MENU
SEARCHJust about every one of your guests has motivation to buy a gift this spring. When a guest is in a rush, or simply wants to give the gift of choice, gift cards offer an easy, flexible, ever-appreciated option.
*This article was repurposed with permission from Zenoti.
Just about every one of your guests has motivation to buy a gift this spring. The annual “moms, dads, and grads” season inspires a spending trend: an average of $171 per recipient . Salons are in a perfect position to capitalize on this with gift cards. When a guest is in a rush, or simply wants to give the gift of choice, gift cards offer an easy, flexible, ever-appreciated option.
For your salon, gift cards can be a revenue driver likely to deliver more value than just the sum loaded onto the card. Research shows that 55 percent of people return more than once to use their gift card and 65 percent end up spending more than its original value.
It’s also likely that the gift-giver or recipient have not visited previously, giving your salons the opportunity to showcase your services to a potential new guest.
With digital gift cards now available, gift giving is easier than ever. Guests can give and redeem gift cards via their smartphones for mobile convenience, removing the need to invest in printed cards.
Here are three ways to maximize your gift card sales this season:
Create “give one, get one” offers
Introduce a promotion that rewards gift card customers with a free, extra gift card based on their spend. For example, reward a $50 gift card purchase with an additional $10 gift card at no extra cost. This incentive encourages the gift-giver to visit the salon (perhaps with the recipient), or to give the second gift card to someone else. Either way, your salon benefits from an extra visit and a potential new guest – someone likely to spend more than just the $10 on the extra card.
Market your gift cards to increase awareness
Promote gift cards across all your marketing channels, including social media, SMS, email, and on your salon website. Ramp up your promotions during this key gift-giving season – but remember to highlight the cards year-round to continually drive the additional revenue.
Make gift cards available online
Sell gift cards on your salon’s website. This helps drive sales by giving shoppers a quick, convenient, 24/7 gift-purchase opportunity. This strategy also takes advantage of your digital marketing perfectly, as the guest can hit ‘add to cart’ directly from an email or social media post promoting your gift cards.
The right salon software can make promoting and selling gift cards effortless. When six-location salon chain Blushes started selling their gift cards online, they saw a 134 percent increase in gift card sales year over year. They used the Zenoti salon software platform to create branded digital cards and promote their own “give one, get one” offer.
“We were able to capture future sales and numerous new customers while also rewarding return customers for their purchase and ongoing loyalty,” said Dominic Blake, Managing Director at Blushes. “Setting up online gift cards could not have been easier, and the campaign was a huge success!”
See how Zenoti can boost your salon’s revenue during this spring gift season – and beyond. Talk to a consultant today to find out more.
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
