Using LevelUp To Build Brand Loyalty
Forget the paper punch cards and plastic key fobs that most people associate with small business rewards programs. In an effort to grab the attention of customers and promote true brand loyalty, today’s SMBs are looking for digital alternatives. LevelUp, the mobile-payments-meets-loyalty program, has quickly become the frontrunner in this race…
Case Study: Boston Salon Uses Privy For Targeted Deals
At Pure Hair Design in Boston, co-owner Jenny Kisiel says twentysomethings, her target market, have come to expect huge bargains, thanks to daily deals. In an effort to attract this market while retaining strong sales margins, she has turned to Privy, a hyperlocal deal platform that businesses can use to create customized promotions that run on […]
7 Customer Loyalty Options for Merchants and Brands
These hyperlocal solutions provide all the benefits of traditional loyalty programs, without requiring local merchants to handle the management and configuration of complicated systems. Rather than relying on punch cards and key-fobs, most of these programs almost universally rely on a device that 44% of Americans have already — the smartphone. Here are seven examples of platforms that can help businesses improve customer retention and promote loyalty.
Case Study: Golf Center’s ‘Grizzly’ Check-Ins Build Loyalty
At TopGolf, a golf entertainment facility with locations in Virginia, Illinois, and Texas, regional marketing director Scott McMahon says he was able to boost the number of Foursquare check-ins in 2011 by creating a “Grizzly” special that tied in with the company’s “Fun Doesn’t Hibernate” marketing campaign…
6 White-Label Deal Platforms for Publishers
Launching a branded deals program gives publishers an additional stream of revenue in a notoriously difficult advertising market, potentially increasing a media company’s annual advertising revenue anywhere from 15% to 30%. These programs also give community newspapers, hyperlocal blogs, television stations, and radio stations a way to capitalize on the trust and authority they’ve developed with their audiences over the years.
Case Study: Sandwich Chain Becomes a Believer in the End of the Wallet
Mobile payments and loyalty program LevelUp provides Sebastians restaurant owner Mike Conley with far more customer information — like return rates and lifetime spending histories — than he could have ever gotten from a punch-card system. More than 2,200 customers are now using LevelUp to pay at his restaurant and Conley says customers who use the platform spend more per visit…
Case Study: Using Deal Sites To Fill Rooms At Off-Peak Times
Companies in the travel and tourism industry have been quick to jump on the daily deals bandwagon in an effort to boost occupancy rates in a sluggish economy. The revenue manager at Charlestowne Hotels says he’s contacted by deal companies all the time, and that he chooses which businesses to work with based on how much they’re willing to negotiate…
8 Scheduling Tools For Managing Deal Customers
When running a daily deal, some merchants can expect hundreds — if not thousands — of calls and emails from new clients. In an effort to combat this problem and free up phone lines, a number of vendors offer online scheduling tools that reduce the heavy lifting for small business owners. Here are eight popular scheduling systems being used by SMBs to properly manage the influx of deal customers.
4 Ways Hyperlocal Vendors Are Helping Merchants Run Efficient Campaigns
In addition to battling it out over features and functionality, more and more platforms and services are upping their game in the way they work one-on-one with merchants. Here are a handful of the ways hyperlocal companies have begun providing support and information to help businesses run more successful deals…
Case Study: A Michigan Yoga Studio’s Tips For Managing Deal Customers
When Eric Paskel ran his first Groupon promotion in January 2011, he knew it was going to be big. What he hadn’t expected, however, was to get hit with 3,000 new clients by 11 a.m. on the day his deal premiered. In the year since then, the owner of Yoga Shelter has sold approximately 15,000 daily deal coupons. But no longer with Groupon…
6 CRM Tools for Better Daily Deal Customer Retention
Merchants who go into their promotions with systems in place to manage and track the influx of new customers report significantly higher levels of satisfaction. Here are six popular CRM tools that can help track redemptions, collect email addresses, analyze revenue data, and drive repeat sales long after their promotions have ended.
Case Study: Delaware Coffee Shop Sees 50% Return for Daily Deal Customers
At The Java House Café in Middletown, Del., (pop. 18,871), Cleo Clarke has run promotions with a couple of daily deals sites. She’s managed to turn 50% of those group coupon buyers into repeat customers. Clarke is now exploring Foursquare as a way to tap into her tech-savvy customer base — 90% of whom currently use smartphones…
Case Study: Southwest Airlines’ Time Limits on LBS
Platforms like Foursquare and Facebook haven’t had any trouble attracting attention from national brands, but what’s the secret to attracting interest from these brands in lesser-known start-ups? According to Southwest Airlines emerging media specialist Christi McNeill, it all comes down to persistence, innovation, and a little bit of hand-holding…
Case Study: Deals Earns Restaurant 30% Repeat Business and $120,000
In Winnetka, Illinois, chef Michael Lachowicz has strong opinions on what it takes to run successful daily deal promotions. Lachowicz has run six Groupon deals at his establishment, Restaurant Michael, resulting in more than 5,000 coupons sold and $120,000 in revenue generated in the last two years. He estimates that 30% of coupon buyers have returned after their vouchers were redeemed, and says he’s negotiated a deal with Groupon to get 90% of his payouts just two days after his deals end.