<p>I am crafting a direct mail postcard for the holiday season. My goal is to get new people into the store to shop <em>and</em> become longterm profitable customers. Let’s assume you buy things either for the holidays or in real life that I have in my store. You’d normally spend about $35 on a visit to this sort of a store, but maybe as much as $100. </p>
<p>What kind of offer would get you to try my store?
$5 off any purchase?
$10 off any purchase?
$5 off $20 purchase?
$10 off $50 purchase?</p>
<p>I have my own ideas, and the direct mail vendor has his ideas, and my store manager insists she won’t get off her couch for less than 25% and 30% or 40% would be better. We really don’t cater to the bottom-fisher, price items realistically, and don’t run a lot of sales. </p>
<p>I am trying to think of different scenarios. Unless it is a place that I am planning to visit anyway, $5 would not be enough to get me to make a trip. I get too many direct mail or computer offers (think Groupon) for $5 to move me. The $10 off of $50 might work if your ad enticed me in other ways or if this is a desire able product but it would depend on whether I want to spend $50 for your product. So, without more information, I think the $10 off any price would be my choice. </p>
<p>I think a lot depends on how much effort I have to expend to redeem your coupon. Will I be in that vicinity for other reasons? Do I typically shop for your product, know that you don’t have frequent discounts, so this is a good time to try it? My sisters have always said that I am not much of a shopper so I don’t know if my reasoning helps at all but maybe I can get people started. (Although it has taken me so long to type maybe someone else has already given a better answer)</p>
<p>My husband says that in the business he runs, the straight dollar off coupons are the ones with the highest redemption rates (and NOT % off). If your products are good and your store is cute and welcoming, you’ll have repeat business. Maybe a two step coupon, $5 off first visit and purchase and $10 off a second visit with the receipt from the first purchase stapled to it (with ‘x’ number of days between initial and subsequent purchases).</p>
<p>After reading another thread, I know more about your business. I, personally, would prefer to shop at your small business than at a large chain as long as the prices were reasonable. Pet owners, I think, can be remarkably loyal and will pay a little extra for good service. A small store opened within a block of my house ( not a major commercial area) that sells pet supplies. I stopped in to see what they offered. I had planned to buy something to support a neighborhood store but after wandering around for 10 minutes while being ignored by the owner?/employee who was chatting with someone, I decided that she didn’t really want my business. Maybe a coupon would get me back for a second chance but only because it is in the area. </p>
<p>I think in your business a coupon would bring in customers. I would guess that service is just as important as product so getting people in the door is important. A $5 coupon might get more people in the door if volume is your goal.</p>
<p>For pet products we tend to stick to buying the same brands on a regular basis. It would therefore catch my eye if there were a picture of one of that brand’s products or their name was specifically mentioned. I don’t know whether your agreement with suppliers lets you include names or pictures of their products when you’re marketing, but I just thought I’d mention that.</p>
<p>We have two local chain pet stores nearby.
One has a valued customer program( they keep track of purchases and at the holidays they give out gift bags. Mostly samples of food, but also full size toys and treats). The other shop doesn’t.
The one with the incentive program I usually shop at more often, although the other one is closer. ( both are within walking distance)
I wouldn’t make a trip for a $5 or $10 off coupon, but I would for a special event, like Santa pictures.</p>
<p>One of the risks of this type of offer is if it is mostly redeemed by your regular customers. Why don’t you have it tiered to have folks spend more once they come in: $5 off $25, $12 off of $50, $25 off of $100?</p>
<p>Many places have incentive offers.
My grocery store co/op has 10% off coupon in the monthly newsletter.
It’s s pain to keep track of the soup and coffee punch cards though as I use a phone wallet with only a couple slots.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I spend more than most people but I doubt it, as everything they stock is expensive.( but good quality) A bed for $130 ( that lasted for 5 minutes, although I can mend it probably ), dehydrated raw food that is $50 a bag, chew toys starting at $13, a dog life jacket for $40…</p>
<p>I don’t know if the bagged food samples are free to the shop owner, but how about a postcard that offers a free gift bag of them, ( then you could include in the gift bag a coupon good starting next year.
But since I immediately toss most of which I consider junk mail, would it be more cost effective to place an ad in a community newsletter? Not the newsletters addressed to " resident" but the ones that go out to members of your neighborhood/ community newspaper)
Many people do more shopping during the holidays than at other times and may be looking for holiday shopping events.</p>
<p>If you have room in your store, another thing I like about All the best, is that they have a table of pet related resources. Dog walkers, charitable pet related events, obedience classes and a couple locations even sell pet care books and had some available for reference.</p>
<p>$10 off without a min purchase may not net you anything against cost.<br>
A lot of the cute, possible impulse buy products at my local boutique pet shop are priced under $20, so I may not be able to use that coupon.<br>
I do have a sweet shop where, maybe once a month I spend bout $35. It’s very “see what they have today.” I’d feel loved and loyal if they gave me a BOGO deal, buy one, get x of equal or lesser value. But I think that may be more effective during inventory reduction, not year-end. I’m not a bottom fisher, both the pet place and the other are cute and ‘destinations.’</p>
<p>We have plenty of other incentives – a rewards program where the customer builds points towards a $25 gift certificate, buy10get1 dog food programs, punch cards for small animal foods etc. We’ll do a 20% off bag sale on Small Business Saturday etc. </p>
<p>I’m just thinking about the postcard offer right now. I find that people are a little more receptive to ad promos right at the holidays when they are trying to think of something for the teacher and remember she has a pet. Or they want to get their own pet something more special than the Chinese crunchy rawhide at the supermarket. </p>
<p>I like (Kohls occasional) $10 off a purchase of $10 or more. It will bring me into the store for browsing to search for a $10 item. Meanwhile, I spend time looking at many products in various departments.</p>
<p>I would say a free gift would give me the most incentive, especially if you want to get new customers to check out your store. If I haven’t been to the store and don’t already know what I may want to buy there, a $ off coupon or % off coupon isn’t very enticing. I would respond to a card that lets me know exactly what I am going to get there - a free gift that is in the spirit of what you sell, special price on a representative item, or special event (like holiday photos mentioned above).</p>