Gone are the days of freely spending money without searching the Internet for a bargain. Savvy shoppers look for and USE coupons, discounts, freebies, etc. , and often select a product or service with such an "offering" over the competition because of the "good deal appeal."
If you’re not using coupons in your marketing mix… THINK AGAIN! You just might be missing the entire population of shoppers who key in on coupons while surfing for bargains. Not convinced, go to a search engine, type in your product followed by the word “coupon “ and check out what your competition is doing.
Haven't you noticed the coupon/promo code box during your Internet shopping? The one that when you leave it blank you feel like you were ripped off , or worse yet, not "special" enough to have access to the mystery code?
Well don't make it hard for your customers to find your coupons – don't make your customers work to feel special – go make a snazzy coupon and help your customer choose you over the competition – from a financial standpoint, as well as an emotional one.
Face it, everyone likes a good deal – especially in this economy! I know I like a good deal as a consumer and I really like a quirky idea as a marketer. So figure out an offer you can make that is unique, worthwhile and won’t break your bank.
According to About.com, Over 76% of the population use coupons, according to the Promotion Marketing Association (PMA) Coupon Council. Coupons still work and provide an affordable marketing strategy for small business.
Here’s a few things to consider before creating your coupon:
- What can you afford to decrease or give away? What is your budget?
- What do you hope to get out of this coupon campaign? Awareness, repeat customers, etc.
- Who is your target audience?
- How will your coupon be disseminated? WHERE will it be discovered?
- How will you know if your campaign is successful?
- Is this a job that can be done in-house or do you need professional support?
Check out this site – I randomly selected it based off a coupon savings link and was pleasantly surprised by the real estate give to the Open Box feature promoting 60% off. Also thought the red tag sale button at the top that makes you think you'll get a great deal, but only today, is also tempting.
So, whether you're providing a service or product, think in unique terms of what you can afford to GIVE to your customers so that they choose you over your competition. Be smart, be creative and be genuine – everyone knows when they're getting a good deal or getting snowed!
Image provided by: screwtape
