Groupon markets their coupon service to small business owners as a way to quickly enhance their sales numbers, but most small businesses are unprepared for the actual impact that Groupon will have on their daily performance.
While it is true that more people will come through your front door, they will typically be customers who were only enticed by a good deal, not those who will come back and continue to support your business.
It is possible to convert them into regular customers, of course, but statistics show the majority of Groupon holders prefer to frequent businesses that are offering a great deal, and it is impossible for any small business to continue giving such generous discounts over the long haul.
The negative impact of using these daily deals as a marketing strategy can be devastating.
Most small business owners fail to calculate just how much they will be giving away for free.
It is not only about the product or service itself; it is also about having the proper staffing to take care of the upswing in traffic, the added wear-and-tear on equipment or machinery, and sometimes even space inside your restaurant or place of business.
When these numbers are tied together, it is enough to force many small businesses to close up shop.
The Red Pepper Deli, a raw vegan restaurant that was located in Northville, Michigan, is a perfect recent example of the issues with using Groupon.
The deli had a relatively inexpensive menu, and their Groupon gave people the opportunity to purchase $10 worth of food for only $5.
Trying out something new for $5 would have been enticing enough for most people, but Groupon offered a free $5 voucher towards all Groupon purchases of $5 or more during one day of the Red Pepper Deli promotion.
Understandably, the now free Red Pepper Deli vouchers were picked up by a very large group of people.
Although they had successfully maintained a specialty restaurant since 2008, Groupon’s negative impact was enough to put them out of business in only three months.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.
Many small business marketing consultants advise business owners to stay far away from Groupon, but the people who need this information the most are the ones who are the most likely to be pulled in by Groupon’s advertising pitch.
Instead of struggling through the Groupon effect, you’d be better off investing in a solid social media marketing plan and making sure to optimize your website for search engine traffic.
These two tasks alone, while relatively inexpensive, are proven ways for small businesses to not only improve sales and revenue but also help keep that number up for the long haul.
Rather than putting out thousands of dollars to cover Groupons from people who will only visit your store once, proper SEO tactics will generate recurring business by reaching those who are actually interested in what your specific company is selling.
Understanding the true needs of small business marketing, and by implementing a proven social media strategy or search engine optimization plan will increase traffic, sales, and revenue, without risking your business going belly-up.
Social networking and SEO have been proven to generate business, while Groupon has been proven to be detrimental to small businesses.
The choice is not only clear, but it is also cost effective.
Start generating qualified leads today.
What do you think? Do you know of any businesses that couldn’t cope with the Groupon effect?
Revenue over Rankings is my SEO marketing mantra. Contact me to see how I can help increase revenue for your business..
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