Coupons / Groupons - good or bad for business?

Coupons – good or bad?    Is a customer only buying a product or visiting a restaurant because they have a coupon?  Would they being doing the same without a coupon?    I have mixed feelings about Groupon and LivingSocial.   Both sites have some terrific deals on just about anything.  There are deals that I have seen for things I had never thought of  - but want to try because I have seen a coupon for it ( Hot air ballooning, art classes, cooking classes and more).   I would be interested to talk to businesses that use this type of marketing to see what the return business is after  a coupon has been used.   

This business “Tea Around the World” doesn’t have a place for coupons yet.   We tried our first few deals on both on FaceBook and emails and it didn’t go very well.

We are definitely all for doing promotions and special but due to the size &

scope of the business, it needs to be on a more manageable and controllable level.

If in a perfect world – we were adding coupons to the business marketing side; it would be discounts on the treats or having a formal afternoon tea event at ½ price.    Also I would be looking at other companies who also do formal teas (like the US Grant or Grand Del Mar) to see if they offer Group on or see if we can partner with them to offer discounts.

There are businesses that do really well with coupons or discounts and it increases business and presence for the company.

Walking further down the road on this journey of social media…..

Other tools for business marketing

All the different options to market a business.   As a business owner – you want to try them all.  Use any means possible to get the company name out in front of as many people as possible.    It sounds all great in theory… until you realize that you have to keep updating each one of those on a continual basis.    For this business “TATW”….advertising is tricky.   Being a sole-owner who not only creates the events, but makes all the food for the events – that takes time itself.    Having the company name out there is terrific – creating a buzz and getting bookings is even better.   But they can only be done one at a time.  If there was a store front or the business had more employees who could handle other events at the same time, then looking into various forms of marketing would be ideal.

Currently, we have decided to stick with the main 4 social media sites to do any advertising (FaceBook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google+).    Later we are thinking about adding Instagram or Flickr (for every time we add a new treat or package); MeetUp (for other like-minded tea lovers to meet for afternoon tea) and LinkedIn for other people in the business and get our name out there on a more professional level.

Although this company has been in business for over 10 years – super fast growth or multiple locations is not a priority at the moment. 

We are excited to try adding new things, but then there is the question of who is going to monitor it and keep all the sites updated and relevant.

Using Social Media for advertising without breaking the bank

The only way to use social media for marketing and to keep it cost-effective or free is to keep the posts eye-catching and relevant.  Create posts and tweets offering specials or coupons or run contests.  All of these options are reletively free or low cost or the outlay of money (as in giving a product or service to a contest winner) will create return business which then is more return money.   Posts asking questions – gets the followers involved to post something themselves and come back to read what other people have written.  Also have links to other similar businesses. Just keep posting, tweeting and pinning is the best way to keep the business name out there at virtually no cost except a few minutes of time involved.  It does take more patience to use this kind of advertising since it is not in the consumers face (like a TV or radio ad) nor does it use ‘bells and whistles or music “to capture the potential customer’s attention.

 For example – this business “Tea around the World” is located here in San Diego – so it’s a lot of local southern CA clients.   The owner travels all over the US and world visiting other locations that also specialize in afternoon tea events.   She then writes about them and has pictures on her web page. A guest might see the “TATW” FaceBook or tweets but isn’t local in CA – now can find maybe a similar service more local.    It helps both businesses to partner with each other and refer each other since they are not in the same location – they are not in competition with each other.

I have created various Facebook posts (questions/comments) to be released at various times over the next few weeks:

• Do you have a favorite treat (other than scones or biscotti) that is your go-to treat with your tea?
• Would you rather host a formal tea party or take your friends to one in a hotel?
•  Suggest a favorite dessert you might have seen on Pinterest….Follow us to see if we add it to our menu of delectable treats.
• Help us reach 200 followers – we are almost there!
• Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and on our website.
• Have a favorite location you go for afternoon tea (hotel, restaurant, tea house or garden)?  Suggest a new place for us to review. Maybe we will see you there!!

 

AD Blogs commented on

1.  http://ihadmorefunasakid.blogspot.com/2013/11/increasing-business.html#comment-form

2.   http://alecathja.blogspot.com/2013/11/to-ad-or-not-to-ad-that-is-question-for.html?showComment=1384756263811#c235532382277300233

3.   http://loricargile.blogspot.com/2013/11/week-11-online-advertising.html#comment-form

 

Ads Ads Ads

Ads ads ads…. What are they good for?   To get the consumer to buy things they don’t need? Ads for this type of business seem strange and un-needed at this point and I don’t think would be effective.  I do think ads have a place in society – but we are overwhelmed with them from TV to now before movies in the theater to every radio station, Pandora channel and even the video games that are played. 

If as a company – we were going to start advertising (and now I really want to if it was in the budget) – I would start with FaceBook ad and also by boosting posts.     How does a small company – find the money for an advertising budget?

There is the boosting of post (at a fee) which will repeat a post for a one day and keeps it at the top of a news feed/timeline. While ad can be longer duration, have up to 6 rotating images available and be more specific in the type of target audience being reached. Then there is still promoting the page – can still target specific interests, locations, age and either run consistently (which will add up very very fast) or have a cutoff date.

Twitter has a similar concept with different kinds of ads Promoted Tweets, Promoted Accounts, and Promoted Trends.   Although Twitter may be faster and more immediate and are also targeted to the follower’s interactions & who they follow.  I do like that for some of the ads – that the business owner only has to pay when someone follows them or does some type of action (responds, re-tweets, etc).  I didn’t like that there wasn’t exact pricing for placing ads or promoting tweets – that it is all a bidding system based on how much the business is willing to pay per tweet/follow/click.  Nor could I figure out a way to create an ad or campaign very easily.   Unless I was absolutely sure and ready to do ads on Twitter – their site was not user friendly in my opinion.

Banner ads for the top of web pages might be more far reaching – but they also seem more expensive (although I did find some free websites for creating the ads).

Currently this isn’t the type of business that is considering advertising.   This business is a sole owner/sole-proprietor who does everything.   Since most of the business comes from referrals or word-of-mouth... its keeps it at a managable level.

Eventually the goal is to open a brick & mortar location and then ads will have a place and a budget to create more business traffic and following.

These are some sample ads - but since I'm not too sure how to really create ads without actually getting charged or if I'm even on the right page about these - they may not be true ads.

Newsletter comments

* Look who's sharing:
http://look-whos-sharing.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-could-newsletters-benefit-my.html#comment-form

* If it ain't fun, I ain't doing it:
http://ihadmorefunasakid.blogspot.com/2013/11/functionality-of-newsletters.html?showComment=1383883340784#c5977016339809225996

* Simple Musings:
http://alecathja.blogspot.com/2013/11/continuing-chat-integrative-waves-gets.html#comment-form

Newsletters - useful or annoyance?

Newsletters… are they just one more thing to be briefly read and thrown away?  Are newsletters considered “Old school” in this new era of digital fast paced media age?  How may newsletters does a reader get a day or in a month?  Whether these are digital or mailed – there is one from the bank (provided – the reader only has one bank), the credit cards, the kids schools, the college or college alma mater, the medical insurance and anything else that the reader follows or subscribes to.  Then there are the annual ones from the dentist, the doctor, and the high school reunion committee and of course the family holiday newsletter.  Do we want more from another business, does the reader need more?

Ideally the initial response is Yes!.... no more newsletters.    But in all reality they do serve a valid purpose – from informing the reader of new changes in policies or membership (credit cards, banks and medical) to letting the consumer know of new store perks or a new location or specials (and retail operation).

For this business – a newsletter will only be useful seasonally, possibly like once a quarter.     Until the business gets a brick & mortar location (its coming – hopefully next year) this business is a special events type business or reviewing (and comparing other companies that have formal teas). 

Some of the content that will be important will be other locations being reviewed, holiday specials, dessert special pricing or holiday treats.  Also it can showcase pictures or reviews of places visited (the website does that now – but not on a regular basis.  Also information about teas, delicious treats that are a perfect pairing or maybe an appropriate recipe.    Listing other blogs or websites to follow and reasons why, might also be useful to the reader.   Using special events (birthdays, anniversaries, mother’s day and bridal showers, etc.) to use for reasons to host a formal tea event or journey to a location that provides an afternoon tea can also be showcased.

Since this is such a specialized company, it might be hard using a newsletter without repeating information although it might be an interesting endeavor to make sure that the newsletter is creative and looks just a beautiful and enticing as the image of a formal afternoon tea.

Taking the next creative step of this digital journey…..

Using Categories and trying to be organized....

Trying to be organized can be a struggle for everyone in some aspect....

Just how personal to be...

I personally think it depends on the type of blog that is being written and the type of readers being targeted. 

There are some terrific blogs that specialize in certain topics (Disney enthuisitists, Star Wars fans, mommy bloggers, political followers, and more).  These type of bloggers are writing about their passions and interests - so their personality will definitely show through and be an attraction to their followers.  These types of blogs can talk about family, friends, traditions and opinions and include personal pictures

While on the flip side – there are business (hotels, restaurants, sports teams, retail stores) that need to keep their blogs more on the professional side.   These types of blogs are promoting their business, upcoming sales, upcoming events, and their own company news.   Personal opinions and feelings are not a part of that blog. Also – maybe there is a team of multiple people writing and keeping it up – so unfortunately – personalities and personal stories can’t always be a part of the blog since it is not a part that business’s culture.  These type of companies might ask for the customers to add their own personal stories about the business to the company blog (may even hold contests about it) but the general blog will be more generic about the company.

In my blog – yes I’m adding my own quirky personality for a couple of reasons  - it’s my blog, it’s for school and although I am promoting a business, this blog isn’t totally about that business. Even after this class, I want to keep writing about my traveling gnome. Eventually, I might add pictures of the travels.

And the jaunt through social media continues.......