Coupon Mailers...

[glassdude]

Has anybody here tried coupon mailers such as Val Pak, Money Mailer, etc.?
I was wondering how well they work?
Thanks,
-Jeff

[DaveC]

I have used ValPak for a previous restaurant biz. If memory serves, the response I received was very close to what the ValPak rep. had advised as far as percentage of total coupons mailed that would be redeemed.

IMO, for any coupon/coupon program to work, one needs two things:

1. A product/service that people would want/use in the demographic area. I would think that WSR would, in most cases, qualify.

2. The coupon should offer some sort of tangible savings/value that would motivate the customer to redeem the coupon.

#2 can be a bit tricky. But if you are creative, is definatley "doable," especially if you can network with another local small business and scratch eachothers' backs.

While offering a discount percentage or flat rate discount off of a repair may work for you, your prospective customers may be more intrigued with the thought of receiving a free small pizza from "Joe's Pies"/$5 bucks of free gas from "Joe's Fill-r-up" etc. . . with each repair.

Heck, "Joe" may even want to split the cost of the coupon/mailing if the coupon could be designed to benefit both businesses.

[Thomas]

My plan for coupons is to wait just a little longer. I have an "in" at a local carwash. They have $5 coupons they use for their "super wash". They go on sale for $2 each around Christmas time, so I plan on getting a big bunch of them. The 2 guys who work at the carwash are good friends and they will each have a stack of my business cards they sign their name on. If they spot a chip on a customer at the carwash they will refer that person to me with the business card. Each time I get a paying customer my friend will get $5, and I can also offer the customer a $5 coupon. I may not, but I can. I can also use the coupons as other promotions, such as local newspaper ad offering free superwash coupon for first 10 windshield customers or something like that. I also have a couple of mechanics shops set up for the same type of referral system. I have just gotten started, so dont have any statistics yet to say how well it is gonna work, but will let you know when it happens.

[leena1471]

I have gotten some good information here.