Why Gift Cards with Walla Are Built to Easily Increase Sales This Holiday Season

Whether you’re ready or not, the busy holiday season is upon us, and there’s no better time than now to dial in your seasonal sales and marketing strategy. The final stretch before the end of the year is gift-giving gold! As a fitness studio, November and December highlight an opportunity to reengage your members with exclusive offers and deals while drawing in new ones. So, what’s one of the easiest and most profitable ways to capture studio attention, especially during the super-busy holiday season? Gift cards!

With Walla, selling and marketing gift cards in-studio, over social media, and via email is an easy, automatic way to increase revenue. We make it super seamless to create and sell both digital and physical gift cards (you know you have some lying around). Plus, adding the gift card widget to your website automatically inspires a gift—and captures client attention without extra effort. That’s a revenue win-win! Just ask Danielle from The River Yoga! Incorporating gift cards as an option to her yoga studio’s website, The River tapped into a new, very lucrative revenue stream without needing to manually and continually upsell. It was intuitive and easy for her members to find, buy, and give, helping Danielle and her team welcome and nurture new clients into her Denver-area studios.  

→ Walla’s Complete Guide to Creating Gift Cards 

Gift cards help you earn more while empowering your clients to give and share something they love: Your studio! (Also known as an experience!) And the research shows people want experiences! 92% of Americans would rather receive an experience versus a physical gift this holiday season (up from 77% last year). Choosing experiences over material gifts has become a trend driven by several factors that align with changing consumer values and preferences, including: 

• Memories over possessions: Sharing experiences is all about making memories, whether it’s their first yoga class together or a studio retreat 
• More meaningful relationships: Experiences often foster a stronger emotional connection between the gift-giver and the recipient
• Reduced “stuff”:  Experiences offer a clutter-free alternative and don’t contribute to accumulation but still add to their life  
• Value of shared time: It’s simple: Shared time creates bonding opportunities and shared stories 
• Focus on health and well-being: Now a mainstream priority and focus, an experience at your studio aligns with this trend (hello gift cards!)
• Social media sharing: The best way to promote your studio? People enjoy documenting and sharing their experiences with friends and followers, turning the gift into a social activity that extends beyond the moment
• Value in personal growth: Experiences involving learning a new skill or trying something outside one's comfort zone are highly valued, especially at your studio

This positive shift points towards valuing moments, relationships, and personal well-being over material possessions occurs in your studio as you grow your community base. That means gift cards are a much-needed, profitable tool to use during the holiday season. Gift cards are a multi-faceted item that brings the recipient joy and wealth in health and boosts revenue and conversions as you nurture all those new clients with Walla’s automations. Plus, you can show your current clients your gift card purchasing appreciation by offering discounts, retail bonus items, guest passes, and more! 

Here are seven benefits of marketing and selling gift cards at your studio this holiday season well into the new year: 

1. Convenience and flexibility

Options are everything. It’s what consumers want. Gift cards let individuals choose and personalize their fitness experience at your studio that fits them best! Whether it's a candlelit yoga class, an adrenaline-pumping cycling session, a class pack, or complimentary workout gear, the power is in their hands. This flexibility makes your studio an appealing destination for a diverse audience.

‍2. A last-minute (meaningful) present 

The holiday season is a whirlwind of festivities and, sometimes, procrastination. Enter gift cards, the key to last-minute gifting. When time (or ideas) are scarce, a gift card becomes the instant solution. And the recipient will know it comes from the heart versus a chain gift card from the grocery store.

3. Attract new clients

Consider gift cards as a sure-fire way to tap into potential new members. When clients gift fitness experiences, they're inherently marketing and introducing your studio to fresh faces. It's a sneak peek into what your studio offers, increasing traffic and the chance to upsell.

4. Instant profitability

Gift cards are an upfront injection of cash flow. Even if the recipient doesn't redeem it immediately, you've secured the funds during a pivotal end-of-year push.

5. Marketing opportunities

Don’t be afraid to get creative with promotions involving gift cards. Consider bundling a month of classes with a complimentary $20 gift card. It's a strategic move to attract immediate business and encourage return visits as clients explore more of what your studio has to offer.

6. Encourage member loyalty

Acknowledge and appreciate your existing members by offering exclusive discounts on gift cards. It's a gesture of gratitude that fosters loyalty and keeps your community engaged. Happy members are likelier to spread word-of-mouth marketing about your studio.

7. Build better relationships

When someone receives a gift card, it's not just a transaction; it's an experience. They associate your fitness studio with positivity, gratitude, and excitement. This emotional connection builds lasting relationships, turning one-off experiences into long-term commitments.

Gift cards with Walla are where convenience meets creating memories, and introducing potential new members to your studio. You’re allowing your clients to share the benefits of your fitness business during the holiday season and beyond.