GiftCard Partners Blog

For small businesses, using efficient, low-cost marketing is essential to growing a brand and growing the business. Social media is a great way for small businesses to spread their brand. According to a recent survey, 81% of small businesses use social media in their marketing plan, and that number is constantly growing. Giving gift cards through social media outlets is a great way to handle customer service inquiries that are brought through social media. Gift cards are also a great way to reward and recognize loyal customers publicly. Social media provides inexpensive, effective ways to grow business and small businesses are catching on quickly. How is your small business using social media?  
For more information on how your business can utilize social media check out the abc-13 article.

Total holiday spending on gift cards last year totaled $27.8 billion. And if history is bound to repeat itself, 25% of that gift card money will remain unspent by the end of 2012. Gift cards are a very popular holiday gift. They are convenient for the giver and stress free for the receiver. However, gift cards tend to be forgotten as the holiday season winds down, and recipients are less likely to spend the balances as the year goes on. So what happens to unused gift card balances? The Securities and Exchange Commission allows retailers to count unused gift-card balances as income once they can reasonably say the card won't be redeemed. Some states require unused gift cards to go to an unclaimed-funds accounts, or put a time limit on the validity of gift cards. Beyond the reasonable timeframe to claim unused balances, retailers can use the balances for general purposes. So, as we move further into 2012, consider this a friendly reminder to spend your holiday gift card balances sooner rather than later.
For more information check out the TheStreet.com.

CITGO Petroleum is using local health and wellness programs as a fantastic opportunity to highlight their local efforts and community involvement in America. CITGO is giving Lehigh Valley Health Network $5,000 in small denomination gift cards as part of CITGO's "Fueling Good" program. This program uses CITGO gift cards as small rewards for individuals involved in the Lehigh Valley Health Network's Health and Wellness program. The gift cards lower program costs for Lehigh Valley Health Network and allow them to continue their important work. Gift cards are an extremely effective tool for use in health and wellness programs. They help reward participants for desired behavior, and don't cost the program administrator that much. As is the case in this situation, gift cards are also a great way for program sponsors to get involved with health and wellness programs. CITGO was able to come in and help facilitate the positive program, while gaining favorable publicity.  
To learn more about the Lehigh Valley Health Network's Health and Wellness program and the partnership with CITGO Petroleum click here.

As organizations look toward 2026, one theme is cutting through the noise of compensation, hybrid schedules, and employee benefits: purpose. A new Gallup and Stand Together study, The Power of Purpose, shows that purpose at work is not a soft concept; it’s a measurable, high-impact driver of engagement, energy, and retention.

Customer loyalty is key in the market companies currently compete in. Not only is the economy still recovering from a major recession, but the pace of media messaging causes consumer fragmentation that has never been seen before. Maintaining customer loyalty can make or break companies and their bottom lines. Here are three ways companies often get customer loyalty and brand loyalty programs wrong: