GiftCard Partners Blog

Gift Cards for a Local Cause - Sewickley, PA

Downturned since 2007, our economy has left many towns around the country in need of public building refurbishing, amenity face-lifts, main street store tenants, employers…it’s not hard to look around and see how our home-towns have been effected. For many regions and towns, recovery is on its way, while others are in need of fresh ideas and advocates to arouse the local economy.

Historic Sewickley, PA has some pretty passionate advocates looking to breathe life back into their region. They’ve created an “Explore Sewickley” campaign complete with a website, Facebook presence and “Explore Sewickley Gift Cards” to promote shopping at the local shops, boutiques and restaurants. Businesses and corporations can also infuse the local economy, helping local businesses thrive, when they provide local-centric gift cards like these as motivation, incentives and rewards.

What a fresh use of gift cards!

Community Revitalization with Local Gift Cards

In an era where communities are striving to boost their local economies and foster vibrant town centers, the innovative use of gift cards has emerged as a powerful strategy. Local towns and cities across the globe are harnessing the potential of gift cards to attract tourism and drive business to local shops. By offering town gift cards or city-wide gift cards, municipalities are creating opportunities to engage both residents and visitors in exploring all that their communities have to offer, thereby revitalizing local businesses and enhancing community vitality.

These town and city gift cards function as versatile tools, allowing recipients to redeem them at a variety of participating businesses, from charming boutiques to cozy cafes and artisanal shops. This flexibility not only encourages individuals to support local enterprises but also promotes a sense of community pride and connection.

For tourists, these local gift cards serve as gateways to authentic experiences, offering a curated selection of establishments that capture the essence and character of the destination. Whether it's savoring regional delicacies, discovering unique artisan crafts, or immersing oneself in the local culture, town gift cards provide visitors with the opportunity to create lasting memories while supporting the local economy.

Moreover, the widespread adoption of digital gift cards and online platforms has further expanded the reach and accessibility of these initiatives, enabling individuals to purchase and redeem gift cards conveniently from anywhere in the world. This seamless integration of technology into traditional gift card programs not only enhances convenience for consumers but also amplifies the marketing and promotional efforts of participating businesses and local governments.

By leveraging the collective strength of town and city gift cards, communities can cultivate a thriving ecosystem where businesses flourish, residents take pride in their local identity, and visitors are welcomed with open arms. As these initiatives continue to gain momentum, they underscore the profound impact that simple yet innovative solutions can have in shaping the economic and social fabric of our towns and cities.

Through the strategic implementation of town gift cards and city-wide gift card programs, local municipalities have the opportunity to unlock the full potential of their communities, fostering a spirit of collaboration, creativity, and resilience that will endure for generations to come.

In every decision we make, whether professional or personal, there are always considerations to weigh. When it comes to implementing a gift card incentive program in your company, it's crucial to navigate through the pros and cons to ensure its effectiveness. Here are some valuable dos and don'ts to optimize your gift card incentive program:

In today's competitive workplace, the performance of employees is crucial for the success of any organization. However, what if I told you that one of the reasons for underperformance could be related to the physical or mental health of employees?

As the warmth of the sun permeates the air and the allure of beach vacations beckons, the atmosphere in workplaces undergoes a subtle transformation. Fridays, typically synonymous with hustle and bustle, seem to shrink in duration as employees find themselves lost in daydreams of sandy shores and rolling waves. Consequently, the rhythm of the office slows down, mirroring the relaxed pace of the season. Yet, amid this seasonal shift, lies a golden opportunity for businesses to reinvigorate their workforce and reignite productivity through innovative incentive programs.

Summer Gift Card Incentives for the Workplace

During the peak of summer, when sales and productivity often experience a dip, businesses can leverage strategic incentive programs to counteract this lull effectively. One such strategy involves the implementation of enticing rewards, such as gift cards, designed to motivate and engage employees. By offering gift cards for employees to enjoy quality time with their families, whether it's a sumptuous meal at a restaurant or a beautiful bouquet of flowers, businesses can inject just the right amount of excitement and incentive to propel productivity, even during the languid months of July and August.

Engaging Customers with Summer Gift Cards

Moreover, the concept of incentivizing extends beyond the confines of the office and into the realm of retail environments. In instances where foot traffic dwindles due to customers indulging in outdoor activities like beach outings or gardening, businesses can capitalize on this trend by rolling out promotions that foster customer loyalty and drive sales. For instance, a promotion that rewards customers with a $20 gift card to 1800-flowers for every $100 purchase not only incentivizes spending but also cultivates a sense of appreciation and goodwill among patrons.

More Summer Business Engagement Strategies

To further amplify the buzz in the office and maintain customer engagement throughout the summer, businesses can explore a myriad of additional strategies tailored to their unique circumstances and target audience. These may include introducing flexible work arrangements to accommodate employees' desire for work-life balance, organizing team-building activities to foster camaraderie, or launching seasonal marketing campaigns that resonate with the spirit of summer and capture the attention of customers.

In essence, while the summer season may present challenges in terms of maintaining momentum and customer traffic, it also offers a canvas for creativity and innovation. By embracing the opportunity to implement inventive incentive programs and adapt to seasonal trends, businesses can infuse their workplaces with renewed energy and ensure sustained success during the warmer months. For more insights on maximizing productivity and customer engagement throughout the summer, explore our comprehensive guide here.

This post might look familiar to you; we've added an update further down the page. Wikipedia outlines a “Virtual Wallet” as a hybrid checking/savings account with 3 components: a "Spend" account (checking), a "Reserve" account (backup checking, incurs interest), and a"Growth" account (savings). This is a pretty narrow view of a virtual wallet (note to self, update Wikipedia).

Virtual wallets are cropping up not just from banks for online banking; they are being offered by credit card companies, SmartPhone providers, and there are even free versions that stores, manages, and organizes digital versions of store membership cards, coupons, loyalty cards, virtual gift cards, or any other piece of information that you store in your traditional wallet. Windows even offers a PC software version of a virtual wallet, but it’s more focused on protecting all those passwords, account numbers, and access codes vs. making purchases and using your loyalty rewards points or gift cards.

GiftCard Partners feels the Virtual Wallet that will not only change our way of shopping, paying, and redeeming, but will also combine the best of the above types and allow us to: