income during the holidays. Also be aware that in Jan and Feb and the rest of the year for that matter when there is an influx of clients redeeming GC that your cash flow will be affected later.
Do you sell Gift Certificates? Do they help you build a group of regular clients? Do you get many unredeemed GC? How do you feel about unredeemed GC if they are not a part of abandoned property that has to be turned over to the state? What other issues or problems have you had selling GC? How have they helped your business?
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I have retail in my office. If a client doesn’t want to use their certificate for massage, they can use it to purchase candles, salt lamps, handmade soap, bath salts, organic candies, pain balm, essential oils, etc…
Many independent MT’s do not offer anything but massage. I have had a few clients who have opted to use their gift certificates for retail and were happy I offered it.
Good answer Julie, I feel that a business that must hide behind “no refunds” on a certificate for services to be rendered isn’t legitimate. At the very least, you have proven this is not the case with you.
Why not use massage on a regular basis? Well, for one thing, it won’t improve my running unless I convince myself it will. The same could be said for acupuncture, hypnosis or meditation. Any claims of improved performance are merely anecdotal, there is no documented evidence.
But let’s suppose there was medical proof of enhanced performance in runners who use massage. As an amature, such as myself, I would not do it. The cost and time would be prohibitive. Between warm-up, running, and cool-down, I invest three hours a day (m-f) and four or five hours on Saturday to running. I still need to work, be a husband, father and member of my community. The day begins at 4:30 and ends at 10:00. There is precious little time left for anything else.
Now I do know runners who swear by massage to RECOVER from a distance running event. But that is very different from claims of improved performance. I find I recover just fine with a couple of Advil.
According to the AMTA, only about 25% of American adults report having had even one massage in any given year. The rest of us either avoid or are indifferent about massage. Considering the price, I’d rather get a new pair of running shoes.
Bill
I don’t have any problem with refunding GC if asked to. I am not sure why the MT wouldn’t do it. Maybe your wife could use the gift since she is the one who bought it.
You should also check the laws in your state regarding GC as it might be illegal not to refund them or something like that.
So you wouldn’t get massage regularly if it could help you with your running? Not that I am trying to convince you but it is just a really interesting topic – why don’t people like to get massage.
Julie
Well Julie, to quote you;
“You can’t convert everyone nor is massage for everyone.” I know me better than anyone and I know massage is not for me. I can say the same for any other holistic treatment, I wouldn’t be caught dead trying them.
That said, back to my original comment. What do you think about offering a refund on GCs within 30 days of purchase? I think it would generate a lot of goodwill and you would not have to deal with a group of clientele that you find “too draining to work with”. Instead, I was left with the decision to just let the GC expire or tell my wife I didn’t care for her gift. I chose the latter and it wasn’t easy.
So, what say you? I contacted the the masseuse five days after the certificate was issued and was told “sorry”. Mind you the certificate said nothing about refunds, just the expiration date.
Bill
Getting massage before or after a race really doesn’t compare with getting regular therapeutic massage. It can help your race if you get it regularly enough. I used to work on a masters track athelete who was the fastest in his age group for 15 years (50-65) and is still going. He was the same way as far as not being able to relax but he understood the value of massage as far as how much it helped his running.
Sounds like you have too much stress and it is all accumulating inside so you are not able to relax. Getting regular massage could help you learn to relax which will allow you to be more present and effective in whatever you do- your running, your work, your relationships, your life.
All of those things you brought up – distracting, uncomfortable or even just plain boring are feelings. Massage allows you to feel your feelings.
Thanks for your honesty and openness here.
Julie
I’m a distance runner and many events offer a massage before or after the race. The few times I’ve taken them up on the offer, I found the experience distracting, uncomfortable or just plain boring. I’m not the type of person who can sit still. I don’t like massage for the same reasons I don’t like tanning or laying out at the beach. I can’t even sit through a movie!
When I received my gift certificate, my mind immediately went into overdrive; where is this place? how do I get there? How do I make an appointment? When will I fit this into my schedule? The notion of getting a massage actually created stress. About five minute later I just said to myself “I don’t want this”.
It’s just too much like going to the doctor or dentist. Maybe I just don’t like appointments! Anyhow, while I certainly appreciated the kind gesture of a gift, I didn’t like the gift itself. The difference being this one can’t be returned.
Bill
Just curious as to why you find massage unpleasant? Have you had a professional one or a series of professional ones? I have heard of people who don’t like to be touched or have touch issues and have worked with many successful to overcome their fears and pain.
Some also find massage painful and it is usually a reflection of just how tight their muscles are and a series of massages can relieve that.
Julie
As the recipient of an unwanted massage gift certificate, let me just add that a liberal refund policy (let’s say within 30 days) is a good idea. Do you really want to provide an unwanted service to an unwilling participant? What is the point of no refunds?
It may be hard for some to believe this, but there are a few of us out there who find the whole massage thing unpleasant. Just one more appointment to book, remember and keep. Stress relief? Just sounds like more stress to me.
Bill
Thanks for posting the state laws for gift certificates, Julie! I agree that gift certificates are used best when they help to benefit your core clients. Often times I find that when a person receives a gift certificate at the holidays, or as a promotion or silent auction item, they may never purchase a massage from you. I’m not sure if this is a common trend, but in the last five years of business for me this is commonly the case.
Last year, I offered a great gift package of “Buy a gift for someone else, and receive a 30 minute gift for yourself FREE” and advertised this among my clients, on my blog, and on the various social networking sites I was on. I sold over $500 in gift certificates, which was unprecedented for me. I thought of it as a “referral bonus” for folks, and I added about 15 people to my email marketing list in the process. However, I did this with a large established client list.
This year I’ve moved and am in a new city, so I’m just offering $10 off until Dec. 21, and also sell gift certificates through paypal.
Great Blog!
-Scott Schumacher
Duluth, MN