Local Advertising Strategy Rival’s Groupon
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Posted On :
Jun-16-2011
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Article Word Count :
1316
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Groupon sells coupons providing discounts and other incentives to attract customers and to help local businesses gain sales.
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Groupon sells coupons providing discounts and other incentives to attract customers and to help local businesses gain sales. The method is simple. Prepay for a discount, print the coupon and bring it in for your deal. This process has grown and been duplicated by competitors, but ideas can be improved upon. The Groupon band wagon has made a big internet splash and though successful to date, there’s a much better local business advertising model emerging.
Historically, a business would advertise in the Yellow Pages, local newspaper or run a short radio spot, but such advertising methods are becoming ineffective and declining while remaining relatively expensive. Rapidly changing technologies along with the Internet are profoundly affecting local businesses and most are in need of an affordable yet effective advertising strategy. Finding a successful strategy can be overwhelming and expensive. Small business owners often work extended hours and many don’t have the time or expertise to keep up with technology.
Americans spend an average of 60 hours a month on the internet and a large percentage use the internet and mobile phones to find what they need and search for the best deals, thus saving time, energy and gas in the process.
- 70% of U.S. households now use the Internet when shopping locally. (The Kelsey Group/Con Stat)
- 97% of U.S. Internet users gather shopping information online, and of those consumers 51% explicitly characterize their behavior as “Shop Online, Purchase Offline”. (NPD Group)
Advertising costs add up quickly and learning today’s electronic world can take the focus away from sales. So what are the alternatives when it’s not cost-effective to create a solution on your own? Business owners must look ahead and establish a clear strategy if they hope to keep up.
Local businesses need shoppers and the battle for visibility is continuous. The Exclusive Partner “Buy Local” program created by My Zip, Inc. gives businesses a huge advantage and a way to dominate their zip code with a comprehensive, effective and affordable strategy that combines 3 powerful and proven marketing plans into one streamlined, long-term solution.
1. My Zip’s “Be Found Online” service puts a business on the map with a “one-stop” system for submitting, updating and maintaining over one hundred online directories, mobile phone search engines and GPS navigation directories. My Zipmanages the brand by placing a business profile on every major search engine and directory, as well as Yellow Page sites, social sites, mobile devices and 411 services. More than 40% of online listings are inaccurate, incomplete or missing. Accurate listings are the first step to successful online marketing. With My Zip, a business can get higher rankings and consistent listings across all sites. Best of all, local businesses can be found by consumers searching the internet.
2. 80% of cell phone users use text messaging, which is helping make mobile marketing one of the fastest growing advertising services. There are more text messages sent in a day than there are cell phone calls. MyZip takes advantage of this rapidly growing segment and provides a full web-based system that allows a business to control its own mobile marketing campaigns directly to customers who want to know about their business. Mobile marketing allows a business owner to reach out to new and existing customers in ways that are far more personal than traditional form of advertising. Messages can be sent daily or weekly and businesses can create VIP clubs, sponsor contests and send special offers or announcements, and much, much more.
3. The ZipTag programhas2 great services in one, providing exclusive offers from local merchants and a recovery service for valuable items.
- Local businesses and nonprofits spread the word about the great discounts and exclusive offers individuals get when they present a ZipTag.
- Consumers don’t have to buy and print a voucher like with Groupon, but just show a ZipTag at any participating business and receive the advertised discount or exclusive offer.
- A ZipTag pack contains a savings card, key chain tag and 5 secure labels to put on your valuable items.
- If keys are lost, they can be dropped into any mailbox and returned to you at no charge.
- Place the ZipTag secure labels on any device, such as a cell phone, iPod™, laptop, camera or anything else of value. If an item is lost, My Zip helps you get it back!
- Parents love the fact that they can put ZipTags on their kid’s cell phones, keys and other valuable items.
- ZipTags are especially convenient for men, as they generally don’t carry coupons.
Why My Zip is eclipsing the competition.
1. My Zip’s goal is not just a onetime customer that gets a great deal and never comes back. It’s a year-round communication pipeline setup to attract new and repeat customers that are actively engaged and want to hear from your business.
2. My Zip provides a personal touch with Community Specialists in each zip code, as well as expert mobile marketing trainers who work with local businesses and nonprofits every step of the way at no additional cost.
3. Exclusivity helps businesses stand out in their community. My Zip promotes only two businesses, per business category, per zip code, thus keeping them from getting lost in the coupon shuffle and helping them dominate their zip code. These businesses are called Exclusive Partners.
4. Exclusive Partners that text offers don’t waste time on badly matched propositions that simply irritate the customer and end up in the trash folder. Unlike Groupon, My Zip mobile marketing makes sense, because it develops a target audience that actually wants to receive text messages and it is the customer that makes the choice to join. Urban demographics vary by merchant and they know their market better than someone on the other side of the country.
5. Businesses are listed in the ZipTag Directory, whereZip Tag holders easily find deals without prepaying for a discount.
6. My Zip helps local businesses acquire a smarter audience and a larger market share. The local business itself invites its customers to participate and consumers also seek out local businesses who give exclusive offers.
7. By utilizing the ZipTag, the consumer doesn’t have to buy Groupons and there is no need to print coupons, making the My Zip solution, easier to use, practical, convenient, long-term and green.
8. My Zip’s solution not only helps local businesses, but has a healthy impact on the entire community; cooperatively tying local businesses with nonprofits, and in the process they help each other long-term.
9. My Zip’s program is not a one-time advertising shot, but a long-term solution that builds community relationships and grows stronger with time. My Zip connects merchants with worthy community organizations. It motivates consumers to patronize local businesses, restaurants and professionals, while they simultaneously help the bedrock of the community that supply vital services.
10. My Zip can also put people into business. It has the potential to create approximately 5000 new businesses across America, as there are over 43 thousand zip codes. A resolute Community Specialist can handle multiple zip codes and make a legitimate income.
11. Exclusive Partners offer ongoing, healthy discounts on quality goods and services for an affordable cost.
12. My Zip’s Exclusive Partner “Buy Local” program provides great incentives for all participants, making happy consumers, profitable local businesses, providing much needed revenue for nonprofits and creating sustainable jobs within each community.
You can get lumped in with the Groupon crowd, which is quickly becoming an outlet for overstocked inventory and outdated items, or develop an effective advertising solution that will last and “Grow your Business”. Remember, only two businesses, per business category, per zip code. Beat your competition to the punch!
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Local Advertising Strategy Rival’s Groupon_64218.aspx
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Author Resource :
Marvin Yakos is currently the president and CEO of My Zip, Inc., which offers exclusive and cost-effective advertising to local businesses by zip code. For more information,text myzipinfo to 74455 or emailinfo@myziptag.com visit http://www.myziptag.com
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Keywords :
Advertising, business opportunity, marketing, local business advertising, Sales Manager, Sales,
Category :
Business
:
Advertising
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