filter by tag: coupons

The producers of TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” might just be on to something. A recent study from lucid marketing found incentives go a long way in motivating moms to refer a brand or website to their friends and families. That's good news for companies looking to engage with moms and leverage their many relationships with like-minded friends.

Of the various incentives available, moms found coupons to be the most appealing; however, just throwing a coupon into the mix won't help brands build a meaningful relationship with this target. There are several ways to do it effectively:

• Online Contests: Drive product trial during online contests through couponing. It can be as simple as providing a downloadable coupon for every consumer who enters your contest. For those consumers who didn't enter, providing a coupon during the voting phase to reward them for getting involved and supporting their favorites can also be effective.
• Customized Blogger Content: Try developing creative contests, giveaways or promotions that will resonate with your target blogger's readers. You can then offer product samples and/or coupons as part of the prize package, making it a win-win for your brand and the blogger.
• Cause Promotions: Reward consumers who participate in click-to-donate cause promotions with a downloadable coupon. It’s a simple way to remind consumers that your product is tied to this meaningful call to action.

Today's mom plays a powerful role when it comes to creating strong word of mouth for a product or company, and when used effectively, couponing can be an effective engagement tool for marketers.

--Stephanie Doherty, Vice President

New media adoption is soaring, thanks to older Americans and minorities increasingly moving online, but the competition among companies looking for loyal followers just got tougher. According to our latest research, the 2010 Cone Consumer New Media Study, new media users still choose to demonstrate affinity (e.g., “like” on Facebook, “follow” on Twitter or subscribe to an RSS feed) toward an average of only 4.6 companies online.

Consumers are more open than ever to engaging with companies via new media (86 percent vs. 78 percent in 2009), but it still takes a big effort on the part of the company to reach the upper echelons of the consideration set. To stand out, companies need to incentivize new followers. Before deciding whether to engage with companies online, 77 percent of new media users look for free products, coupons or discounts.

It may be difficult for companies to get to the top, but it’s even harder to stay there. Nearly two-thirds (59%) of new media users say they are satisfied with their online experiences with companies, but that doesn’t mean they won’t hesitate to punish companies by disengaging. More than half of users will stop following a company if it acts irresponsibly toward its consumers (58%), over-communicates with them (58%) or provides irrelevant content (53%). Under-communicating (36%) or censoring user-generated content (28%) is also grounds for falling out of favor.

Companies that can deliver high-quality customer experiences are richly rewarded. Users who engage with companies via new media are more likely to:

• Share information about the company across their own social networks – 62%
• Feel a stronger connection to the company – 61%
• Feel better served by the company – 60%
• Purchase the company’s products or services – 59%

Is your company doing what it takes to stay on top?

Brands would be wise to redirect some of their ad spend this holiday season – if the results of the latest Retail Advertising and Marketing Association research mean anything. According to the survey, a mere 17 percent of consumers said their favorite holiday TV commercial motivated them to shop at that retailer. This bleak statistic must be leaving retailers quaking in their boots because, despite expectations that holiday sales in 2009 will beat those of 2008, consumers are sure to be more selective with their money.

When it comes to deciding where to shop, TV commercials just don’t have the oomph they used to. To get customers through the door, the answer isn’t a 30-second spot…it’s money-saving coupons. Nearly half of respondents said coupons were the top media influencer when it came to deciding which retailers to shop. Meaning, a consumer may forego his favorite store if it means saving a little cash.

And it’s not just TV commercials losing out to coupons. Retailers saw a 15 percent decline in visits to their Web sites during Black Friday 2009 versus 2008, but searches for “printable coupons” jumped 50 percent. Few retailers seem to be getting the hint, however, as most are in a stand-off with thrifty customers waiting until the last minute to get the best deals.

JCPenney is one company on top of the trend. It began offering mobile coupons, which let cashiers scan coupons on customers’ mobile phones, back in September. American Greetings is getting on board, too, as it just upgraded its iPhone app to offer coupons, and Gap and Banana Republic are testing mobile coupons at outlet and factory stores in certain markets. The moves should pay off, too. A Deloitte study (client) showed 20 percent of consumers plan to use their mobile phones to assist in holiday shopping.

With only eight shopping days left until Christmas, perhaps now we’ll start to see retailers put a little more marketing muscle – mobile or otherwise – behind stretching customers’ wallets.