Having a coupon is a great way to enhance any marketing campaign, or rid yourself of excess inventory. While coupons are easy to write, there are a few common mistakes that are often made. Below are a few tips to help you avoid these mistakes and write a more effective coupon.
Title
An effective title for a coupon is short and to the point. Use the body of the coupon to give the details on what the customer is getting. Use the large bold font of the title as an opportunity to grab attention. Good words to use are “Free”, “X% Off” or “$X Off”, start out with telling the customer how much they’re going to save!
Body
Use the body of the coupon to explain what the offer is for. The best coupons just simply list out what the customer will get when they redeem this coupon. Don’t leave anything out, and don’t be vague. An example would be “Oil change includes x,y, and z premium oil extra”
Disclaimer
The disclaimer is the fine print that lists out anything that would void your coupon. One per customer, not valid with other offers etc. Try to keep this section as short as possible. A long disclaimer with a bunch of rules may turn off your customer and they may avoid using the coupon all together.
Expiration
The expiration date is one of the most overlooked part of a coupon. If you pick an expiration date that’s too long, customers are more likely to place them in a pile “for later” and then completely forget about them. However, if you use a short date like 7 days, there’s a sense of urgency to use the coupon as soon as possible, making it less likely that your coupon will be forgotten.
Coupon vs. Special Offer
This is not necessarily a tip, but a mistake I see often. Special offers disguised as coupons. While special offers are a great alternative to coupons, because they don’t have that sense of urgency, they’re not as effective at tracking a campaign. The two main difference between the two can be answered by these two questions. Does it expire? and Can anyone get this price? All coupons expire, and the only people that can get the coupon price is if they have the coupon, or at least know about it. If you’re offering an oil change for $35 anyone that walks into your store then “Get an oil change for $35” is not a coupon.
A strong coupon offer can help enhance any marketing campaign, so take your time and make sure you get the best results. Part of this is writing an effective coupon that draws your customers attention, and entices them to come to your store.
Michael Baaske is the Digital Product Coordinator at PowerSites®, and with over 7 years of experience in PrePress and print media, Michael has seen some good, and bad coupon offers. PowerSites® is an all inclusive website-hosting, creation, and marketing solution that helps local businesses establish their brand, drive leads, and track success, that’s a leading resource in print, online and mobile for hyperlocal advertising, and brand management with our Business Directory Listings.
