World - Regional

Regional

Ask staff to keep all coupons and to write the total amount of purchase in one corner. For radio advertising, offer a free gift or special discount to anyone mentioning the ad. Track responses to a special offer by instructing customers to ask for a certain employee (who may even be fictitious) when they call or stop in. When doing consumer surveys, be sure to ask how the customer found out about the store. Alternative Uses of Advertising 257 Query sales staff as to whether they think many new customers came in as a result of a promotional campaign. Use a split run, placing the same ad in two different delivery zones or sections of the newspaper to see which is more effective. Use a split run, placing the same ad in two different delivery zones or sections of the newspaper to see which is more effective. Having said this, I hasten to add that you probably also need to mention price, and the price should be reasonably close to what a big store would charge. The fact is that most customers want high value, quality service, and the lowest price. Not all items in your store need to be at the same low price as a discounters, but the items you advertise should be competitive. PROMOTIONAL METHODS AND IDEAS There are many ways other than holding a sale to bring new customers into the store and to encourage existing customers to return. To select the best approach for your shop, it is important to think about whom you are trying to reach in your promotion and what will motivate him or her to make a special trip to your store. You may find that different promotions are necessary to reach various parts of your target market. You may find that different promotions are necessary to reach vaA number of services specialize in delivering coupons. In many areas there are companies that issue coupon books, such as the national Entertainment Book, which are sold to consumers by nonprofit groups. If you are in a tourist area, you might suggest that merchants, restaurants, and motels put together a tourist packet to be mailed to visitors calling or writing for information. Coupons can also be sent out together with offers from other businesses in a marriage mail packet, so called because it combines the 264 Creative Promotion and Publicity advertising from one firm with that of several other noncompetitive businesses, allowing everyone to share the cost of the mailing. Coupons are an effective way of bringing existing customers back into the store. At the time of purchase, give customers coupons to be used during their next visit (as seen in Figure 9.1), or offer a free gift with a cash register receipt from the previous month. At the time of purchase, give customers coupons to be used during their next visit (as seen in Figure 9.1), or offer a free gift with a cash register receipt from the previous month. Promotional Methods and Ideas 267 At Canterbury Booksellers, in Madison, Wisconsin, the Book a Night at Canterbury Inn program offers frequent buyers a free night in Canterburys opulent bed and breakfast. A night in the Clerks Room is the reward for $500 in book purchases, and a night in The Millers Room is free with purchases of $800. Members of their annual Canterbury Card program receive an upgrade on any room certificate they earn. Computerized Customer Loyalty Even smaWe send out postcards offering our best customers a small birthday gift, and use the other data to build our mailing list and to issue customized e-mails about new products. Discount Cards It is growing increasingly common to offer a storewide discount to senior citizens one day a week. In order to promote this benefit, we provide se268 Creative Promotion and Publicity Figure 9.2 Sample senior citizen discount card. nior citizens who shop in our store with a special card that mentions our senior citizen day, the discount amount, and a few low-markup items that are not included in the discount. By asking customers to show the card in order to get their discount, we eliminate having our employees ask customers how old they are. We also have an opportunity to add their names to our mailing list. We also have an opportunity to add their names to our mailing list. Stores in other areas draw customers by featuring craftspeopleweavers, spinners, calligraphers, or paintersat work in their windows. In addition to live demonstrations, consider making use of a small TV/VCR unit to show informative videos about your merchandise. Ask vendors for promotional videos about their products, preferably in continuous-loop format so you wont need to remember to rewind. Keep the volume low so that those not interested in listening are not distracted as they shop. Guest Appearances Other special events in the store might include appearances by artists, crafts people, or authors. The guests can answer customers questions about their work, pose for pictures with their fans, and sign autographs. The guests can answer customers questions about their work, pose for pictures with their fans, and sign autographs. Regional.