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The bright side of coupons: How coupons can get customers buying more with you.

Guest post by: Andrea James

Article Overview: Reading consumer articles as a business owner or marketing consultant.

The bright side of coupons: How coupons can get customers buying more with you.

There's usually more than one-side to a story, right? And it's also often possible to read things from different perspectives. So taking off our hats as consumers and reading this instead as merchants (or as advisors to merchants), this list about the dark side of coupons can remind us how coupons are effective in getting customers. (Original list shown in bold). Coupon Warning #1: You'll Be Brainwashed by the Word "Free"

How can use the word free to entice customers to come in and buy from you? Free cocktails with every meal purchased is an example of giving something to customers that has a higher value to them than it costs for you to give it.

Coupon Warning #2: You'll Spend More on Expensive Brands That Are "On Sale"

If you have high mark-up on some items, are you able to offer them a discount whilst pairing it with other items that are profitable?

Coupon Warning #3: You'll Treat Yourself to Luxuries

Think about how you can play on the "because you're worth it" theme with your customers and remind them that they should treat themselves in these hard times.

Coupon Warning #4: You'll Spend More Time (and Money) in the Store

If you have retail space, physical or online, think carefully about the layout and how the customer navigates through your shop as they redeem your coupon. It's important to get the balance between making things as convenient and non-intrusive as possible for customers but also to place attractive items that entices the customers to make impulse buys.

Coupon Warning #5: You'll Buy Bulk Items You Don't Really Need -- Or Want

By bundling your products, you can also offer great value to the customer without costing much to your bottom line.

Yes, we're aware that the above advice may seem "evil" an exploitative and we definitely ask that you use these tactics wit consideration.

We wanted to remind business owners of the different ways of viewing the same situation and to use buying behaviour and psychology to your advantage.

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Article Tags: buying behaviour, coupons, customer psychology, marketing, perspective



Related Forum Posts
Re: Surveys show more and more customers are cutting costs - Adapt and adjust. Offer coupons, deals and specials. If people think they are getting a good deal they will buy even in a tough economy.
Franchise Complaints - The franchisee gets the complaint forwarded to them by the Franchise company, who receives the original complaint. When you lodge a complaint online, it goes thru the franchise so they can have a record of it, but it is up to the franchisee to deal with it. I lodged a complaint to McDonald's once because the location I always go to had horrible employees who obviously cant do their job properly. Every single time I went there, I came home with less food than I paid for, never any napkins, ketchup, sauces...etc. I would always have to go back to ask for the missing food I already paid for (that somehow was neglected to make it into the bag). The franchisee was forwarded my complaint and he (the franchisee) sent me a nice letter, personally signed by him. It included an apology, his personal cell phone number (in case I experienced further problems) and $10 in gift coupons. I thinkhe preferred to include his cell # rather than have me lodge another complaint via the franchisor. He said he would immediately deal with the situation, because it was unacceptable. It was followed up about 10 days later with a second letter letting me know he spoke with the managers on both day and evening shifts to ensure this would never happen again. That letter also included another $10 in gift coupons. The problem was resolved for a few months, then occurred again. I was disgusted and never bothered calling his cell # or lodging a 2nd complaint, but I guess I should have...we just go to a different location now.
Re: Gap Between Rich and Poor Widens - One thing about "rich" and "poor" is that it's all relative. Poor people in the US live like kings compared to the poor in other countries. For example, there's starvation in the Sudan, not to mention genocide... Whereas here in the States, the poorest people have cellphones (given to them by the government because apparently it's a right to have a cellphone), food - whether acquired through food stamps or from food shelves, Section 8 housing, WIC for mothers, and so on. Most poor people have at least one TV - color, of course - and when we go digital in another year or so, instead of having to buy converter boxes so their old TV sets can receive digital signals, the poor will receive coupons so they can get them for free. Whereas lower middle class has to pay for all that stuff... But there again... you have to blame the government. By "enabling" people to live off handouts, by allowing people to live as if they *deserve* those handouts, they're destroying their initiative. And as each subsequent generation grows up...they seem to not know that they can actually do things for themselves...
Re: Real Estate via social networking? - [quote="kalens99":3unnnpdg]If you're asking only if there is anything immoral about it then no there is nothing wrong with it whatsoever. Social networking is just like email or any other type of marketing strategy. It can be misused or it can be honestly. It is completely up to the marketer.[/quote:3unnnpdg] You are right. There is a bright and dark side to everything. Its up to the user who is willing to chose a path.
Re: Ideas for developing my business - [quote="kristopher":33z0ke92]I'm a 19 years old guy from the Dominican Republic that is studying business administration in college and I want to start a magazine with college’s students as the target. I want some ideas for developing my business.[/quote:33z0ke92] Hi kristopher, I've typically found that most colleges already have an official magazine to cover all of their general issues and newsletters to report on their sports teams' progress. I would suggest you try starting up an "urban culture magazine" for the students on your campus. In fact, I actually used this idea for my Marketing II course's major group project and we essentially focused on reporting news on where students could get good (yet affordable) food, fashion and entertainment. So you could try making money by asking local food vendors, clothing retailers or clubs to buy advertising space in your magazine or offer promotional coupons. I hope I was of some help!


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