Living Social

[Brian R]

I just signed up to possibly feature my company in Dallas. I may do Sacramento as well.

Here's the link
http://livingsocial.com/deals/14480-pil ... odays_deal


It's a Groupon type company...deal of the day type thing.

I cleaned a carpet today for someone who bought a 'Groupon for my company.

Super nice people in a really nice condo

They also own a company...yoga place
They sold 1800 groupons :shock:

They said it was incredible how it skyrocketed their company.

There is something to all of these "deal of the day" companies.

 

[Steve Toburen]

They also own a company...yoga place
They sold 1800 groupons :shock:

They said it was incredible how it skyrocketed their company.

There is something to all of these "deal of the day" companies.

Agreed. However, Brian, there IS a major difference between a "yoga place" and a carpet cleaner, especially a small one. the yoga place is easily scalable as in (I assume) 20 people or 100 people can attend a class. The other 80 people are basically free and don't cost the company anything. Meanwhile, each home has to be cleaned individually and wants personal and often immediate service.

I'm not putting down Group-on type stuff. just reminding people to "look both ways" before the cross the street.

Steve Toburen
http://www.SFS.Jon.Don.com

PS Reliable sources tell me Big Billy Yeadon has been researching Group-on type marketing and may be weighing in soon on his marketing blog:

http://sfs.jondon.com/3715/billys-book- ... -and-blogs

 

[Brian R]

I'm starting to think that the lower prices on Groupon are working better...I know...duh right? Like the Yoga deal...I didn't ask how much his deal was but I've seen similar for $25.00.

I'm just thinking that if you can put something up there like $10.00 for $50.00 worth of carpet cleaning...it might get more hits.

You would be working in the volume game no doubt BUT You would be closer to ground level when you actually did the job...meaning you have much much more to upsell.

Just a thought. I've been thinking of what my next deal will be...and it may be something that most will say "yeah, I can afford that...not problem"...kind of like a gift card deal.
Maybe $15.00 for $40.00 worth of carpet?...Groupon likes the deal to be at least half off...so if you can get a higher % off of a lower priced item...not lower valued...It could work.



I'll see if I can test it and let everyone know.

 

[Brian R]

Ok, I just listed a Groupon for $20.00 for $45.00 worth of carpet cleaning.
Should be interesting.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Ok, I just listed a Groupon for $20.00 for $45.00 worth of carpet cleaning.
Should be interesting.

So Brian, I assume you are doing this "loss leader" type of offer to build a client base. nothing wrong with that. But have you tracked the folks from your first Groupon a year ago? how many of them have come back to you and at your higher non-Groupon prices? just asking ...

Steve Toburen
www.SFS.JonDon.com

PS Here's an idea: If you're willing to capture a new contact by giving away the work you should at least try to capture the person's friends outside of Groupon. What would happen if you gave every customer a stack of cards with your same 'one day only" Groupon price but with a code that their friends could enter on your website for the same pricing BUT you get to keep all the money? Now you are building on your groupon pricing and without the 50% cut. wow, Brian, you are turing me into a 'coupon cleaner"! What is next? Val-Pak???

 

[Brian R]

I've gotten some repeats from last years Grouponers. Not as many as I would like but Service Monster is helping me work on that..Full Circle is as well.

Come on now, I'm not giving the work away. Just lowering the first $45.00 of it...I'll make it up on the back end.

The best part about the groupon type deals is the people who end up calling because they saw your website and go straight through you for the deal...and yes then I keep all the money.

 

[smastio]

http://www.SFS.JonDon.com[/url]

PS Here's an idea: If you're willing to capture a new contact by giving away the work you should at least try to capture the person's friends outside of Groupon. What would happen if you gave every customer a stack of cards with your same 'one day only" Groupon price but with a code that their friends could enter on your website for the same pricing BUT you get to keep all the money? Now you are building on your groupon pricing and without the 50% cut. wow, Brian, you are turing me into a 'coupon cleaner"! What is next? Val-Pak???[/quote:sbh29ehm]

Great point Steve - I as well have been telling people that the DOD concept can be taken down to the micro level, but the only problem is that it is a MICRO LEVEL. You want it local.... you just want it to be Hyper. Hyper-Local marketing is where it's at and going to be in the future. That is where it is going to be in the future. Groupon, Living Social and others are concentrating heavily on this area of their business. Yes, we (carpet cleaners) can do it themselves, but we are limited to only the clients we have to hand out the cards and then they have to hand them out to others - everyone has email these days.

 

[smastio]

I'm starting to think that the lower prices on Groupon are working better...I know...duh right? Like the Yoga deal...I didn't ask how much his deal was but I've seen similar for $25.00.

I'm just thinking that if you can put something up there like $10.00 for $50.00 worth of carpet cleaning...it might get more hits.

You would be working in the volume game no doubt BUT You would be closer to ground level when you actually did the job...meaning you have much much more to upsell.

Just a thought. I've been thinking of what my next deal will be...and it may be something that most will say "yeah, I can afford that...not problem"...kind of like a gift card deal.
Maybe $15.00 for $40.00 worth of carpet?...Groupon likes the deal to be at least half off...so if you can get a higher % off of a lower priced item...not lower valued...It could work.



I'll see if I can test it and let everyone know.

Brian - You are so right. Toss some chum out there with the Groupons, Living Socials and others and draw them back to the mother ship, I mean your website. There is where you offer the real value proposition discounts. You have go to reach out to me for a conversation on this when you get the chance. PM me or go to BusinessBridge for the number.

 

[Marc Imbesi]

Ok, I just listed a Groupon for $20.00 for $45.00 worth of carpet cleaning.
Should be interesting.

Don't you have a minimum charge? I don't want to go out for $20. Or is it $10?

 

[Brian R]

Yes I do have a minimum charge. I would drop it from $100 to $55.00 for the deal.
So I would expect to get the % of the deal and $55.00

I'm not sure Groupon will go for that...I'm still awaiting approval.

Groupon will probably want me to go out and clean for the $14.00 or whatever it is....and I'm almost willing to do that because I'm pretty sure of the upells....but I think if that's the case.....the deal will have to go up.

I can't walk out the front door for $14.00 lol