Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Does your company offer specials or sales online?  If so, do you invite everybody to your sale by listing it on your website or do you send it out to customers via newsletters or email?

Do you run specials monthly, around holidays, or just randomly?  Or do you run specials because you`re overstocked on product, or because business is slow?

Do you run specials to gain more customers, to retain your customers or both? Have you found that running specials is beneficial to your business, or are you giving too much away?

If you have regular customers, do you treat them special in anyway?

 

ALWAYS treat your best customers special!  You want them to then turn around and tell others about you.  They are your best form of marketing!  They become your advocates and will sing your praises if they feel cherished by your business. 

One thing that has worked for some online stores in my industry is to make sure that when someone refers a friend to your site, that you send a thank you gift to BOTH people.  Tell the current customer, "Thanks" and the new customer "welcome" with a free little gift.  They probably know each other and will talk about their gifts from you and then tell others.  They then become a marketing "team" for your business. 

~Kim

Hi Janie,

Does your company offer specials or sales online?
Yes, I`ve offered specials and sales online.

Do you run specials monthly, around holidays, or just
randomly?
I run specials more so during the holidays. I`ve found this period
to be more successful. To build more successful at all times, I`ve
invested in a business coach. He`s successful at selling online
at any given moment!

Do you run specials to gain more customers, to retain your
customers or both?
This will depend on each individual. I myself did it for both. As it
shows, repeat customer are easier to market to then new ones.

Have you found that running specials is beneficial to your
business, or are you giving too much away?
I`ve found it beneficial because I`ve gained new customers  as well
generated repeat business. I make sure the value is great the customer
yet not negative to the business.

If you have regular customers, do you treat them special in
anyway?
I`ve sent out special emails to them informing them in advance on
offers before general public. Provided with discounts on taking a
survey. I`m doing a lot revamping with my business coach.

I hope you find value in what I`ve shared. I wish you well in your
endeavors.

Won`t Be Denied,
C.F. Jackson

 

Kim and CF, I appreciate your responses.  Typically February and March seem to be slower in retail sales, so it made me wonder if other online retailers offer specials and sales at theses times, or if they do at all.

We usually run  our specials around holidays and have varied from running a special for a week, or running it all month long.  Do you realize you can almost find a holiday in every month? Right now we could do a St. Patty`s Day, Easter or even Tax time!

Most of the time we send our special out to customers that have signed up to receive them. When we do that, we let them know our special is not online, our sale and discount prices are for them only.

I find we gain many customers by word of mouth.  We have not implemented any type of referral system or thank yous, but that`s not a bad idea Kim. I find it very beneficial running specials with our existing customers.  They seem to appreciate it, and we`re subtly reminding them it might be time to order again.

I do get tired of trying to be creative though, what to say, and what to offer different.  So, I guess CF, you`re saying your business coach takes care of that for you, that`s great!  I`ll just have to put my thinking cap on again.

 

 

Enh...it`s like fishing. Some days the fish are bitin`, other days they`re not.

Watch just about anyone who`s got a huge tacklebox, filled with lures and treats, gadgets and whatevers. On the days the fish are biting, they`ll use a single thing all day long and catch fish. They`ll be happy, say nothing, and haul in fish.

But on the days the fish AREN`T biting, they`ll use everything in the box. They`ll have major discussions with any nearby fisherman. They`ll offer theories about how the temperature of the water is turning upside down, the air pressure is too heavy on the surface, there`s not enough water, too much rain, not enough bugs, too many bugs, or the place has been fished out.

I can`t remember the formal name for it, but there`s a type of statistics that examines the almost random ebb and flow of large populations of people. Some day, probably, a mathematics genius will figure it all out. That day hasn`t yet arrived. :-) So when you find yourself wracking your brains to try and figure out why sales are slow, just stop and consider those fisher-people.

Sometimes the fish, they just ain`t bitin`.....