Digital Coupons Can be an Effective Marketing Tool | Small ...

In 2010, more than 49 million people used digital coupons according to research quoted by SavingStar. This research shows the importance of digital coupons to any marketing strategy that intends to offer discounts. Digital coupons are a cost effective way to attract new customers and reward existing ones. Redemption is on the increase since the economic downturn of 2008 according to knowledgenetworks, and demographics show an increase across the board, but if your product appeal is towards the younger generation (18-30 YRS.) digital is the way to influence a sale.

A digital coupon can be as simple as;

1. An e-mail offering current customers a discount.

2. A clickable banner ad offering a percentage off.

3. A limited deal offered through twitter or facebook.

4. A printable coupon which must be presented at time of sale

Steps to creating and distributing a digital coupon

Know your marketing budget:

Offers sent via your existing facebook fans, twitter followers or customer e-mail lists are an inexpensive way to distribute a digital coupon and ?sharing? through your existing customer base has the added bonus of increasing your new customer base. If you have the means to shoot a video presentation for YouTube which mentions your discount, posting is fairly simple. Adding a banner ad to your website or purchasing one on a locally-focused network is a bit more sophisticated, but if your budget has the capacity, it can be rewarding. A social coupon ?like Groupon or Living Social takes a bigger budget and a very carefully strategized marketing plan.

Clearly state time frame and discount:

How ever you decide to present your digital coupon, being clear about your offer is important to a successful campaign. Decide both the level of discount; ?10% off of certain dollar amount spent? or ?buy one get one free? and the time frame of discount; ?One time only? or ?first time customers?. Always put a time limit on your coupons!

Constructing your digital coupon:

If your marketing budget is low but you want to do more than work your existing social connections; the best way for small businesses to reach a targeted, local market is to construct your coupon through local sites like Craigslist or Local.com. The listings are free and their tools for creating and distributing your digital coupon are user friendly. Craigslist is especially targeted for the service industry and can be a good source of new customers.

Distribution:

Understanding the demographics of your products or services is important to a successful marketing campaign, and understanding which digital sites your demographic uses, is important to a successful distribution. If you are not sure, target all the inexpensive social media sites [facebook, twitter, e-mail, YouTube] with your digital coupon and track the success before investing in a more expensive campaign. A YouTube video has a chance of going viral and telling viewers to mention your video when they come into your shop or call for your service, is an inexpensive method of distribution. Banner Ads, available through sites like; AdReady, iPromote and Jivox, can be free to get started, but beware that a cost will be incurred for the best distribution.

Digital coupons should be one part of your marketing campaign. While their usage is on the rise, paper coupons and other forms of advertising should be included. Discounts are a way to bring new customers to your business, tracking their usage is where the benefits really pay off. This new data will increase your demographic knowledge, allowing for a more targeted campaign in the future. Discounts do not cheapen your product or service and in these economically challenging times it allows your business to build a loyal customer base that will see you through and into a better business future.

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