Digital coupons are one of online shopper’s best friends and a key factor in convincing customers into making a purchase. In their basic form they are discounts and promotions given by retailers to both new and existing customers, and they have largely replaced the traditional paper coupon and printable coupon. With a well-designed coupon a business has the potential to leverage sales and target specific customer categories; shoppers sometimes find it hard to resist clicking on pop-ups and push notifications. Here we’ll look at how to create a successful digital coupon.
Leverage the Science of Colours
One of the first things you’ll need to do is choose the image you want to display on the coupon. When doing so be sure to leverage the science of colour. There’s psychological reasoning behind why Coca Cola is red, Instagram is pink and Mercedes Benz is grey. Scientific research has found that different color palettes are associated with the consumer’s connections and emotions. In fact, some 93% say that visual factors are one of the biggest influences on purchases.
Encourage Purchases with Catchy Calls-to-Action
When designing your digital coupon there’s some basic elements to be aware of that can be the difference between successful and unsuccessful campaigns. A call to action (CTA) is a powerful marketing tool that serves to persuade customers to complete a purchase. It has the potential to convert those that are simply browsing into potential customers.
> Use action verbs at the start of a message to grab the attention — Get this deal before it’s too late
> Entice thrifty shoppers with wallet-friendly lingo — Save 25% with this offer
> Guide customers through the process with simple language — Show this at the checkout
Activate the Scarcity Principle by Setting a Clear Expiration Date
Adding an expiration date to your coupon allows you as the business to tap into the scarcity principle. When the demand for a product is greater than the supply, the price is driven upwards. Apply this to consumer behavior and it implies that items offered in limited numbers are deemed to be more valuable. By telling a customer that an offer is only valid for a specified period you are creating a sense of urgency and a perceived need to purchase. Examples of expiration date messages are Offer ends X, Use by X and Valid until X.
Choose Multiple Distribution Channels
Applying coupons to multiple distribution channels enables you to reach more consumers and thus enhance the success of the campaign. The primary channels are social media, marketing emails and mobile messaging. Around 90% of millennials share deals, with 43% doing so via social media platforms. The main reason people sign up for marketing emails is to benefit from daily deals. Over 60% of smartphone users subscriber to mobile messaging to receive deals and coupons.
Benefits of Digital Coupons for Businesses
Everyone loves a good deal and for this reason coupons should be an integral part of your marketing. It’s proven that coupons help businesses to: drive sales; gain new customers and enhance customer loyalty; promote products and encourage new customers to try them; and speed up the buying process. They are also an indispensable market research tool. A coupon’s digital tracking code helps to gather information and track things such as purchasing habits and consumer demographics.
How Many Types of Digital Coupons Are There?
Digital coupons come in several different forms. Downloadable coupons are those accessible from a business’s website, emails and social media platforms. Mobile coupons are offered by companies that utilise integrated mobile apps. Coupon codes are promo codes in the form of a combination of brand-specific numbers and letters that provide discounts when activated by the consumer at the checkout stage. Automatic coupons are, as the name suggests, discounts that are automatically applied at checkout, meaning the customer doesn’t have to do anything.
Get started today by visiting the PassKit portal and create your personalised and customer-focused digital coupons in a matter of minutes.
