Prospect Genius

Coupons Make You Money

It may seem a little backward, but adding a coupon to your website can actually help you make more money. You may be thinking, “Wait. How can I make more money if I’m offering customers a discount?” But the math really does work out. Sure, you will be collecting a little less money per customer, but enough individuals may like the gimmick to dramatically increase your customer base. That means if you’re charging each client a little bit less but you have 5 or 10 percent more customers, you’ll be making a lot more!
Adding a coupon to your microsite is also beneficial for advertising your services. Not only can the Prospect Genius SEO team publicize your coupon—and your company—on a whole new list of websites, we can leverage these sites to increase your microsite traffic. In short, we can maximize the benefit of a coupon to boost the number of calls and e-mails you get.
Here are a few coupon ideas to consider for your company (and why they’re a great option!)

• 5% Off for Cash Payment: When customers pay in cash, you won’t have to pay the credit card fees you might otherwise have been charged. That means this discount doesn’t really cut into your profits: you’re simply passing the savings along to your customer and generating interest in your business at the same time.
• 10% Off for Veterans, Active Members of the Armed Services, and/or Senior Citizens: Okay, so this coupon does mean you’ll lose out on 10% of your revenue, but many customers view senior/veteran discounts as a charitable donation for the people who have served our country. This generosity toward these highly esteemed groups can enhance a customer’s perception of your business and go a long way toward encouraging a prospective client to choose you over the competition.
• 10% Off for Existing Customers: Every business owner knows finding new customers is far more expensive than keeping the customers you already have. This kind of coupon encourages your current customers to keep your number on hand—the more customers you retain, the fewer new customers you have to find, and the savings add up!

And remember, fancy graphics are good and fine, but coupons are more about the message than the picture. All you need to create an effective online coupon is the offer itself. If you want to dress it up, go for it, but the discount is all that really matters.

Great Promotions Are All About the Gimmick

Among the more successful promotions we’ve seen from local businesses was an offer from a bathroom remodeler. He advertised at $5,995 complete bath remodel: using a one-page list of specifications regarding fixtures, counters, and flooring, the customer could select upgrades beyond the $5,995 base price.
Two things made this idea so effective:

1. It caught the customers’ attention. The advertised price for the bathroom remodel was so low that it jumped out at prospective clients.
2. All of the options were laid out simply and clearly. Bathroom remodels can be daunting, complex projects, but by reducing it down to four or five packages, the buying process is simple rather than overwhelming. Limiting options also limits both cost and confusion, making it straightforward and hassle-free for the buyer.

We’ve seen tons of coupons and promotional gimmicks over our years in the advertising business, but here are a few of the more popular ones we’ve come across: A free GPS system with the purchase of more than $3,000 in flooring; and $500 off more than 3,000 square feet of flooring. Pairing up a specific dollar amount with a particular service or product can help snag a reader’s attention when we’re promoting your coupon, so be as exact as you can about the details. Generating interest in the coupon—and making your phones ring or e-mail in-box overflow—is what it’s all about.

Getting Started

Have a coupon or special discount you’d like us to promote for you? Just let our SEO pros know. If you’re already signed up with the PG lead generation program, there’s no charge for adding a coupon to your site. We’ll even help you brainstorm if you’re looking for coupon ideas! Take advantage of our experts by making us do more work for you: call (800) 689-1273 or e-mail customer.service@prospectgenius.com to get your coupon up and start reeling in the customers!