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Coupon Tips

How to Save the SaveOn Way

Saving is the greatest feeling in the world. OK, so maybe it’s not the greatest feeling in the world, but it’s definitely up near the top. One of our favorite things is seeing how saving money impacts people’s lives — you can do more with the people you love and focus on the things that matter most. Our motto is to Live Life for Less, and our team is going to give you the secrets to saving through SaveOn so you can live life the way you want.

Sign up to be a Saver.

A Saver is just our fun name for the thousands of members we have across the Midwest. Savers always know about the best deals first, have exclusive access to contests and giveaways, and can easily save their coupons online so they always have them when they need one. Oh yeah, and it’s completely free.

When you become a Saver, you join a community of people who love to live their lives to the fullest and get the most bang for their bucks. They’re everyone from young people who are balling on a budget and moms with three kids to men who want a souped-up man cave and couples making the most of retirement.

SIGN UP TO BE A SAVER

Set your preferences.

When you become a Saver, you have the option to tell us what kind of coupons you want. Filling this out tells us what types of coupons to send you, what coupons and companies to consider adding to the SaveOn mix, and more.

Set up your couponing plan and explore SaveOn.com.

If you’ve read our past blogs, you know there’s an art to couponing. It’s easy to lose track of time looking for coupons, cutting them out and sorting them for your upcoming shopping trips. When you’re a Saver, you can search coupons by category or by business to quickly and easily find what you’re looking for. We’ve even taken your experience a step further and set it up so you can save coupons to your online profile. You can save the SaveOn.com shortcut to your home screen so you can quickly access deals on the go.

LEARN TO COUPON LIKE A PRO.

Enter contests and giveaways.

One of the exclusive benefits of being a Saver is that you have access to enter our monthly contests. We give away amazing prizes from gift cards and grills to weekend getaways and new cars. You can enter as many contests as you want and are eligible to win any and all of them.

CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S CONTESTS

Check your email.

We promise to never spam you with useless emails. Our team sends hot deals, couponing advice, new contests and more to you weekly so you never miss out on a chance to save money and do more.

No matter where you are or what you’re doing, we’re here to bring you great deals and help you save money. If you aren’t a Saver yet, what’s holding you back? Sign up today to get access to the many perks of being a Saver. We can’t wait to see how you Live Life for Less.

HERE’S WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE LIFE FOR LESS

Categories
Marketing

Help Your Business Start 2021 with a Bang

It’s said that hindsight is 20/20.

But that quippy proverb takes on a whole new meaning now. After the tumultuous year the business community just experienced, it’s likely many business owners are pleased to see the number 2020 in the rearview mirror.

A new year brings new hope and new opportunities. It’s a reset button, a fresh start, a tabula rasa to reexamine your goals, recommit your determination and reinvigorate the idea that the unknown days ahead contain unlimited potential for success.

However, just because the days ahead are unknown doesn’t mean you have to approach them unprepared. There are steps that can be taken to help kickstart success and begin 2021 — ah, that beautiful number that seemed to take so long to get here — with a bang.

The coronavirus pandemic that tested the limits and endurance of the business world isn’t over, but the sun appears to be coming up over the horizon and the dawn of better days are approaching. Here are a few tips to help you put your best foot forward and greet 2021 chin up and head-on:

  • Don’t make your marketing budget an optional expense: Although many businesses continue a day-to-day struggle to keep the doors open, the lights on and make payroll, it’s never a good idea to stop thinking about marketing strategy. The marketing budget may be smaller than in years past, but it is still a vital component for your business to keep your name in front of the right eyes. It’s an investment in you.

In a forbes.com article, PostcardMania founder and CEO Joy Gendusa explained that the company slashed its marketing budget following the 2008 recession to detrimental effect, losing $5 million in revenue by 2009. The lesson: The marketing budget is sacred.

“Where possible, you need to get the word out to prospects and customers alike that your business is alive, kicking and ready to be of service,” Gendusa wrote in the article.

  • Bolster your social media presence: From the mom-and-pop shop to the national chains, a strong social media presence is a critical strategy for success in the 20th century. We live in a world where word of thumb has replaced word of mouth, and social platforms are one of the best ways to stay connected with your current customers and raise your profile and awareness with your future patrons.

With more than 3 billion people worldwide using social media every month, the potential for engagement only keeps growing, according to an article in marketinginsidergroup.com.

“If people don’t know about your business, they can’t become your customers,” the article states. “Social media boosts your visibility among potential customers, letting you reach a wide audience by using a large amount of time and effort. And it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.”

  • Put your business on the Google Map: Take the time at the start of the year to update your Google My Business profile. Google My Business provides business owners with the ability to have their companies pop up in local search results and appear on Google Maps. Setting up a Google My Business profile is relatively simple and can reap numerous rewards when properly optimized — from improving engagement to boasting your business in local search results.

An article in business2community.com, recommends filling the Q&A section of the profile with frequently asked questions, adding images or video and responding to all reviews.

“A robust Google My Business profile is more important now than ever. If you want to show up when local searchers are trying to find businesses like yours on Google or in Google Maps, a complete and optimized Google My Business profile is the place to start,” the article states.

It’s important to also take stock of the previous year and pinpoint what did and did not work for your business. However, equally important as looking back is looking forward. You invested your life into your business, so do your homework and study up on the trends and predictions being made in the coming year to determine how you can better reach your customers.

SaveOn has been helping business of all stripes extend their reach to target audiences for years. Find out more about what SaveOn can do for you by visiting saveon.com.

Categories
Coupon Tips Marketing

Finish 2020 Stronger Than You Started

This past year has been insane — COVID-19, wildfires, riots, killer bees, the list goes on. These unexpected events have turned the world as we knew it upside down. It’s hard to imagine any business could finish as strong as it anticipated at the start of the year, yet there are still things you can do to help your business finish the year stronger than you started. 

Set Goals and Build a Plan

A lot has changed over the course of the year. Your goals have most likely changed too, and that’s perfectly fine. To finish the year off strong, you should decide what you want to accomplish by the end of the year and set SMART goals. SMART goals will ensure your objectives are tangible and reasonable for the timeframe left. Share your business’s goals with your staff and post them around the office where everyone can see them. This helps keep your team stay focused, motivated and moving toward your collective objectives together. Once you have your goals, it’s time to make a plan to achieve them. 

Most businesses created a business plan for the year last winter. Unfortunately, this is not the same world or business climate you started in when building your plan. If you haven’t already, the best thing you can do for your business is to reevaluate your business plan and make adjustments based on your new goals.

Get Creative

We know that COVID-19 and the other events of 2020 have created major obstacles for businesses. To maintain and increase sales, you’re going to have to get creative. Don’t be afraid to adjust or try out new business models/strategies.

For instance, people aren’t out and about like they were pre-COVID-19. If possible, consider building and promoting an online store. According to Digital Commerce 360, online merchants gained an extra $107 billion this year as a result of the pandemic. Starting or expanding an online store will help you reach customers who can’t physically get out right now or make your brand available to people outside or your normal market area.

Another way companies have maintained or increased sales is by altering product/service offerings. For example, restaurants have started expanding delivery and curbside pickup options by adding the service or partnering with companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats. We have seen similar adjustments in other industries as well. Auto manufacturers started producing respirators, the spirits industry has been creating hand sanitizer, and furniture and office supply companies are making partitions for offices and restaurants. These offerings don’t have to be permanent, but they can be great for bringing in new business while providing necessary products and services. 

On the converse, it can be a strong business move to limit product and service offerings. Majority of locally owned restaurants have condensed their menus for COVID-19 to cut back on costs. Additionally, clothing stores and other retailers have also limited their variety of goods to focus on more popular items. 

Adjustments are going to vary from business to business. At the end of the day, you have to do what works best for your business. Take the time to plan the rest of the year so you can maximize your bottom line. 

Motivate Staff

As a business owner or manager, you know how stressful this year has been. Your employees are also feeling the pressure and probably are experiencing some form of burnout heading into the fourth quarter. Reenergizing your staff is a good way to ensure you finish the year strong. Reenergizing and motivating staff can be accomplished through a number of methods. 

First, start by acknowledging their stress and burnout. By having an open dialogue with your staff, you can come up with helpful ways to incorporate fun, stress-relieving activities into the workplace. Some easy de-stressors you can incorporate are daily walks with co-workers, meditation time, trivia or (virtual) happy hours. Allowing time to unwind and relax at work is key to keeping employees motivated and moving forward. 

Another way to motivate staff is through incentives. Giving bonuses, time off, gift cards or some other form of incentive can help encourage employees power through the end of the year. Although these gestures seem small, they will make your staff feel valued for their hard work and show you appreciate all they do, especially during this difficult year.

Keep Promoting your Business

When money gets tight, one of the first things businesses want to drop to save funds is their marketing and promotions. This is a bad strategy because effective and thoughtful advertising has been proven to increase sales despite recession and other economic barriers, according to Zimmer Communications. By meeting your customers or potential customers where they are at, you have the opportunity to bring in new customers, increase sales and speed up the purchasing process.  

At SaveOn, we’re devoted to helping businesses be as successful as possible by connecting them to new customers and promoting product and service offerings at the hyperlocal level. To learn more about how our team can help your business reach your goals, visit saveon.com/business.

Categories
Marketing

Your Business Needs Coupon Marketing, Here’s Why

When someone talks about coupons, what do you think of? Some people immediately reference moms using Kohl’s Cash or recall an episode of “Extreme Couponing,” but studies show that coupon use is much bigger than those common examples. In fact, coupons can be integral in enhancing your current business model.

Why Offer Coupons?

Business owners and marketing professionals often ask us why they should start offering coupons. Whether your business is doing well or has room for growth, coupons can expand your current customer base and increase sales. 

Although coupon marketing can look like you’re giving away product for free, 77% of consumers actually spend $10 to $50 more than planned when using a coupon, according to Invesp. Upselling is a common practice in coupon marketing. Making conditions like “$10 off when you spend $50” or “buy-one-get-one half off” can persuade customers to purchase more expensive items than they normally would or buy a larger quantity than intended. These types of offers allow customers to get more expensive items cheaper and increase your profits. Coupon marketing is a great opportunity for you to not only upsell but also cross-sell. 

Cross-selling can occur in a number of ways, but two common methods are pushing products at the time of sale, like asking customers if they would like to purchase silverware to go with their new plate set, or making a coupon requirement that a customer must buy a product of a certain type to redeem the deal. For instance, in the same kitchen supply store example, you could have a coupon that offers 50% off silverware with the purchase of a new plate set. This is a great way to unload items you’ve had in stock for a while or introduce customers to new products. 

Another benefit of coupon marketing is increasing the speed of a sale. According to Kelton Global, 48% of consumers say they will make a purchase sooner if they have a coupon. Speeding up the conversion rate is a smart way to meet quarterly sales goals and unload seasonal products. 

Finally, by offering coupons on a trusted site, through direct mail or via email marketing, you can entice new customers to give your brand a try. Elect an offer that is powerful enough to get a customer to change his or her habits and chose you over your competitor. Then, customers will add you to their lists of places they frequent.

Who Uses Coupons?

So now that you know why you should offer coupons, you’re probably wondering if your target audience even uses coupon. The short answer is yes, they do. According to a study by PRRI, baby boomers (people 55 and older) are more likely to use coupons than any other age group, with 96% saying they use coupons, followed by Generation X with 91% and millennials with 87%. Additionally, a study from marketing firm Acosta found Gen Z is three times more likely than millennials to use mobile coupons. 

The bottom line is coupons are still highly valuable to your customer base regardless of age, gender or other demographics.

How to Start Offering Coupons

How and where you advertise coupon offerings depends on each individual business and what services/products it provides. You should start by considering whether paper or digital makes more sense for your company. 

Paper can include direct mail, magazine, receipt roll or newspaper. Paper coupon marketing will likely have printing, design and placement costs but is still a preferred method among older generations. Placing paper coupon ads in popular newspapers and magazines is a good way to get coupons in front of new customers. As younger generations are more digitally inclined, more companies are turning to digital coupon marketing.

Digital coupons also have an assortment of advertising opportunities, including email and text marketing, online publications, couponing apps and websites, geofencing and retargeting, and digital advertisements. Each method will still likely have a design and placement cost but will save you the cost of printing. Email and text offers are a special exception. If your company has a strong email or text list, you can actually avoid that placement cost. Another benefit of email and text promotion of coupons is that emails containing coupons offer a 48% increase in revenue per email, ReadyCloud found.

Whether you’re new to coupon marketing or just trying to navigate the changes, SaveOn has a team of experts who are ready to help you find the right method for your business. SaveOn helps savers live life for less by connecting them with relevant and trusted businesses. We are the top-of-mind provider of innovative marketing solutions, and we are passionate about the growth of our business partners. To learn more about how to get started in coupon marketing, visit saveon.com/business.