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Can you review my new offline strategy?

by earlgray
13 replies
I'll try to keep this short and to the point.

I have a referral code from a niche shopping site. Whenever someone uses my code, they get $5 off, and I get 4% back on how much they spent.

I thought since they get a solid $5 off, I'd design a coupon that looks exactly like a $5 bill on one side and on the back it has my code, the site name, and all the details they'd need.

I live in an area that has several huge apartment complexes. Some of these complexes house thousands of units.

I plan on printing up my coupons and sticking them in the doors and mailboxes of the apartments.

*I should note, that this is a wealthy neighborhood and the products for sale are definitely something these people buy.

I can get 500 coupons printed for just $25. I figure if I do one complex per weekend, it should take me a month or so to get the whole neighborhood blanketed with my coupons.

How does this sound?

I should note also, that I get 4% back on all their purchases for up to a year and then smaller percentages from other people they get to use their own code as well. So it's not a one time shot, it has the possibility to be residual for years to come.
#offline #review #strategy
  • Profile picture of the author Johnnod
    If it's a wealthy neighbourhood that you're targetting, then chances are that they won't really care about $5 off.

    Are there other benefits from this online store that you can promote? Free postage? Next-day postage? Impressive return periods? Free returns (for things like clothes, shoes etc)? 24/7 customer service?
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    • Profile picture of the author earlgray
      Originally Posted by Johnnod View Post

      If it's a wealthy neighbourhood that you're targetting, then chances are that they won't really care about $5 off.

      Are there other benefits from this online store that you can promote? Free postage? Next-day postage? Impressive return periods? Free returns (for things like clothes, shoes etc)? 24/7 customer service?
      By wealthy I meant upper-middle class. Which is wealthy from my perspective

      As for other benefits, mainly it's for products that these people buy (often in abundance) that are imported (we're not in the USA btw) and aren't always easy to come by.

      I have a strong feeling once they get to the site, the site will do it's work, because it's an American company that has had so much traffic from the country I'm living in that they've developed a foreign language version of the site just for this country.

      So the demand is there, I'm just curious about my marketing method.

      My total investment is going to be a few hundred bucks and sacrificing a month's worth of Saturdays to get the coupons out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Arzak
    It doesn't matter if they're wealthy or not. People still want to save, and if they're going to buy a product, they might as well use a coupon for it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Johnnod
      Originally Posted by earlgray View Post

      As for other benefits, mainly it's for products that these people buy (often in abundance) that are imported (we're not in the USA btw) and aren't always easy to come by.

      I have a strong feeling once they get to the site, the site will do it's work, because it's an American company that has had so much traffic from the country I'm living in that they've developed a foreign language version of the site just for this country.
      Two main points I'd be focusing on. If you're sending out a coupon, good idea with the appearance of a piece of money. Why not split test with a large funky header like "FREE $5!" and focus on other things like rare products and easy to use, understandable website.

      Originally Posted by Arzak View Post

      It doesn't matter if they're wealthy or not. People still want to save, and if they're going to buy a product, they might as well use a coupon for it.
      Ok then. I didn't say don't mention the discount at all, I suggested focusing on other attractions of the website.
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    • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
      Originally Posted by Arzak View Post

      It doesn't matter if they're wealthy or not. People still want to save, and if they're going to buy a product, they might as well use a coupon for it.
      Honestly it is not worth my time to use a $5 off coupon unless I am already at the site and google for it.

      I'm not even upper middle class and I feel this way.

      $5 off isn't what will motivate them.

      There needs to be another offer and the $5 off is the icing on the cake. Basically the sales letter sells them on shopping there and the $5 off they use because it is there and easy.

      I spend $10 to $15 a day on lunch so I think you can see why $5 isn't going to motivate me to bother going to a website. Now motivate me to go to the site and if I have the $5 off in front of me I will use it. Hell I'd be dumb not to take the $5 off.
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      • Profile picture of the author Arzak
        Originally Posted by Aaron Doud View Post

        Honestly it is not worth my time to use a $5 off coupon unless I am already at the site and google for it.

        I'm not even upper middle class and I feel this way.

        $5 off isn't what will motivate them.

        There needs to be another offer and the $5 off is the icing on the cake. Basically the sales letter sells them on shopping there and the $5 off they use because it is there and easy.

        I spend $10 to $15 a day on lunch so I think you can see why $5 isn't going to motivate me to bother going to a website. Now motivate me to go to the site and if I have the $5 off in front of me I will use it. Hell I'd be dumb not to take the $5 off.
        Well it does say it's just a coupon code so it shouldn't be too much trouble to type it in if it's something they would already buy . I probably wouldn't use a coupon if it wasn't convenient to get/use too. However, I would think we're in the minority.

        Many wealthy people shop the same way "average" consumers do: check for the best deals, use coupons, etc. There are also the "secret rich" who hide their wealth or drive around beaters or old cars because they still run perfectly fine. What I'm trying to get at is wealthy people do and will use coupons.

        There are a lot of interesting reads if you search something about wealthy people and coupons. There are also great reads on Quora about this.
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  • Profile picture of the author dave147
    Sounds Good!

    Do it and let us know how it went.

    If it goes well then maybe later you can use a mailing house to distribute!
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  • Profile picture of the author bwh1
    Why you ain't help a few businesses which could deliver stuff to those Condo's with special deals.

    PC services, all kind of restaurants with or without catering, pet related stuff, small constructor/renovation, beauty salons etc.

    All businesses will pay you a fee for producing a exclusive brochure and need to agree on paying you a commission for sales and giving a special discount to the buyers. All has to be exclusive for those condo's.

    You need a site (a 3 dollar .net serves) and a Affiliate system (zaxaa.com is free and works fine).

    You include your 5 bucks offer also, don't forget this.

    All orders have to be done online so you can manage sales over the affiliate system, agreed prior by the businesses.

    Put all into a small brochure and distribute it in those condos. Max your time my friend, running around to get people existed for a 5 buck saving isn't really a business model.

    G.
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  • Profile picture of the author BrandenNaka
    Originally Posted by earlgray View Post

    I live in an area that has several huge apartment complexes. Some of these complexes house thousands of units.

    I plan on printing up my coupons and sticking them in the doors and mailboxes of the apartments.

    *I should note, that this is a wealthy neighborhood and the products for sale are definitely something these people buy.
    This doesn't necessarily have to do anything with the coupon itself...but the way you plan on conducting this 'strategy'.

    Noticed you said you plan on printing up coupons and sticking them in the doors and mailboxes of apartments. Section 1725 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code basically states that what you plan on doing is against the law. Sticking items in a mailbox without a 'stamp' on it is a federal crime. (Kind of ridiculous...but apparently the lost $$ in postages add up quick) Of course...this is assuming you live in the US of A!

    Only reason why I post this is because there was a business in the area I reside that got hit with this...got prosecuted 'criminally' in federal court and went bankrupt and lost his business.

    It's not always about the 'what' you're going to do...but's it also about the 'how'.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eddie Spangler
    What is the product?
    What is the average order size?

    Without knowing more it seems like a lot of work for a small amt of money.
    At 4% you got to make over $600 in sales just to break even from the printing, not to mention all the time its going to take you.
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  • Profile picture of the author shane_k
    I am going to point something out that others haven't yet.

    How are you going to get access to these apartments?

    I know you already said you don't live in the US, and neither do I.

    I live in Canada and work with a Fitness Center.

    We tried doing something similar by blanketing apartment buildings with "free 7 day workout trial" passes. We were going to do the exact same thing that you mentioned and drop them into mailboxes or on the doors of each apartment/condo.

    It was a great idea, the only problem was we couldn't get into any of the frigging apartments in our targeted area.

    They all had locks on the front door that you could only access if you lived in the building, and a lot of them had consierge's/guards in a desk in the lobby of the apartment buildings who stopped us everytime and asked who we were and what we were up to.

    I don't know how it is in your country, but my advice, is to first do a test run to see how easy it is for you to access the apartments in the first place.

    and if you can't, like we couldn't than it would be a waste for you, like it was for us.

    Just some thoughts
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    • Profile picture of the author Arzak
      Originally Posted by shane_k View Post

      I am going to point something out that others haven't yet.

      How are you going to get access to these apartments?

      I know you already said you don't live in the US, and neither do I.

      I live in Canada and work with a Fitness Center.

      We tried doing something similar by blanketing apartment buildings with "free 7 day workout trial" passes. We were going to do the exact same thing that you mentioned and drop them into mailboxes or on the doors of each apartment/condo.

      It was a great idea, the only problem was we couldn't get into any of the frigging apartments in our targeted area.

      They all had locks on the front door that you could only access if you lived in the building, and a lot of them had consierge's/guards in a desk in the lobby of the apartment buildings who stopped us everytime and asked who we were and what we were up to.

      I don't know how it is in your country, but my advice, is to first do a test run to see how easy it is for you to access the apartments in the first place.

      and if you can't, like we couldn't than it would be a waste for you, like it was for us.

      Just some thoughts
      Couldn't you tell them or ask them if you could offer those to their tenants?

      Also, offering gym trials/discounts at universities works really well. Some will let businesses rent a vendor table in the hallway too which makes it much easier to do. I completely forgot about this, so thanks for making me remember! Recreational activities like paintball do great at universities too.
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  • Profile picture of the author SashaLee
    Hi there,

    Here's a company (no affiliation, and there's hundreds of them) that offers pretty realistic money promo prints:

    Promotional Full Color Custom Million Dollar Bill Only at Promotional Product Inc

    You could customize it, but these actually work pretty well. They catch people's eyes.

    And these business cards are about as realistic as you can get:

    $5, $10, $20, and $100 Dollar Bill Drop Cards, Money Business Cards

    They really fool you until you actually have it in your hand.

    You might try doing a deal with the local pizza delivery guys to give out your coupon when they make a delivery, but at 4% cut you're really struggling to make a profit if you involved anyone else.

    All the best,

    Sasha.
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