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Free Promotion... Expect Future Sales?
Posted By: Josh on 8/7/2006 12:21 PM (CST) 250 Points
I'm an artist. I sell quality(archival -non-fading) canvas prints of my paintings that are stretched around a wood frame that are ready to be hung on a wall. In an effort to gain a large customer and fan base, I am planning on having a non-stop promotion that's essentially me giving away the almost $50 canvas print. They would have to use a coupon code at checkout and they would also pay for the shipping(roughly $5)...which would completely pay for this promotion. While it certainly gets the exposure I want, would all this effort actually convert a decent % of them to future buyers, or would they always try to find a coupon to get a free print over and over?

The other part...

What if I made it a condition that based on their own good word.... that to use that coupon, they agreed to purchase 1 print within the next 12 months.

Would this added "trust" on my part add any benefit to this whole strategy? I'm thinking it might give them an excuse later to spend $$ if they are 50/50 about buying a print... as well as boosting my image as a trustworthy artist.

PS...the advertising of this offer won't be on my website...only on the sites that direct traffic to mine.

Posted by: Frank Hurtte Member Response
8/7/2006 12:31 PM (CST)
Put an expiration date on the coupon.. .then you are set.

and


John, I once subscribed to an artist. I bought a couple of his works (in this case numbered prints) then agreed to send him 45 dollars a month for an unframed print approximately every quarter. He offered this deal to me on an evergreen basis or until he or I decided to quit. Later on, he became very well known, and increased the number of prints produced... with the point being, he had presale and a steady stream of income.

This may be a good deal for you.

 
Posted by: rbauman* Member Response
8/7/2006 3:06 PM (CST)
Considering giving one print for free when a customer buys one at regular price. I'm not sure that giving one away for free with no strings attached will generate future sales to the same customer. Giving a print away for free reduces the value of your work. Giving a paying customer a free print is a reward and at the very least, gets you one sale.
 
Posted by: marilia.zanim Member Response
8/8/2006 7:30 AM (CST)
I wouldn't ask them to buy other prints in a certain time, because I think that could let people a bit afraid of using the coupon.

What I would do, is to have a way to get the contact information about the people who are using the cupons and then, I would use a different strategy to invite them to buy more prints for you.

You can use a direct mail to attract them to buy more prints.

In a time period, you will have a important mailing, of potential buyers, in your hand.

I also think that people will not be looking for a coupon all the time. Lots os companies use the strategy of giving coupons to attract new costumers and them, prove that the product (or service) is so good that they don't have to stop buying just because they don't have a coupon. Good luck!
 
Posted by: vittosquinta Member Response
8/8/2006 8:27 AM (CST)
Hi Josh!

I hope I can help you!

I tell you my doubts about your offer:
∞the time of validity of your coupons
∞the possibility of getting free your operas (is not good for your image)
∞ as you said, the coupons can be exchanged from one person to an other
∞ If you make a free promotion, you can attract people who doesn't love art, but is only curios, people who gets the free canvas, and doesn’t come back in your shop
∞the art operas like pictures and canvas aren’t a kind of good that people often buy. So a coupon who give the first canvas for free can be counterproductive

In my opinion, the coupon idea is good, but I think you can improve it:

-you can allow a discount with the coupon, and not give canvas for free
-the coupon should shows name and surname of the owner, who must presents his identity card to use the coupon

You also could include a catalogue of your operas with your coupon.

I think would be better if you show your free promotion on your website in order to be more clear.

I don’t know if you already do other kind of promotion, so allow me to give you some ideas:

-you can use E-bay or other auction sites to promote your operas, you can make an insertion (or more insertions)where you show one of your operas, and put your web domain. In this way you can reach more people in the U.S.A. and in all the world.
-you can promote your operas exposing some of them in the public place (bar, pub, restaurant) showing the name of your studio on them. This is a very good way to promote artistic operas.

I hope I helped you in some way!
Good Luck with your business!
Vitto
 
Posted by: ag_gervais Member Response
8/8/2006 7:13 PM (CST)
I don't think you should use a coupon as an artist. Discounting your work like that discredits it and people won't pay full price in the future. Just reduce some of your prices quietly- send out an email to your database. Or perhaps send out a letter letting your clients know about your exciting new series you are developing therefor you are discounting previous series. i'm just brainstorming here- but if you want to be seen as a true fine artists- coupons aren't the way to go in my opinion.
(i have a fine art degree)
 
Posted by: koen.h.pauwels Accepted Answer
8/9/2006 1:24 AM (CST)
Hi Josh,

I don't think giving it away no-strings-attached is a good idea: when people get something without money, they typically think it is without real value (which is why even my Belgian government charges something for basic necessities like water etc.) Just consider the challenge faced by excellent online content providers who want to get web surfers to pay for content. This is especially true for something whose value is in the eye of the beholder, like art. Once you have convinced people of the value, then you can offer a deal so they buy now. So I fully agree with rbauman and ag_gervais: if you want to promote, have a two-for-one or a coupon or give something else for free (e.g. delivery) - and have a story about why you are giving the promotion (e.g. you just started a new exciting series); otherwise people will suspect you are giving it away because noone will buy it
 
Posted by: jillm Accepted Answer
8/11/2006 12:05 PM (CST)
I must agree with the comments above: if you give it away on the outset, you're devaluing your work/goods and services.

I've encountered this problem a few times recently with promotions that were done "before my time" at my company. Most notably, we have an annual forum for our customers that costs ~$200 per ticket. It's a great deal for what they get, but our customers have been conditioned to wait for discount offers, and even free passes, because our marketing efforts in the past have rewarded them for waiting or have come out of the gate with coupon offers.

With that said, I wouldn't offer free goods to potential customers with the hope that they'll come back again. Rather, I would offer them a reduced rate now (but not free) to create a sense of value for your services. The more valuable that I think your works are (as a customer), the more likely I am to come back and purchase in the future. (AND, the more likely I am to post your artwork prominently in my home or business... bonus for you...)

Best of luck to you -- I hope that my experiences & comments can help you be successful!
 


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