Digital Rewards vs. Custom Gift Cards for Business: Which Are the Best Choice?

Once you’ve decided to implement rewards as part of your marketing programs, your instincts probably tell you that branded swag and custom gift cards for business contacts are the way to go. After all, what’s better than getting your brand out there in as many ways as possible? But custom gift cards and other physical items have disadvantages you may not have considered.

The Arguments Against Physical Gift Cards and Swag

Any physical rewards — whether they’re gift cards or products such as tote bags, pens, water bottles or computer accessories — will cost you significant time and money to distribute. The customizations available are useful, but consider:

• The manual effort. Sending physical items to thank loyal clients, incentivize brand advocacy, and encourage customer engagement requires a lot of steps, which are often done manually. From ordering items to packing them up to collecting addresses, the process takes time that could be better spent on your marketing programs.
• The shipping costs. While the item itself is small, even sending custom gift cards for business rewards costs money. A handful of stamps may not seem like a large expense, but if you’re rewarding hundreds or even thousands of people over dozens of campaigns, it certainly adds up.
• The difficulty with international rewards. If your recipients reside in multiple countries, the shipping costs and hassle only increases. In the case of custom gift cards, it also raises the problem of making sure the gift card is redeemable in each recipient’s country.

How to Personalize Digital Rewards

Moving toward digital rewards is an ideal way to solve for all the challenges presented by physical items. But you still need customization options, since 80% of consumers say they’re more likely to do business with companies that offer personalized experiences. You may be concerned that a digital incentive will be less personalized and branded than a piece of swag or custom gift cards for business rewards. In fact, the opposite is true.

By sending digital incentives, you can customize the entire reward experience, instead of only the gift card itself. A rewards management platform like BHN Rewards offers endless options to personalize each campaign. You can:

• Curate the selection of rewards. This lets you offer a customized experience by tailoring the e-gift card options for your audience based on their interests, demographics, or location. Letting them choose makes sure they get a reward they love.
• Add custom branding to your reward emails. You may not be printing your logo on custom gift cards, but you can add that and so much more to your reward emails. Not only can you use your logo, you can also customize the colors and messaging.  
• Deliver reward emails from your authorized domain. No need to worry about sending emails from unfamiliar third-party addresses or spoofed domains. Trusted delivery ensures that your reward emails are highly deliverable and easily recognizable. This helps your recipients better associate the great experience of receiving a reward with your brand.
• Add custom branding and calls to action on the redemption page. When your recipients claim their reward, the redemption page is a great place not only to feature your style and branding, but also to encourage further action. Ask recipients to submit a referral or promote your next survey or webinar.

A Custom Reward Experience, Without Custom Gift Cards, for Business Programs

Marketers are well aware that digital tools can help them personalize communications with their customers, prospects, and other contacts. But many still opt for physical, custom gift cards for business incentives, believing that’s the best way to offer a unique reward experience. But by using a rewards management platform with the right customization capabilities, you can improve the reward experience for your recipients, boost engagement in your marketing programs, and build long-term engagement and loyalty.

Learn more about BHN Rewards’ delightful recipient experience. Then download our Buyer’s Guide to find out what else you should look for in a rewards management platform!

about the author

Hannah Prince

Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.

Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.