Couponing Advice

Coupon Packs

Coupon packs like Valpak and Money Mailer seem like an efficient way to get your coupons into your customers' hands. But how do they work? And are they really an effective coupon distribution method?

From a business owner's standpoint, coupon packs offer a deceptively simple way to distribute coupons to consumers.

Instead of running ads in multiple print outlets, coupon packs like Valpak and Money Mailer simple mail your coupon to every home in the area. Getting your coupon out to your customers couldn't be easier.

Not so fast! Although coupon packs are a cost effective way to deliver coupons to local consumers, they are also a mixed bag for small business owners. For starters, shoppers tend to treat coupon packs like junk mail - a lot of them go to the recycling bin unopened. And even if a shopper opens the coupon pack, it can be difficult to make your coupon stand out from the dozens of other coupons in the mailing.

Here are some other things you should know before you jump on the coupon pack bandwagon:

• Coupon packs target zip codes. Do you know where your target customers live? You should if you want to use coupon packs successfully. Coupon packs are designed to be geographically selective so you'll need to identify the zip codes you want to hone in on before you pull the trigger on a coupon pack promotion.
• Diversification is usually your best bet. It's probably not a good idea to pin all of your hopes on a single coupon pack mailing. Some coupon packs are more popular than others and there are no guarantees about the number of shoppers who will actually see your coupon. Consider either running simultaneous offers in print or alternating campaigns between coupon packs and ads in local papers.
• Design matters. Whatever you do, don't "phone in" your design for a coupon pack promotion. Every coupon in the pack is competing for a few brief seconds of the shopper's time and a boring coupon design isn't going to cut it. If you aren't capable of designing an attention-grabbing coupon yourself, pay someone who can.
• You can (and should) track your success rate. Don't assume that because your coupon is being mailed to thousands of households that it will drive thousands of customers to your door. It probably won't. But you can track the success of your coupon pack promotion compared to other coupon campaigns by slightly varying the offer, the coupon design, or both. If the coupon pack isn't meeting your expectations, you will need to adjust either the coupon or your distribution area.

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