Gift Card Upsell Journey

Journey Name

Smart Gift Card Upsell for Active Diners

Precise Marketing Objective

Convert active restaurant customers into ambassadors by encouraging them to purchase gift cards for their loved ones, capitalizing on their satisfaction and knowledge of the restaurant.

Target Customer Segment

• Primary Segment: Customers with recent positive experience
• Qualification Criteria:
  • At least 1 visit in the last 30 days
  • Positive experience noted (positive feedback)
  • No gift card purchase in the last 90 days
• Priority Profiles:
  • Couples (reservations for 2)
  • Business groups (4-8 people)
  • Families (presence of children noted)

Specific Triggers

Primary Trigger

• Event: high_satisfaction_detected
• Conditions:
  • Positive feedback received
  • OR amount spent >$150
  • OR 3rd visit in 2 months
• Timing: 24-48h after event

Contextual Triggers

• Approaching key dates (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas)
• Birthday detection in profile
• Major local events

Detailed Journey Steps

Step 1: VIP Recognition (Day+0)

Channel: Personalized email Content:

• Congratulations on “Valued Customer” status
• Exclusive advantage: Premium gift card creation
• CTA Action: “Discover your VIP privileges”

Step 2: Emotional Storytelling (Day+2)

Channel: Rich email with video Content:

• Story of a customer who gave an experience
• Video testimonials from happy recipients
• Visualization of card in Apple/Google Wallet
• CTA Action: “Give this emotion”

Step 3: Limited Premium Offer (Day+4)

Channel: SMS Content:

• “As a VIP customer: 20% bonus on gift cards”
• 48h validity
• Suggested amounts based on history
• CTA Action: “Activate your VIP bonus”

Step 4: Social Proof (Day+7)

Channel: Email Content:

• “153 gift cards given this month”
• Top 3 occasions to give
• Upcoming events calendar
• Instant gift pass via wallet
• CTA Action: “Join the generous”

Step 5: Experience Bundle (Day+10)

Channel: Email Content:

• Combo offer: Gift card + Exclusive benefits
• “Discovery Evening” option with special menu
• Gift message customization
• CTA Action: “Create an unforgettable evening”

Step 6: Contextual Urgency (Day+14)

Condition: If nearby event detected Channel: SMS Content:

• “Valentine’s Day in 7 days!”
• Instant digital gift card
• Special last-minute bonus
• CTA Action: “Save Valentine’s Day”

Step 7: Ambassador Program (Day+21)

Condition: If purchase made Channel: Email Content:

• Ambassador program enrollment
• 10% commission on cards sold via their code
• Referral tracking
• CTA Action: “Become an ambassador”

Communication Channels

Optimal Channel Mix

1. Email: Rich content and storytelling
2. SMS: Flash offers and urgent reminders
3. Web Push: Real-time notifications

Multi-Channel Orchestration

• Morning (8am-10am): Inspirational email
• Lunch (12pm-1pm): SMS offer reminder
• Evening (6pm-8pm): Wallet push action
• Weekend: Long experience email

Success Indicators (KPIs)

Primary KPIs

• Overall conversion rate: Target 25% of segment
• Gift card average basket: Target $100
• Redemption rate: Target >85% within 3 months
• Journey ROI: Target 4:1

Engagement KPIs

• Time spent on product page: >2 min
• Social sharing rate: >15%
• Referral activation rate: >20%
• Email click rate: >30%

Business KPIs

• New customers via gift cards: +30%
• Increased Lifetime Value: +40%
• Post-gift visit frequency: +2x

Caramel Journey Configuration

Workflow Definition

name: gift_card_upsell_journey
entry_node: vip_recognition
nodes:
  - id: vip_recognition
    type: message
    channel: [wallet, email]
    template: vip_status_granted
    wait: 2_days

  - id: emotional_story
    type: message
    channel: email
    template: gift_story_video
    wait: 2_days

  - id: decision_branch
    type: branch
    conditions:
      - opened_email: goto_limited_offer
      - not_opened: goto_social_proof

Advanced Personalization

{
  "personalization": {
    "recipient_name": "{{first_name}}",
    "vip_since": "{{calculated_vip_date}}",
    "usual_party_size": "{{avg_party_size}}",
    "special_occasions": "{{detected_occasions}}",
    "gift_suggestions": "{{recommended_amounts}}"
  }
}

Recommended A/B Tests

Test 1: Engagement Timing

• Variant A: Immediate post-satisfaction
• Variant B: 48h reflection period
• Metric: Conversion rate and amount

Test 2: Incentive Type

• Variant A: % bonus on value
• Variant B: Benefits for recipient
• Variant C: Combo giver + recipient
• Metric: Attractiveness and sharing

Test 3: Creative Format

• Variant A: Video testimonial
• Variant B: Image carousel
• Variant C: Interactive HTML email
• Metric: Engagement and memorability

Optimization Strategies

Contextual Personalization

• Adapt amounts based on spending history
• Suggest occasions based on personal calendar
• Propose menus according to observed preferences
• Timing based on booking habits

Gamification

• Double points on gift card purchases
• Collector badges in wallet
• Monthly challenges between ambassadors
• Generosity leaderboard

Social Integration

• Easy social media sharing
• Pre-formatted Instagram Stories
• Personalized QR code generation
• Chef video message included

Objection Handling

”Too expensive”

• Propose fractional amounts
• Highlight value vs price
• Offer payment in installments

”Not sure they’ll like it”

• Exchange guarantee with other restaurant
• Multi-restaurant card available
• Complete gift customization

”Too complicated”

• 30-second demo video
• Instant wallet delivery
• Immediate WhatsApp support

Long-Term Success Metrics

Business Impact

• New customer acquisition: +25%
• Average ticket increase: +15%
• Acquisition cost reduction: -30%
• NPS improvement: +10 points

Virality and Growth

• Viral coefficient K: >1.2
• Recommendation cycle: Less than 30 days
• Card repurchase rate: >40%
• Multi-generation referrals: >15%

Technical Integrations

Required APIs

• Visit management system (POS or CRM)
• Stripe or other processor: Payments
• SendGrid/Brevo: Transactional emails
• Twilio: SMS

Tracking and Attribution

• UTM parameters on all links
• Conversion pixel on confirmation
• PostHog event tracking
• Multi-touch attribution
• Monthly cohort analysis

Evolution and Roadmap

Phase 1 (Months 1-3)

• Basic journey deployment
• Test on 10% audience
• Message optimization

Phase 2 (Months 4-6)

• ML personalization
• Social media integration
• Complete ambassador program

Phase 3 (Months 7-12)

• Multi-restaurant marketplace
• B2B partner integrations
• Advanced loyalty program