The holiday gift card email and the three texts that sell it, word for word
Most med spas sell gift cards in December by accident. The email, three texts and front desk line that sell them on purpose, plus the January follow-up.
Every December a client walks up to your front desk and asks if you sell gift cards. You say yes, ring it up, and that is the whole holiday campaign. Meanwhile the spouses, sisters and best friends of your best clients are buying a candle set at the mall because nobody told them a gift card from you was an option.
Gift cards are one of the few things a med spa can sell in December without discounting a single unit. The buyer pays now. The person who redeems it is often a brand new client, and they show up in January, which is usually your slow month. The trick is asking on purpose, with words that are ready before Thanksgiving. Here they are.
Before you send anything
Three things need to be true first.
- The gift card is easy to buy online. A link that works on a phone, in under a minute, at any hour. If buying one means calling during business hours, most of these sales never happen.
- You have permission to text. Only text clients who agreed to receive marketing texts from you. Email is the main channel here. Texts go to the opted-in list.
- No treatment details in the message. Do not mention what anyone had done. The messages below are written so they work for every client on your list, whatever they came in for. Our reviews guide covers the same privacy line for review asks.
Pick one simple offer. A common, clean version: buy a $200 gift card, get a $25 bonus card for yourself, valid January through March. The bonus card brings the buyer back in your slow weeks too. Use your own amounts. Our pricing and memberships guide covers why a bonus beats a percent-off discount for your margins.
The email, sent the Monday before Thanksgiving
Subject line: The gift they will actually use
Body:
"Hi [first name],
Every year a few clients tell us they wish someone had given them a visit here instead of another sweater. So this year we are making it easy.
Gift cards are available in any amount, online, in about a minute: [link]
Through December 24, every $200 in gift cards comes with a $25 bonus card for you, good January through March.
A few ideas: a facial for your mom, a massage or skin treatment for a friend who never takes a day off, or a card your partner can use on whatever they have been meaning to try.
If you want help picking an amount, reply to this email or text us at [number] and we will suggest one.
[Your name] [Med spa name]"
Keep it that short. No product list. No stock photo of a bow. The link should be the only button.
Text one: the first Friday in December
"Hi [first name], it's [your name] at [med spa]. Quick reminder that gift cards come with a $25 bonus card for you through Dec 24. Buy online in a minute: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out."
Text two: about December 15
"Hi [first name], last call for shipping gift cards by mail is [date]. Digital cards can be sent any time, even Christmas Eve, and still come with your $25 bonus. [link]. Reply STOP to opt out."
Text three: December 22 or 23
"Still need a gift? Our digital gift cards go straight to their inbox in minutes, and the $25 bonus for you ends Dec 24. [link]. Reply STOP to opt out."
Three texts in a month is the ceiling. Do not add more.
The front desk line
From Thanksgiving to Christmas, every checkout gets one sentence:
"Before you go, we are doing a $25 bonus card with holiday gift cards this year. Anyone on your list who would love a visit?"
Say it once. Do not push. A small card at the counter with the link as a QR code helps the client who wants to think about it.
Then the part most spas skip: January
A gift card is only worth something to you if the person who gets it books. Many get tucked in a drawer.
In the first week of January, send every gift card recipient whose email you have this:
"Hi [first name], [buyer's first name] gave you a gift card to [med spa] for the holidays. We would love to see you. Here is a link to book your first visit: [link]. If you are not sure what to book, reply and we will help you choose."
Then text the buyer about their bonus card:
"Hi [first name], your $25 bonus card from the holidays is good through March 31. Want us to find you a time? Reply with a day that works."
When someone replies, answer within the hour. A recipient who reaches out once and hears nothing until tomorrow often never comes back. Our missed calls guide covers how to keep that from happening, and the slow season plan covers the rest of January.
Track three numbers
Write down, for this year: gift card dollars sold, how many recipients booked by March 31, and how many of those booked a second visit. Those three numbers tell you whether next year's campaign should be bigger.
Make the reviews count too
New clients who came in on a gift card often leave reviews if you ask at checkout. In our data the median med spa has 50 Google reviews, and the top quarter has 143 or more. A January full of first visits is a good month to close some of that gap. The benchmark report shows where you stand.
If you want help getting the email, texts and booking link set up before Thanksgiving, the free 14-day trial covers any one service, no card. Text or call (385) 217-0892.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, med spas among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor