Some more cool GC designs…
August 31st, 2007 • Posted by Stephany Toman • Permalink
Look for three new All Occasion designs:
We've added a Thank You category, which now includes:
For a quick reminder on how best to add new designs (and give older designs a little break), please see New GCs and Popularity.
Enjoy, SpaBoomers! And thanks again, Joyce, for creating more inspired designs!
Posted in General, Spa Gift Certificates • Share • Trackback
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:25 am
I love SpaBoom. I have so many less outstanding gift certificates from SpaBoom than from the ones I issue at my office. Which, has me thinking, it would be great to do all my gift certificates through SpaBoom.
The only thing holding me back is the price. There is no way I am going to pay 5% to SpaBoom for a certificate I sell in my office for just the price of the certificate, which costs me less than 25 cents. But, I would willing to pay something, say 25 to 50 cents. Keep in mind I would have to print the certificate on my own printer using my own ink.
I could have sample gift certificates for clients to choose from in a flip book fashion. I could have some from your different categories as well as some for general purpose. I would need to enter the to and from information as well as a message if the client so chooses and then collect payment in any form. I could print the certificate on card stock, fold it in half, and put it in an envelope.
I could do this year round or just around the holidays. It could be something extra special to offer to favorite clients.
I only wish your certificates could be adjusted in size. Say, to the size of a post card, then they would still fit in all the envelopes I have for my old post card sized gift certificates.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:43 am
Hi, Christine!
Do you have a typo in your first sentence, as in did you mean to say "you have so many MORE outstanding gift certificates from SpaBoom?" That would make more sense to me, since you say you'd like to use SpaBoom GC's for all your GC sales.
On that point, I have some good news: SpaBoom only charges commissions for the sales through the Internet. You're free to use SpaBoom technology to print up your own retail GC's WITHOUT CHARGE. That's right, we will NOT charge you anything for using SpaBoom to sell GC's through retail.
Our system is smart enough to know when a GC is sold over the Internet, versus you printing one up for retail purposes. The trick is, you must create the new GC when you're logged into your SpaBoom account. Under the GCs Tab, select "Add GC" at the left under Tasks. You pick the customer. If you selling a retail GC to a new customer, create a new customer record for that new customer. Then, you are presented with a simple interface to create a new retail GC. Suggestion: If you're printing up GC's for samples, consider creating a "Sample User" customer record for just that purpose.
It's even possible to create a different GC type, that has a different expiration date (say, 3 months), and then create 50 or more retail GC's to give away at promotions or deliver to radio stations to help promote your business. This is really helpful in those states that have a prohibition on expiration dates (such as in California and Washington), because you're allowed to put an expiration date on GC's "given away for charitable purposes."
I like your idea of having a flip-book that gives customers the ability to flip through designs.
What I'd REALLY like to hear about, is a spa that has put out a computer with Internet access for customer use, to purchase Instant Gift Certificates. This would serve as a sort of "kiosk," and could really help customers "serve themselves" especially during the busy holidays.
As it relates to adjusting the size of our GC designs, that's a great suggestion. Unfortunately, we have all sorts of issues relating to the size of the GC. We have a couple of significant restraints that will make this difficult for us to do in the short-term. First is, getting a size that prints well for all web browsers out there. Second, we've had trouble with he bar code being read if the GC design is scaled too much. Third, it's actually quite difficult to design a GC that looks great, yet is flexible enough for various levels of customer input (i.e. short message versus very long message). Enabling flexible GC sizing would make this even more difficult.
If you have any suggestions, however, we're all ears!
Larry.
September 3rd, 2007 at 11:10 am
Yeah! We've been waiting for a "Thank You" design… THANK YOU, for always keeping new things coming!
September 4th, 2007 at 7:55 am
No Larry, it wasn't a typo. I actually want less outstanding gift certificates. Gift certificate recipients seem to be more apt to come in when they have a full color gift certificate from SpaBoom over the post card style gift certificates I have designed through VisaPrint.
I DO want gift certificate recipients to come in for a massage. The more people I can work on the more people are talking about my business, which will bring in more clients and more people buying gift certificates.
I have been in business since October 1st, 2004 and with SpaBoom for about a year and a half. Before SpaBoom, I had a much harder time turning gift certificate clients into regular clients. Since SpaBoom, I have a much easier time getting gift certificate clients to rebook, both on the spot or they call back later and become paying clients.
I had no idea SpaBoom gave us the opportunity to use SpaBoom for all our gift certificate needs and you don't charge for certificates we would sell in office.
The kiosk idea is great, though its not quite workable in my circumstances since I am basically a one woman show. As for the bar code, I believe that is optional and could be removed. There is a possibility I would be able to shrink the certificates down with the right program. I will have to play around with it.
September 4th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Larry, I have an idea for another blog topic. I think you should have a topic asking if we SpaBoomers have any ideas to improve the SpaBoom gift certificate. One recommendation I would have is to let us have more space for the fine print at the bottom of the certificates.
September 6th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Thanks for the clarification, Christine! Not sure if this is what you're getting at, but you do have the ability to either hide some of the GC designs that appear on your website (by logging into SpaBoom, going to the Setup Tab, and clicking on the "GC Design" task at the left). You also have the ability to upload your own designs, if you wanted to.
That's VERY interesting that you're seeing more repeats with SpaBoom Instant GC's. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this??!?
Unfortunately, the bar code isn't optional. We keep the bar code in place for security reasons, although it's possible to have the bar code represent the GC-ID instead of our Security ID (which is the default).
In regards to your suggestion on another blog topic, that's a good suggestion. We're trying to keep the legalease at the bottom somewhat standard, as it references a more comprehensive legalease doc located on the Internet. That Internet-based document can be changed to your own document, if you wanted your own terms and conditions. That link can be changed within SpaBoom, going to the Setup Tab, and clicking on "Basics." Also, you can create your own GC designs, which incorporates additional terms and conditions if you needed it to. Take a look at Cooper Spa for an example of a spa that has done just that.
Hope I've answered some of your questions! Larry.