This week, we want to focus on 2 key opportunities for expanding your Community Card program: partnering with large organizations to purchase cards in bulk, and identifying sponsors for “buy-one-get-one” programs. Both these will jumpstart volume purchases for your program, creating much positive momentum from the get-go!
Why pursue bulk purchases?
Local government, hospitals, universities, and corporations can serve as powerful buyers for holiday gifts, employee rewards and client appreciation programs that bring significant economic value to your community. This leads to:
- Increased Visibility: Large organizations have a broad reach and can help promote your gift card to their employees, customers, and networks.
- More Business for Merchants: More participants in the program mean more Community Cards redeemed at your local merchants, increasing overall engagement.
- Special Deals for Bulk Purchasers: contact your Community Engagement Manager (CEM) to assist with volume card sales. They can offer no-fee accounts called Patron Accounts, personal assistance and more to make the sale easy.
Identify a few potential bulk purchasers this week and introduce them to your CEM. What about your board of directors, city council, school and university leaders, hospital administrators, realtors and developers, non-profit executives and other major employers in town? They all have a vested interest in your community and can help amplify the impact of your program.
Why pursue BOGOs?
BOGOs (aka buy-one-get-one programs) incentivize consumer purchases with bonus gifts, for example, Buy $100 Community Card and get a FREE additional card worth $50! In order to offer the free bonus gifts, you need a source of funding – you need sponsors.
There are many possible sponsors for BOGOs – most frequently we see local governments fund the bonus gifts as an economic development program, downtown revitalization or “shop local” campaign. Other good candidates for sponsors are credit unions, local developers and real estate firms, and large employers in the area. In exchange for their sponsorship, you can recognize their generosity with branding on your Community Card webpage or the digital card itself, a press release, social media content, blogs and signage in store windows.
Call to Action: Make Introductions!
Your Yiftee Community Engagement Manager is trained on how to work with local organizations to get them excited about your program. They can offer special bulk purchase accounts, called Patron Accounts, with waived fees, and they can assist in recruiting sponsors. Contact them to discuss your strategy and they can provide you with the marketing materials you need and even make the sales for you once you provide the introductions.
You are shooting for at least one bulk purchaser or a BOGO sponsor to be ready at launch time, to come out with a bang! Together, we’ll make a lasting economic impact in your community.
RESOURCES
- BOGO Quickstart Form
- Bulk Purchase One Pager
- Sponsor One Pager
- Sponsor Presentation
- Message for Corporate Sponsors
- Working with Sponsors
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