The problem
Massage is a popular present, and buyers often decide late at night or a day before a birthday. A therapist selling paper vouchers by bank transfer and a handwritten list spends about 10 minutes on each one and misses buyers who won't wait for a reply. Selling 5 by hand a month takes about 50 minutes, and the ones that never get sold don't show up anywhere.
What the AI does
Fresha lists gift cards among its features on both plans: digital and in-store gift cards that clients buy online, that work with bookings, and whose balances and payments are tracked for you. Add a gift card to your Fresha booking page in fixed amounts or for a named treatment, share the link before Christmas, Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, and the recipient books with it. Write the terms plainly before purchase: what it covers, any expiry date and whether it can be refunded.
A worked example
A massage therapist in York sells about 5 paper vouchers a month, more in December. They add Fresha gift cards at $80£60€71A$115C$113 for a 60-minute massage and post the link on Instagram and Facebook in the weeks before each big gifting date.
Before
About 5 vouchers a month sold by hand, 10 minutes each, and no way to buy late at night
After
Vouchers bought online at any hour, with about 3 extra sales a month at $80£60€71A$115C$113
What it's worth
About $225£169€201A$324C$318 a month: $192£144€171A$276C$271 in profit from about 3 extra $80£60€71A$115C$113 vouchers a month once redeemed (3 × $80£60€71A$115C$113 at an assumed 80% margin), plus about 50 minutes of voucher admin saved, worth $33£25€30A$48C$47 at $40£30€36A$58C$56 an hour. That is against Fresha Independent at €14.95 (about $17£13€15A$25C$24) a month, shown in local currency, or nothing extra if you already use Fresha; card fees of 1.29% + €0.20 come off each sale. The 3 extra sales is an assumption.
How to set it up
- Set up Fresha with your treatments and connect Fresha payments.
- Create gift cards for fixed amounts or named treatments, and write the terms: what's covered, expiry and refunds.
- Add the gift card link to your booking page, Instagram bio and Facebook page.
- Remind followers a few weeks before Christmas, Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.
- When a voucher is redeemed, check the recipient's health and suitability in the consultation just as you would for any new client.
What goes wrong
- A voucher holder is a new client you know nothing about. Do the same health questions and consultation before treating them as you would for anyone booking direct.
- Voucher money is for treatments you still owe. Keep track of outstanding balances so a busy January doesn't overfill your diary.
- Make the expiry and refund terms clear before purchase; unclear terms cause the most disputes.