Attaching a coupon or promotional offer to your direct marketing materials is a great way to publicize your business’s products and services while also motivating customers to act. If you’ve been hitting a plateau with the response to your typical sales offers, try experimenting with a new technique! A simple change of wording or a new perspective can make the offer more attractive to potential customers. Promotions can also bring in new customers and build customer loyalty. Interestingly enough, sometimes you can make MORE money by giving a little bit away through a sale. If you need inspiration, borrow a few of our ideas listed below!

Creative Ideas for Coupons, Promotions, and Discounts

Coupons offering dollars off the regular price. If you’re finding that coupons offering a certain percentage off (“10% Off Oil Change!”) don’t seem to be pulling in customers, try phrasing it a different way. If the regular price of your service is $100, instead of offering 10% off, create a certificate that is worth $10 towards the service price. Although it’s the exact same deal, some customers respond better to these types of offers because they feel more like cash.

Advertise discounts for special groups. Common populations that are targeted for discounts include seniors, military personnel/veterans, and students. Depending on where you are distributing your mailers/door hangers/flyers, you can target your sale towards that specific demographic. For instance, if you own a business located close to a university, offering a discounted price to college students would be incredibly effective. Conversely, if you are promoting your services in a neighborhood with a large retiree population, you could advertise a special rate for seniors and veterans. This method is popular because it works!

Make it a race. Offer a discount to customers who take advantage of the deal quickly, like giving 25% off to the first 10 customers who respond to the promotion. This will quicken potential customers’ response to your advertisement. You could even expand the deal to say “15% for all customers–the first 10 to present this coupon will receive an ADDITIONAL 10% off!” That way, everyone gets a piece of the deal, but it will create an incentive for people to rush out to your business.

Throw in a bonus for customers who spend. With this type of promo, you’ll FEEL like you’re losing money, but you’re actually earning more. Let’s say you run a hair salon and Mondays tend to be a slow business day for you, with hardly any clients scheduling appointments. On your marketing materials, you could advertise a special that entices people to come into your business. For example: “SUMMER MONDAYS SPECIAL! Now through the end of August, when you book any salon service, receive 30% off products!” As a business owner you might feel like you’re losing money on products, but you’d actually make more money. Customers rushing in and paying for a full-cost hair appointment with discounted products could be much more profitable than a slow day with no clients booked at all. Before you know it, Mondays will be booked solid!