Southern CA Edition is being published!

We are very excited about having our first edition ready to be published!  All we are waiting on are a few more of our Highlighted Stores to approve their pages ~ Once this has been completed it is off to the publishers this Saturday!

Shipping is expected to begin October 15th ~ So be sure to order your copy today!

Inside you will find the following:

*  33 Highlighted Stores

*  246 Coupons

*  14 Tips & Extras

*  7 Sponsor Pages

We are currently working on Orange County, San Diego County, Inland Empire and Los Angeles County right now ~ Be sure to email us with your favorite stores and receive a FREE book if they decide to advertise with us!  It is a WIN WIN WIN for everyone!

Create the Coupon ~ Plan a Strategy ~ Work the Plan

Okay ~ you have seen the overwhelming benefits of coupons.  Now you need to know how to create a strong profit buidling coupon campaign. 

Many businesses just redeem coupons but then they have lost the coupons profit potential!  Do not just ‘Try’ a coupon campaign.  You must create the coupon, plan a stategy for when the coupon is redeemed and then work the plan!

Below are the top 10 effective coupon suggestions.

 

1. Offer Discounts ~ 40%, 50%, 60% off coupons work the best!  These types of discounts ONLY work best whent he % is high enough and the item you are advertising is well known.  Giving consumers their choice of item is the most effective.
2. Offer Cash Discounts ~ $10, $20, $30 off coupons are easy to understand and work very well.  They give the consumer a figure they can wrap their hands aroung.
3. Offer Bonus Buys ~ Buy 1 Get 1, Buy 2 Get 1, Buy 3 Get 2 can be seen in many advertising campaigns because they work!  It is like getting a free gift for buying what you had already intended to buy.
4. Offer Free ~ Free item, Free trial, Free consultation can be very popular for a consumer who needs some guidance.  These offers are what consumers need when they have lots of questions before they purchase.  Most software companies offer a ‘test drive’ before you buy ~ why do we believe consumers for cutting machines would not want the same?  Do not be afraid of the FREE coupon because it can be a very profitable coupon to use for the higher priced items you sell!
5. Offer Benefits ~ Protect your family with, save time and money with, more convenient are words that speak volumes to consumers.  Offer products that fit into these catagories.
6. Offer Extras ~ When a consumer is redeeming their coupon offer them additional information, other products that they might enjoy and be sure to show them how the item they are purchasing will make life easier, happier, safer, etc.
7. Offer Clubs ~ When a consumer is redeeming their coupon offer them admission into one of your stores clubs or newsletters.  This shows them that you want them back.
8. Offer Follow-ups ~ How often a business hears what a consumer is looking for but your business does not offer it at the time it is requested.  Make a list and follow-up with consumers when what they were looking for is available in your business! 
9. Offer Ride Alongs ~ Make up a coupon sheet for their next visit or make sure they have a copy of the Sewing & Craft Book.
10. Offer Coupons in Confidence ~ Many businesses are afraid of coupons and see them as a money loosing proposition.  If you fall into this category then you have failed to see the power behind coupons.  Their main purpose in life is to draw NEW and current customers into your business, the selling is up to you and your staff!

Use the above list ~ And do not just ‘Try’ a coupon campaign, plan and work a coupon campaign.  Choose your coupon, plan a strategy for when the coupon is redeemed and work the plan!  Do NOT just redeem the coupon.

Benefits of Coupon Advertising

Coupons “pull in business” and are accepted as a powerful marketing tool by many astute marketing managers. One simple explanation could be their overwhelming demand and acceptance by the consumer. It is reported that 87% of all shoppers use some form of coupons.

A.C. Nielson Co. reveals that 95% of all shoppers use coupons on a regular basis while 60% actively look for coupons. The Wall Street Journal recently wrote an article called ‘In a Pinch, Snip’ which states that coupon use is on the rise as the recession takes hold. In their article, they reported that 54% of shoppers surveyed had begun using coupons.

So what do advertisers need to know about coupons? Below are the top 10 things advertisers need to know about couponsCoupons have the effect of expanding or increasing your market area. It is a proven fact that consumers will travel far to redeem a valuable coupon!

1. Coupons have the effect of expanding or increasing your market area. It is a proven fact that consumers will travel far to redeem a valuable coupon!
2. Coupons will attract new customers to see what your business has to offer that is different from your competitor. Many consumers will change their routing shopping habits to take advantage of a good coupon offer.
3. Coupons attract new residents just moving into the area or travelers in the area when they are in need for the type of products and services your company offers.
4. Coupons have the ability to pull back former customers. Customers that have been shopping at your competitors will come back to see what your company has to offer again.
5. Coupon advertising provides the opportunity for additional ‘revenue’ that add up to profits through the sale of related items. Use your coupon to draw a customer in that are part of a series or group of useful items. (Business owners often forget this.)
6. Coupons allow your business the ability to ‘sell-up’ to a better fit product or service for the consumer.
7. Coupons allow your business the opportunity to meet and communicate with consumers to reveal their needs and desires. Just remember to redeem the coupon in some form for the sold-up product!
8. Coupons build store traffic which results in additional impulse purchases.Coupons can be measured. Do not overlook this vital component to coupon advertising!
9. Coupon delivery methods have very little to do with their overall value. Production and delivery are not as valuable as it is for coupons to have a specific audience. The coupon itself will determine what offer produces the best response from that audience.
10. Coupons should be tested with various offers.  Coupon testing gives a unique view of what works and what does not. Do not be discouraged. The proven fact is that coupons work, your job is to find the formula for your business and watch it improve!

Tomorrow we will explore the 10 steps to effective coupon campaigns.

WELCOME to our newest additions to the Sewing & Craft Book

Earlier this week I visited the Lancaster/Palmdale area and met with the following businesses ~ They all will be advertising in the upcoming editions of the Sewing & Craft Book ~ Be sure to look for their Highlightes Store additions on the Sewing & Craft Book website!

Bolts is the exclusive business for Unique Sewing Furniture

 

 

 

CT Beads is the ultimate bead and yarn shop in Lancaster, CA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-Quality Vacuum & Sewing serves the Valencia & Palmdale areas