Fast Tips for Writing a Coupon Effectively

Michael Baaske reports:
 
“Having a coupon is a great way to enhance any marketing campaign, or rid yourself of excess inventory. While coupons are easy to write, there are a few common mistakes that are often made. Below are a few tips to help you avoid these mistakes and write a more effective coupon…An effective title for a coupon is short and to the point. Use the body of the coupon to give the details on what the customer is getting. Use the large bold font of the title as an opportunity to grab attention. Good words [or phrases] to use are ‘Free’, ‘X% Off’ or ‘$X Off’, [so] start out with telling the customer how much they’re going to save!...Use the body of the coupon to explain what the offer is for. The best coupons just simply list out what the customer will get when they redeem this coupon. Don’t leave anything out, and don’t be vague…The disclaimer is the fine print that lists out anything that would void your coupon…A long disclaimer with a bunch of rules may turn off your customer and they may avoid using the coupon [altogether]…The expiration date is one of the most overlooked part[s] of a coupon. If you pick an expiration date that’s too long [in coming], customers are more likely to place them in a pile ‘for later’ and then completely forget about them. However, if you use a short date like 7 days, there’s a sense of urgency to use the coupon as soon as possible, making it less likely that your coupon will be forgotten…While special offers are a great alternative to coupons, because they don’t have that sense of urgency, they’re not as effective at tracking a campaign. The two main difference[s] between the two can be answered by these two questions[:] [‘]Does it expire?[’] and [‘]Can anyone get this price?[’] All coupons expire, and the only people that can get the coupon price is if they have the coupon, or at least know about it…A strong coupon offer can help enhance any marketing campaign, so take your time and make sure you get the best results. Part of this is writing an effective coupon that draws your customers[’] attention, and entices them to come to your store.”