How to Email Coupons for Your Store
Targeted emails have shown a higher rate of return than other forms of direct marketing such as mass mailings and newspaper inserts. When you carefully choose your email recipients and take a few steps to prevent fraud, you can reap the benefits of coupon distribution without any of the printing or postage costs.
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Instructions
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Gather email contact information for your intended recipients. The best way to do this is to solicit directly, as in a sign up sheet inside of your store, or as an attachment to print correspondence that you send out. If you prefer, you can purchase e-mail lists of potential customers through online vendors, although these email addresses will belong to individuals with a much greater likelihood of disposing of your email unread.
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Align your coupon with the intended recipients. If you plan to send coupons to interested customers who have signed up for an email list, you will certainly want to send a different coupon than if you are sending to an individual who hasn't previously signed up with you. Try tailoring the offers to different customer demographics, if this information is available to you. A discount for a $1,000 purchase is not likely to appeal to a customer who regularly spends less than $5 at a time.
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Create the coupon using graphics software. Demo versions, sufficient for creating a basic design, are available for free online. You can also use the basic design capabilities of Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher.
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Assign a unique numerical value or code to each coupon you intend to send out. Create a spreadsheet matching the name or email address of the intended recipient to the coupon code. This way you can track coupon redemption and ensure that there are no duplicates.
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Craft a subject line for your email that contains accurate information. Spammers commonly use deceptive headlines, and your coupon email risks being discarded or going unread if you do not describe your offer in a straightforward manner.
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Include accurate contact information for your customers in the body of the email, including your physical address and phone number. Also, it is a good idea to include an opt-out option for future emails on any communications you send to your customers.
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Insert the coupon illustration into the body of the email, or add it as an attachment. Be aware that most individuals are highly wary of emails sent with attachments from unknown sources, so your best bet is to put the coupon illustration into the body of the email.
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Proofread the body of your email before sending it out. If you can, ask another person to check each word of the email from top to bottom. A good rule of thumb for all advertising and communications is to have, at bare minimum, two different people to proofread before sending anything out.
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Send the email. Track your rates of return using your spreadsheet and the coupon codes to help you better target future emailings.
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Tips & Warnings
If time allows, craft a personal message to attach to the email. At the very least, address your customers by name in the salutation.
