My gift shop is celebrating a milestone anniversary this coming month, and I am using that event to market my store.... I started out by emailing a free $5 gift certificate to my store and website to my entire customer email database (around 1200). Then I said, what the heck, and opened it up to the world...
I am giving away $5 gift certificates to EVERYONE. I am promoting it on Twitter, my store's Facebook Page, giveaway sites, my website. I posted announcements in local online sites, and I emailed my entire database their own copy. If they desire one, they can print it off my website. I have no minimum purchase requirement, the only restriction is a limit of one per customer per day, they cannot get cash back, and the one open to the world expires in 3 weeks, the one to my stores customer list expires in 5 weeks. My total cost=$0. Until they get redeemed - the point being that MOST people who are going to bring it in are going to actually shop and spend well over the face value.
I am also planning on an Anniversary Bash for in the store later in the month, and will be inviting personal friends, neighbors, pta friends, my fellow chamber members, and my best and favorite customers. There will be a $5 gift certificate in with each invitation.
This might make some retailers nervous, but I have done this before on a smaller scale with $10 gift certificates to my top customers, and it was successful. (For the faint of heart, only 1 person spent the face value, most spent loads more). I chose a smaller denomination of $5 this time to try it on a larger scale. I'll update as we go....
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, May 4, 2009
BOOST SHOPPING TRAFFIC WITH COUPON CODE OFFERS
Small retailers and etailers, boost your website traffic by submitting coupon codes for discounts to coupon code directory sites that list current shopping deals. It is FREE to submit to these sites, and you don't have to register or do reciprocal links. This is an interesting opportunity, because when you have shoppers serious enough to be looking for deals, you have shoppers ready to buy. Capture that sale!
RETAILMENOT.COM http://www.retailmenot.com/submit.php This site has a staggering 5 MILLION + visitors each month browsing over 150,000 deals - do I really need to say more? Who wouldn't want a piece of over 5 million shoppers? Think of a deal, and post, post, post! Free shipping, 25% off storewide, etc. Whatever your ecommerce configuration can handle. Keep them current and make them worthwhile. Be sure to use an expiration date so it automatically ends the offer, otherwise remove a deal by emailing your coupon info to: remove@retailmenot.com . If you aren't selling online yet you can submit printable coupons for in-store use by your local shoppers. The benefit here is that you can capture web traffic intent on making a purchase without having to offer or post the coupon code on your own website... Meaning, you don't have to let your regular traffic who have already found you in on the discount. Post a good amount of store information besides the offer to the discount description field, it doesn't seem to have a charachter limit. Some great descriptive copy is sure to entice shoppers to click your link.
NAUGHTYCODES.COM http://www.retailmenot.com/submit.php A much smaller site with about 80K-100K visitors each month browsing deals. Also can take some descriptive copy to the posting.
RETAILMENOT.COM http://www.retailmenot.com/submit.php This site has a staggering 5 MILLION + visitors each month browsing over 150,000 deals - do I really need to say more? Who wouldn't want a piece of over 5 million shoppers? Think of a deal, and post, post, post! Free shipping, 25% off storewide, etc. Whatever your ecommerce configuration can handle. Keep them current and make them worthwhile. Be sure to use an expiration date so it automatically ends the offer, otherwise remove a deal by emailing your coupon info to: remove@retailmenot.com . If you aren't selling online yet you can submit printable coupons for in-store use by your local shoppers. The benefit here is that you can capture web traffic intent on making a purchase without having to offer or post the coupon code on your own website... Meaning, you don't have to let your regular traffic who have already found you in on the discount. Post a good amount of store information besides the offer to the discount description field, it doesn't seem to have a charachter limit. Some great descriptive copy is sure to entice shoppers to click your link.
NAUGHTYCODES.COM http://www.retailmenot.com/submit.php A much smaller site with about 80K-100K visitors each month browsing deals. Also can take some descriptive copy to the posting.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
USING FACEBOOK TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS
Facebook is the social networking site that can get you additional exposure. It is not only a very cool and trendy way to go, but it's a free way to get tons of traffic right now to bring you exposure!
SET UP YOUR PAGE:
After you join Facebook as an individual, you can create a PAGE for your business. Go to the bottom right of your profile page and click HELP. On the HELP CENTER page go down to FACEBOOK APPLICATIONS AND FEATURES, and click on FACEBOOK PAGES. ADS AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS and click on PAGES. Expand the Questions & Answers, and go down to OVERVIEW: WHAT ARE FACEBOOK PAGES? Click on HOW CAN I CREATE A PAGE? and then click the HERE link that appears, which will allow you to start building a page. You will later be able to access your PAGE from your individual personal profile.
After creating my personal profile, because my intent was to get exposure for my business I made my profile 'open', meaning it is viewable without permission to any Facebook user who can then learn about and go to my store's PAGE. (Note: parents, please check make SURE your kids do NOT have an OPEN viewable profile to safeguard them from predators!)
An open profile should have more professional content - avoid creating silly posts or include very personal information/photos that you wouldn't want customers to happen upon. To protect my children I don't have their photos up. The PAGES format has been changing frequently as they make improvements. On your PAGE you can list your website, store hours, create photo albums of the store or product, add video, links, list events or classes, post messages, and more. If you don't even have a website for your store, a Facebook page is a MUST.
Facebook Friends can "Fan" your PAGE, creating a clickable link to your store's Facebook Page on their own profile page - and everyone on their Friends list can then view your page. If that Friend then also becomes a Fan, that allows the Friends list of THAT person to access your Page. And so on. If you have lots of friends who have lots of friends, you will have Page visitors from all over the country! Remember that the content on your store Page is critical, it has to be interesting to draw in the visitor and keep them returning, so that they "fan" you. Lots of images and interesting current content helps.
Facebook is gaining in popularity in adults who want a quick easy way to stay in touch with friends and family (my friend calls it Crackbook, because it has become somewhat of an addiction checking in on what everyone else is up to!) So give Facebook a try, create a page for your business - it is quick and relatively easy. Good luck!
SET UP YOUR PAGE:
After you join Facebook as an individual, you can create a PAGE for your business. Go to the bottom right of your profile page and click HELP. On the HELP CENTER page go down to FACEBOOK APPLICATIONS AND FEATURES, and click on FACEBOOK PAGES. ADS AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS and click on PAGES. Expand the Questions & Answers, and go down to OVERVIEW: WHAT ARE FACEBOOK PAGES? Click on HOW CAN I CREATE A PAGE? and then click the HERE link that appears, which will allow you to start building a page. You will later be able to access your PAGE from your individual personal profile.
After creating my personal profile, because my intent was to get exposure for my business I made my profile 'open', meaning it is viewable without permission to any Facebook user who can then learn about and go to my store's PAGE. (Note: parents, please check make SURE your kids do NOT have an OPEN viewable profile to safeguard them from predators!)
An open profile should have more professional content - avoid creating silly posts or include very personal information/photos that you wouldn't want customers to happen upon. To protect my children I don't have their photos up. The PAGES format has been changing frequently as they make improvements. On your PAGE you can list your website, store hours, create photo albums of the store or product, add video, links, list events or classes, post messages, and more. If you don't even have a website for your store, a Facebook page is a MUST.
Facebook Friends can "Fan" your PAGE, creating a clickable link to your store's Facebook Page on their own profile page - and everyone on their Friends list can then view your page. If that Friend then also becomes a Fan, that allows the Friends list of THAT person to access your Page. And so on. If you have lots of friends who have lots of friends, you will have Page visitors from all over the country! Remember that the content on your store Page is critical, it has to be interesting to draw in the visitor and keep them returning, so that they "fan" you. Lots of images and interesting current content helps.
Facebook is gaining in popularity in adults who want a quick easy way to stay in touch with friends and family (my friend calls it Crackbook, because it has become somewhat of an addiction checking in on what everyone else is up to!) So give Facebook a try, create a page for your business - it is quick and relatively easy. Good luck!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
WELCOME TO GIFT SHOP RETAILER!
I am an independent gift shop owner and blogger. This blog is where I will share what I know and have learned about retail - shoestring style.
Let's get right to it: there's not a lot of money to spend on building a business when you are an independent store owner even in good times. With a global economy rapidly eroding, it's frightening and stressful for business owners right now. With massive layoffs, stock values at shocking lows, big stores failing left and right, and the media scaring the daylights out of us every day with more bad news, [note to media: STOP IT! HOW ABOUT A LITTLE GOOD NEWS?!!!] is there any hope for the small mom & pops? I think so.
There are many ways to manage, build, promote, and market your business inexpensively. I'll share what I do. I invite you to share your own tips and successes. I'll make observations and comments on what other businesses do. I'll also post links to sites, information, or contacts that could be of great value to you. Someday this content may become a book, but for now, I like this format.
I invite you to share your comments and questions...
Let's get right to it: there's not a lot of money to spend on building a business when you are an independent store owner even in good times. With a global economy rapidly eroding, it's frightening and stressful for business owners right now. With massive layoffs, stock values at shocking lows, big stores failing left and right, and the media scaring the daylights out of us every day with more bad news, [note to media: STOP IT! HOW ABOUT A LITTLE GOOD NEWS?!!!] is there any hope for the small mom & pops? I think so.
There are many ways to manage, build, promote, and market your business inexpensively. I'll share what I do. I invite you to share your own tips and successes. I'll make observations and comments on what other businesses do. I'll also post links to sites, information, or contacts that could be of great value to you. Someday this content may become a book, but for now, I like this format.
I invite you to share your comments and questions...
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