Offer Discounts to Customers How Creators Can Optimize Sales --
Last updated: August 4, 2022
Selling your digital products and services online requires just the same amount of planning and preparation as making them. It requires a compelling and effective marketing strategy and a receptive audience as well as a reliable selling platform. But what happens when everything you have put in place doesn't turn into better sales figures?
The best place to start is offering discounts to customers.
Everybody loves sales, with a recent survey showing that 88% of American consumers used discount coupons for 2020.
What do you need to successfully promote deals on subscriptions, downloads and online memberships? These are the things digital creators ought to think about before slashing prices.
Do not offer discount offers before taking into account the fundamentals
Selling your products online is an ideal way to monetize doing whatever you like to do. However, you mustn't forget why you're doing it in the first place: to earn cash. You should consider the following aspects when you decide if you want, when, or how you should offer discounts to your customers.
What is your margin of profit?
Being able to sell your own items online without any upfront costs is one of the major advantages of being a digital artist. But, you'll still require a sustainable business plan.
Prior to offering discount coupons to your customers you must calculate:
- Your business expenses (subscription costs for graphic design software social media management tools as well as maintenance of web hosting and hosting as well as selling platforms. )
- The profit you must/aim to earn
The combination of these two figures will give you the number you need to hit each month. This will guide you on the best way to price your items and apply discounts accordingly.
Who is your client?
Everyone enjoys a good sale regardless of gender, age or income. However, keeping these aspects to your mind can help know which deals are available and what you should offer them.
Creating customer personas is a great way to do this. Here are some categories to help you think about the people those who might be attracted to your product and the best way to provide them with discounts.
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Profession
- Income
- Family (marital status and children)
How does this information help guide the way to make a decision when it comes to promotions?
First, if you've established the monthly minimum amount you'll need to spend the estimate of your customer's spending budget can help you zero in the sweet spot for discount which is the amount which entices customers but is still able to turn a profit.
Secondly, solid customer personas can help you decide which products to include in sales bundles or buy one, receive one deals.
What is your schedule and store look?
Making your product visible to be seen by customers is an accomplishment that is a feat in and of the sense of. Once you've done it, the first impression counts: Your storefront should provide background information on yourself, detailed item descriptions, and a simple checkout process. This demonstrates legitimacy, fosters customer confidence and leaves an impact.
If you've got a variety of goods, it's important determine which items should be discounted to convince your customers to purchase more. This is where having an accurate customer persona really is a big help: It will help determine what items are the best to offer as a deal or gift, and which are attractive enough to keep at full price.
For a trainer or coach that offers free consultations and trials You shouldn't be tempted to overbook your schedule to attract more clients. The first step is to analyze the current volume of clients and availabilities prior to launching any offers.
What types of discounts to offer
Professionals who are smart know there's more than a sale to be won when offering discounts to customers. To get the most value from discounts means offering an appropriate discount in the appropriate time.
Digital downloads (Ebooks, printables, presets, sewing patterns etc. )
Reduction in percentage
It is the most commonly used type of sale and those who shop online love it most: Recent data shows it that the 74% of online coupon buyers prefer a percentage discount to different types of sales.
What should you look for
When it comes to products that are less expensive, consumers typically see a greater value in percent reductions than dollar discounts -- even when they are the same savings. For example, a sale featuring $20 T-shirts at 25% off is likely to attract greater attention than a sale that offers $5 off those same $20 T-shirts.
What is it and how to utilize it
- Bring in new customers and increase your mailing list by giving 10% off their first purchase when they sign up for your email newsletter.
- Rewards loyal customers by giving them a discount of 20% when they make their subsequent purchase.
Fixed Amount Discount
Another type of discount gives a specific amount off the price of the product. As with percentage reductions, messages are the most important thing.
What to watch for
You can get the most value from discounted prices that have a fixed amount, using them on more expensive items. See how different $50 dollars off of a digital print poster seems as compared to providing the same item for just 33% less. Think about applying it to higher-priced products that haven't been performing consistently over the years.
What is it and how to utilize it
- Provide a predetermined discount on purchases of a minimum total. Example: $30 off all transactions over $100.
- Let customers purchase and redeem digital gift vouchers in increments of $10, $20, $50 and more.
Buy One Buy One, Purchase One
BOGO discounts are basically providing two items at 50% off. This is why it is the type of discount preferred for 64% customers across the board. The type of discount you offer can be a fantastic way to sell items to other customers and expose your customers to goods they would have never thought of buying.
What should we keep an eye out for
Make sure you are aware of the products you bundle and consider your client. Does the possibility of bundling the products from various categories higher than the possibility of abandoning your cart? Or should you play the safe side by giving away similar products even if you have to give the item that could have been purchased separately regardless?
How do you use it
- Send BOGO discounts to your mailing list. Offer customers a complimentary item when they purchase an item that is new at the cost full.
- Promote Buy One, Get One offers via social media. Create a multi-slide reel of all products that customers can mix and match to get discounts.
Bundle discounts
Offering multiple products at a discount can be a fantastic method to increase sales and boost your AOV (average order value). The research shows an average of 29% customers would purchase an item they never planned to buy if the item is heavily reduced. Brick-and-mortar stores use this type of sale to swiftly move out stagnant inventory so that they can make room for new items.
What to watch out for
As a digital creator with an unlimited amount of storage, be sure to be aware of your profit margins when you offer multiple items with a discounted cost. Be aware that when offering bundle discounts the timing of your offer is crucial: One popular tactic is to promote this offer at the conclusion of the customer journey. Once someone has decided to buy something, offer related items in a bundle for a discounted price at checkout.
How do you use it
- Create a pop-up to your checkout page featuring an array of products.
- Feature a bundle discount on the product page with free products listed below, or in the sidebar.
Special time, limited supply and seasonal offers
The web is accessible all hours of the day, which reduces the urgency needed to shop when online. Applying time-sensitive discounts or restricted-supply deals encourage customers to take action promptly. In addition, you could make use of seasonal or holiday offers to make the most of the an increase in sales or promote items relevant to particular times of year.
What to watch out for
Plan your discount calendar ahead of the time. This can help you plan your new product launches and your social media content. Also, be careful about timings for sales duration It is important to keep the sales small enough to cause urgency, but sufficient to allow for proper promotion and customer awareness.
How do you use it
- Send birthday discounts to customers who have previously bought from the company.
- Send digital coupons for the holidays to the people on your mailing list.
- Join Cyber Monday and enjoy significant savings.
- Incorporate sales for seasonal goods within your newsletters. For example, if you create vegan cookbooks, discount your most popular soup recipes at the beginning of the fall season.
Freebies
Although technically, they are not discounts but they are a great opportunity for sellers to build recognition and increase traffic to their online store. This kind of promotional strategy works well for online creators since there is no financial loss.
What should you look out for
Everyone loves free...but the point of giveaways is to encourage your clients to eventually buy. So be wise: Offer templates that demonstrate your best work and leave your audience looking for more. If, for instance, you're a fitness coach You could offer your customers a free daily meal program that offers only lunch options or fitness routines that are directed towards one specific area.
What are they and how to utilize them
- Offer free downloadable PDF templates on your social media networks.
- Mix less-popular items as freebies when customers purchase products at all price.
- Promoting free products through your newsletters to customers as well as a provide a link to your store's website to drive traffic.
Subscriptions, Memberships & Software
You think that offering discounts to your clients is only for downloads? As a coach, instructor, or software developer, there are plenty of ways to promote memberships to your classes, as well as subscriptions to your software.
Free trial/Freemium plan
Giving a trial-free access to your courses' materials or software could be an ideal way to bring in and maintain new fans.
What should you look out for
For promotions based on products, knowing your market is essential: What exactly are those potential clients searching for? How can you show them just enough of your services or products to get that they should choose to pay for choices?
How to use it
- Provide a no-cost version of your program with no features.
- Offer a full version of the software you use for a short time.
- Promote a free test of fitness plans or classes.
- Save money by choosing to pay each year vs. each month.
Consultation for free
Free consultations can be a great way for coaches and other service providers to gain confidence from clients. Offer a quick live session over Zoom or through a messaging platform. The client will describe the specific issue (weight loss, nutrition and parenting concerns) You can then provide a structured plan that is tailored to the needs of their clients.
What to look for
First and foremost, you'll be able to figure out what time frame you'll have to devote. Do you want to target a local or international audience? There could be differences in time that are an issue with scheduling. To address both issues, announce only limited availability (i.e. first 10 respondents) and make clear the product you're selling and who it's suited for.
What is it and how to utilize it
- Create a "booking' button on your store's homepage connected to Calendly or another online calendaring tool.
- Free consult offers to your members on your mailing list that haven't previously purchased or booked through you.
Free webinaror Questions and Answers
Live events are the ideal way to get people talking about your products and services. Even though you might not be able to dedicate enough time to each person, this method might be easier than a 1-on-1 consult.
What should you look out for
Select a topic general to people are interested in and be prepared to respond to questions! Aim to provide relevant information, but don't try to market your products but don't get too far into specifics to keep them coming back for more!
What is it and how to utilize it
- Set up an event live on Facebook and promote it via your account on social media along with your site, email, and.
Which channels for marketing should I use when offering discounts for customers
Even the best-planned discount aren't going to be successful when they're not properly promoted. Using proper marketing channels correctly increases the likelihood of your campaigns reaching the people you want to reach and encourage people to act.
Social media
If you've never established a Facebook page for your product, this is the best time to do so. This is the primary tool to get your product or services discovered.
- Creating a Facebook business page helps to make you look more professional. It also will allow millions of customers across the globe to discover you. Make use of your Facebook page to advertise promotions, as well as interact with your target audience. Join relevant communities to discover more about your industry and to increase the awareness of your offerings. It is also possible to make use of the platform to organize and advertise free live events in addition to paid ads.
- Instagram is the ultimate way to get your target's attention, display your products or services, and bring visitors to your shopfront. A recent study found that 33% of respondents said they had used discount codes that are available on store's Instagram pages to shop online. Create posts displaying the sale items and incorporate discount codes in the caption. Link your store's page to your bio as an easy way of directing clients to your store in seconds.
Email marketing
Marketing emails are notoriously loathed by customers. However, don't abandon your email list just yet. A surprising 81% of online shoppers are actually happy to receive emails that contain sales announcements or discounts. Expand your list of email subscribers by giving sign-up bonuses and freebies, then use it to give your customers coupons and draw more traffic to your store.
Your website , storefront, or even your storefront
As a digital creator having an appropriate space for your products and services is essential. Use social media and email marketing to drive more traffic to your store front which gives customers an in-depth view of the products and services you offer. Make use of pop-ups as well as related window displays to announce bundles, BOGO discounts and more.
Not a website? It's not a problem! Connect your shop to your social media profile and make your product available to thousands of shoppers on the internet. Learn how simple it is on this page.
On average, online shoppers who use discount codes spend an average of 24% more than shoppers who do not. As a digital creator is in your own most best interest to discover an easy and effective way to provide discounts to your customers.
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