GiftCard Partners Blog

We are just about halfway through the first month of 2015 and key indicators have the economy trending in a positive direction.  Consumer spending is rising, as are employee wages.  The #1 challenge that retailers will face in 2015 is consumer engagement:
How do you get your customers to stay loyal to your brand and spend their money in your store, instead of spending it elsewhere? In the past, consumer loyalty was based on four basic motivators:
convenience,
service,
pricing, and
brand identity.  While these motivators  still exist today, they have changed in rank and are different for every individual consumer.  Social media platforms and mobile apps also play a huge role in how your consumers identify with your brand.  Knowing where, when, and how your customers interact is crucial to keeping consumers engaged.  Brands can use these tools to listen to every one of their consumers and tailor offers to their specific needs and keep them engaged with your brand. Here are a few tips to help your consumer engagement in 2015: 1.
Reward More Than Just Purchases Loyalty programs were primarily based around purchase behavior.  The trend today is to reward a consumers
action.  Is your consumer checking-in to your store or event on Facebook?  Are they reviewing products or reading content regarding your brand?  Rewarding these actions can keep consumers engaged while providing them with meaningful incentives tailored specifically for them. 2.
Identify Your Most Passionate Customers Knowing your customer is an integral key to serving them better.  Some consumers become very passionate fans of your brand. Rewarding behaviors beyond customer spend will also give you access to valuable customer data.  These consumers should be rewarded for their insight into your brand as they often become your most vocal advocates and dedicated ambassadors. 3.
Stand For Something Sometimes a company needs to focus on more than just making the best product or having the best service, consumers are also looking for an emotional connection with your brand.  A perfect example: Nike and their swoosh logo.  Many consumers buy Nike sneakers because they want to be connected to everything that the swoosh represents - it's long history and connection to the world's most popular athletes.  Emotional connections are the main drivers of engagement, advocacy, and brand loyalty.
Read more about consumer engagement for 2015 along with some great industry examples here!

As we embark on 2015 and our workforce has shaken off the holiday rust it's important to think about how to maintain a culture of motivation not just through the cold winter months but throughout the year. Here are a few ways to keep employee motivation, productivity and job satisfaction at the top of your company's priority list all year long.

Now is a great time for your business to make innovative choices and stay ahead of the competition in 2015.   As a marketer, one must assess the best options to further build your brand and drive greater customer engagement. Digital gift cards have been a growing trend in the gift card industry, and here are the top 5 digital gift card trends for 2015: 1.
 Millennials Embrace Digital Gift Cards. - Millennials want instant gratification.  They want their needs satisfied "right here, right now" so digital gift cards are a logical solution when it comes to this target group.  In a
survey released by InComm last month, 18-35 year olds were likely to purchase at least one digital gift card during the holiday season.  The main reason for digital gift cards is that they can be purchased any place at any time with just the click of a mouse.  There is no need to get out of the house and wait in long lines at the grocery store.  Another appeal of digital gift cards is that they are completely customizable; customers can send personalized text, pictures, and in some cases, even video. 2.
Building Your Brand - Smart marketers realize that in a digital world gift cards open up brand new marketing opportunities.  The best brands are already catering to shifting trends and are inviting customers to a whole new customized gifting experience entirely online.  A great experience is also likely to make a brands campaign go viral with social network sharing. 3.
Digital Gift Cards Will Decrease Average Breakage - One of the reasons that digital gift cards are reigning in popularity is that they are less likely to get lost compared to their plastic counterparts. A
survey by
Bankrate revealed that 40% of 18-29 year olds end up losing their plastic gift cards.  With less loss, consumers are more likely to redeem the full value of the gift card and breakage rates begin to shrink.  Customers will utilize what they pay for and that will strengthen the customer/brand relationship and customers tend to redeem gift cards for significantly more than the gift card value.  Plus with digital gift cards being available on both mobile applications and mobile email, it's less likely the consumer will forget that the card is in their wallet. 4.
Loyalty Programs - As brands have embraced the shift from physical to digital gift cards, loyalty programs are following suit.  As opposed to loyalty programs shipping out individual cards to end-customers, they are able to email a gift card right to their client for instant gratification.  Brands will save on shipping and eliminate issues with lost gift cards and consumers won't have to wait to spend their gift. 5. M
arketers Can Bundle Digital Gift Cards with Products - For many years technology brands such as
Apple Inc., have bundled their brands.  For instance "Purchase a Mac and get a $100 iTunes gift card."  In 2015, more brands will follow this bundling method by offering a physical item with a digital gift card to make a more diversified and enticing promotion. Read the full story on The Top 5 Digital Gift Card Trends for 2015 at
IFeelGoods!  

Do you need employee engagement ideas to start the New Year off right? 
Is your current employee engagement strategy working, or could it use a little tweaking? Low employee engagement is not just a U.S. problem. According to
Gallup's 2014 study, only 13 % of employees worldwide are engaged at work. While the U.S. does have the highest employee engagement rating, the numbers are still troubling when looking at those who are disengaged. At the regional level, Northern America (the U.S. and Canada), has an employee engagement level of 29% but 54% of employees are considered
Not Engaged, and 18% considered
Actively Disengaged. Higher employee engagement increases productivity, reduces absenteeism and can decrease health care costs.  According to a 2013
report released by Gallup on the state of the American workplace, businesses are losing
$450-$550 billion annually due to active disengagement.  Implementing some or all of the employee engagement ideas can help increase profits for your organization, all while having a happy, engaged workforce. Here are a few employee engagement ideas:

GiftCard Partners insights on the 2013 pymnts.com Innovation Project held at Harvard University.