Case Study: KBP Foods Uses Loyalty App to Reach Millennials
Merchant: KBP Foods
Markets: Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina
Size: 194 locations
Platforms: Front Flip
Bottom Line: The millennial generation is more likely to be influenced by a smartphone app than a national TV campaign.
In the fast food industry, it’s all about the millennial generation. Customers between the ages of 18 and 34 are eating out less than they were five years ago, which is a major problem for executives like Anthony Gianino. The senior director of marketing at KBP Foods, a franchisee with more than 194 Yum! Brands restaurants, is trying everything in the book — including text message marketing, local print ads, and mobile loyalty apps — to reach his target demographic. “We’ve really had trouble reaching the millenials at the national level.”
Focusing on local
As a franchisee, KBP Foods is limited in the types of marketing and advertising promotions it can run. “Anything you want to do that is marketing, you have to run through brand and legal,” said Gianino. “Then they approve it or add some adjustments and suggestions.”
While his corporate partners handle the development and placement of national campaigns, Gianino focuses on driving customers to his local stores spread across nine states: “[TV gets] buzz generated, and that’s what the national [company] does for us. Then what we try to do is improve on loyalty and get people to come in more often.”
Over the years, Gianino has tried a handful of marketing platforms in an effort to boost loyalty and increase customer engagement. “We’ve used frequency cards, [but] it’s hard to track any type of results. For the most part, you print up a bunch of cards and you give away some food, but you can’t tell if it did anything for you on the sales or transaction side.”
Gianino has also dipped his toes into text message marketing, with similarly lackluster results. “We just never got enough people to really get anything out of it. You need about 500 to 1,000 people per restaurant, and [we] never got more than 50 per restaurant.”
Although text message marketing didn’t work out for KBP Foods, Gianino still had the sense that mobile was the direction he should go. He ultimately decided to try Front Flip, a mobile engagement and loyalty platform, in part because the hyperlocal company is located near KBP Foods’ headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas.
How it works
Customers who download Front Flip’s mobile app can use their smartphones to scan a special QR code at KBP Foods establishments. Scanning this code unlocks prizes, like discounts on meals or free drinks. “What I like about this program versus the text program is there’s an incentive to scan every time you go in,” said Gianino. “And because they are scanning every time, we have some idea of who our frequent customers are. [For] someone who’s coming in a lot, we can reward them with a gift. If somebody hasn’t come in for a while, we might need to send them a little reminder gift to inspire them to come back.”
Front Flip works well in an industry with high employee turnover rates, since it requires zero training for cashiers. Customers handle the scanning process on their own, and they provide restaurant employees with a coupon code when it’s time to redeem their prizes. “Operationally it’s a breeze,” said Gianino.
The real prize for Gianino is the data he’s able to collect. “I like to see what our frequencies are, because with the brands we have, frequency is an issue. We’re trying to get people to come in more often. [With Front Flip] we can see if it’s working, and [whether we’re] getting people to come in sooner than they have been in the past.”
The Takeaway
While national restaurant chains spend millions on TV spots and print campaigns meant to solidify their brand identities, it’s up to franchisees to find solutions for driving actual traffic at their individual locations. Gianino has found a way to do just that at KBP Foods, rewarding customers and incentivizing repeat visits with the Front Flip app. Utilizing a mobile loyalty app has given Gianino a way to reach the right types of consumers — tech-savvy millenials — through the platforms they’re most comfortable using.
Stephanie Miles is an associate editor at Street Fight.
Jessica Shops: Get organized online, enjoy sales at Restoration Hardware and …
Clipix: I spend a lot of time online, shopping and reviewing information for future use. I recently discovered a free Web tool and mobile app called Clipix that’s a place to organize and store the things I want to keep track of online — think wish lists, recipes, travel and more. It’s a great way to save and share links, documents, photos and video with one click. Unlike Pinterest, Clipix is not a social network; its goal is to help you organize your life online. And the best part of the website/app — and by far my favorite feature — is the “price drop alert” option. For example, I found a pair of shoes for $200; Clipix allows me to “clip it,” name a price, and then it will alert me when the price drops.
Restoration Hardware: Thursday is your last chance to shop online and save 20 percent at Restoration Hardware. Known for home furnishings, lighting, textiles, bathware, decor, outdoor and more, coupon code SAVINGS will shave 20 percent off your full-price purchase. Or, shop clearance items at up to 60 percent savings, plus take 10 percent off with the same code, SAVINGS. Sale ends today. Shop locally at 120 Perimeter Center West No. 200, Atlanta; or at restorationhardware.com.
Target: While most end-of-season clearance sales are dwindling, Target continues to host one of the biggest sales of the year. Shop online and in-store and save up to 65 percent on apparel, home decor, toys and holiday decor. I found a 50-piece ornament set for $7.50 (regularly $15) and a pre-lit spruce wreath for $29 (regularly $59). The sale ends Feb. 2.
The full Jessica Shops column appears in the Deal Spotter section of the AJC on Thursdays. Visit the Jessica Shops website for more great finds.
And follow Atlanta Bargain Hunter Nedra Rhone on Facebook | Twitter | Email.
- The AJC’s Atlanta Bargain Hunter blog
Half-Price Pizza for All: The Best Deals This Weekend
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Every Friday, we scan the weekly ads, deal sites and retailer marketing emails to find the best deals available for the coming week. Here are a few of the best freebies and limited-time offers we found.
• Through Sunday, customers who order their Domino’s pizza online can get 50% off the pizza portion of their order. To get the deal, just order via the Domino’s site and punch in the coupon code 50OFF. Note that the code can only be used on regularly priced menu items, which means that you can’t get an additional 50% off the “two medium two-topping pizzas for $5.99 each” deal that the chain advertises so prominently. The code should be valid through Sunday.
• Gap (GPS) offers 30% off your entire purchase when you use the coupon code GAPWRAP. The deal is good through Sunday online and in stores, though there’s a laundry list of exclusions — it can’t be used for cashmere items, nor for a variety of non-Gap brands, nor can it be used at outlet stores. See the site for full details.
• Target’s (TGT) email subscribers got this coupon that gives you a $10 Target gift card when you make an in-store purchase of $50 or more. The coupon is good through Saturday only. If you don’t feel like going through the whole process of activating Target’s special printer program, the folks at FatWallet are hosting an easily printable PDF of the coupon on their site.
• Finally, Best Buy (BBY) is offering a deal on the Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 5: Buy any iPhone 5 from the retailer on ATT, (T) Verizon (VZ) or T-Mobile (DT) and you’ll get a $25 Best Buy gift card. If you buy online the gift card will be shipped to you; if you choose in-store pickup or just buy it in the store, you can get your gift card at the store. We’re also seeing reports that Target and RadioShack (RSH) are offering all iPhone 5s for $20 off through Dec. 15; however, because those retailers don’t sell the latest iPhone online, you’ll have to check out your local store to get the scoop.
Matt Brownell is the consumer and retail reporter for DailyFinance. You can reach him at Matt.Brownell@teamaol.com, and follow him on Twitter at @Brownellorama.
Tagged: best buy, Best Buy Co Inc, best deals, deals, Domino’s Pizza, fatwallet, Finance, Gap, half off, iphone, iPhone 5, online coupons, RadioShack, saving money, shopping, T-Mobile, Target, Verizon
Should your company offer coupon codes?
This post was written by Travis Steffen, founder of WorkoutBOX and ActionJunkie Labs and co-founder of Lessons On Becoming A Millionaire. He is heavily involved in a variety of other online startups. Travis is also a published author, producer of the upcoming reality show, World’s Toughest, and is currently building a new charity.
You’ve developed a great product, and you and your team are now focused on selling as many pieces as you can through your website. Suddenly, a member of your team voices their opinion:
“What about giving customers a promotional code to discount their purchase price? That should be a solid way to increase sales, right?”
At first, it may seem like a no-brainer — sure, a discount will definitely increase your absolute number of sales. However, if you don’t put the necessary thought into a promotional campaign, you may run the risk of decreasing long-term profits.
On one hand, you’re giving people more of an incentive to buy, since customers feel as though they’re getting a better deal than they otherwise would. This can be a good thing, but only if you get these discounts into the hands of the people who wouldn’t have purchased from you otherwise. If you give discount codes to people who would have already become your customers, then you’re basically giving away money. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling — that strategy isn’t good.
If you give out coupon codes to all prospective customers without exception, you not only reduce your average profit per sale on the customers who would have bought from you regardless, but you also run the risk of reducing the perceived value of your brand.
A few approaches could help you solve this problem:
1. Target potential customers who are on the fence.
If a potential customer is unsure if they want to buy, coupons or promos can sometimes help sway them. One of the only ways you can target these people is by hitting them up as they leave your site without buying. By putting a special offer in front of people who are exiting your site right as they leave, you’re targeting customers on the fence — instead of everybody at once. The more you can customize your interactions for people who are on the fence and actually want more information, the more successful those interactions will be.
2. Provide coupons as a way of incentivizing desired actions.
For example, reward users with a future-use coupon code for clicking a “Share” button after purchasing to advertise your product to their social networks. Offering a discount for their next purchase encourages repeat business AND spreads the word about your brand. The downside to this strategy is that you’re not presenting the coupon to users who were on the fence about buying in the first place, which is the most valuable place to offer a coupon.
3. Instill a sense of urgency.
This is done quite often via sales copy and is a time-tested concept. For example, tell potential customers what your product is typically valued at (let’s say $50). Then, cross this number out and tell them what it’s being sold at (let’s say $20). This difference in price makes your customers feel as though they’re getting a great deal as they’re saving $30. However, some users who have every intention of buying will tell themselves that they’ll just buy it later. To inject even a bit more power to this strategy, let your customers know that your current price will only be this low for a limited time. This gives them a reason to buy right now, instead of waiting around and possibly forgetting completely.
4. Craft your checkout page with promo links.
Customers who would have bought from you anyway may begin asking for a promo code because they either heard of others getting one, or because your checkout screen highlights the area to input a promo code too much. Instead, have customers click an extra link to input a promo code. Make it obvious to the users who are looking for it, but don’t throw it in the faces of users who don’t have a coupon code to enter. If you put a form field out in the open, asking for a promo code, users will bounce to look for one on Google. And when they don’t find one, they may never return.
5. Don’t offer coupon codes at all.
Many higher-end brands never offer coupons and also don’t allow retailers to discount their goods. They view it as a negative strike against their high-end branding efforts. While this strategy doesn’t apply to the majority of brands, it remains a valid option for some.
Regardless of which strategy you choose to use, put some thought into it. Don’t put a promotion live just because you think it’s going to skyrocket sales. If you’re not thorough or targeting the right people, that discount can significantly decrease your bottom line.
The moral of the story here is that even seemingly simple, no-brainer decisions are worth some thought. Don’t take anything lightly, as the smallest decisions may impact your brand in a big way.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
Image via krossbow/Flickr
Never buy retail again. 15 ways.
I don’t believe people who claim they never buy anything without a coupon – because I know that’s impossible. Coupons don’t exist for everything, and certain types of coupons are released a lot less often than others.
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But what is possible is never paying retail.
For the past year now, I’ve maintained Money Talks News’ deals page and curated our deals posts, sifting through hundreds of deals a week. That job quickly made me realize: There are so many ways to avoid paying retail that it’s almost never necessary. So I started keeping an anti-retail list. I’m at 15 and counting. If you have more tips to add, I’d love to hear them…
RELATED: Top nine ways Internet access can save you moneyShopLocal.com/sales.aspx.Target – which I’d told you about in my April 20 deals post - and you can find more legit freebies on our freebies page.Walmart to Home Depot and Hotels.com – offer up one item each day at a bigger-than-usual discount, sometimes with free shipping thrown in. Stop by our deal-of-the-day page for a list of links to retail daily deals.Ebates and Big Crumbs are a sure-fire way to shave at least a few percentage points off the price of just about any online purchase. Plus, the cash-back can often be combined with online sales and codes to maximize your savings. If you haven’t already signed up with one of these services, be sure to check out my recent article, How to Make Money With Rebate Websites.RELATED: Top nine ways Internet access can save you moneyAmazon-like retailers
Who doesn’t love Amazon.com? They sell seemingly everything imaginable – and not only is pretty much everything sold for less than full retail, many of their prices are unbeatable. Buy.com and Overstock.com can be worthy competitors, though.
Costco is perhaps the best way to save money on groceries. Other potential warehouse deals include everything from furniture and electronics to clothing and fine jewelry. If you don’t already belong to one, check out my article How to Pick the Best Wholesale Club.
11. Outlet stores
Consumer Reports says you can save an average of 38 percent at outlet stores, but it’s not always a deal. Some outlets stock lesser-quality versions of what their non-outlet stores sell. To get what you pay for, check out 5 Tips for Finding Outlet Store Deals before making a long trip to an outlet mall.
12. Dollar stores
Not everything at the dollar store is a bargain either. Before you buy something, you have to stop and think about whether you could find it for less money elsewhere. Still, it’s a great place to find everything from gift wrap to cleaning supplies at well below retail. And yes, we’ve done that story too: 10 Dollar Store Duds and 5 Dollar Store Deals
13. Yard sales
Yard sales and garage sales can be a great place to find all kinds of things for a fraction of their retail price – if you know what you’re doing. Money Talks News’ expert yard sale shopper, Angela Colley, recently shared some of the best yard sale-hopping tips I’ve ever read in 10 Ways to Save Time and Money at Garage Sales.
14. Secondhand stores
Thrift stores are another great place to find items like housewares and clothing for a fraction of their retail price. They can be hit-or-miss, however, so instead of making a trip just to go thrifting, plot nearby stores on a map and stop by when you’re in the area. And remember that upscale finds are more common in stores in upscale neighborhoods.
15. Haggling
You have nothing to lose by asking for a lower price. In fact, Money Talks News founder and serial haggler Stacy Johnson says it’s “the easiest way to save money.” For haggling tips, check out last week’s article The Simplest Way to Save on Everything.
Karla Bowsher runs the Money Talks News deals page and covers consumer, retail, and health issues. This article first appeared in Money Talks News.
RELATED: Top nine ways Internet access can save you money
PerfectMatch Coupons and Discounts Will Feature in New Webpage
Our goal is to create a coupon website that is so user-friendly it takes users literally seconds to find, locate, and apply a coupon code.
Houston, TX (PRWEB) April 17, 2012
Earlier today CouponBuzz.com announced the creation of a dedicated web page for PerfectMatch coupon codes and promotions. This new section of their site will allow users to navigate swiftly to a single location to view every current offer. The launch of the new web page for PerfectMatch coupons is part of a recent campaign by CouponBuzz.com to streamline traffic for the top merchants on their site.
“Our goal is to create a coupon website that is so user-friendly it takes users literally seconds to find, locate, and apply a coupon code,” explained Justin Bowen, a spokesperson for CouponBuzz.com. “Obviously not every site visitor is going to know exactly what they want, and for that reason we have also striven to create a simple, intuitive browsing system. Users are giving us great positive feedback on how CouponBuzz is changing their entire online shopping experience.”
Since its launch in August 2002, PerfectMatch.com has rapidly risen to become one of the premier dating and relationship services available online. Recognizing the advertising power of the entertainment industry, PerfectMatch.com took a non-conventional route to the hearts of its target demographic by partnering with Universal Studios, Oxygen Networks, Warner Brothers and more. Increasingly featured in films and television, from movies like “Must Love Dogs” to talk shows with Dr. Phil, and Regis and Kelly, PerfectMatch.com has become a household name.
PerfectMatch.com is a “perfect match” for the CouponBuzz.com experiment of web pages devoted entirely to coupons from one merchant. PerfectMatch.com coupons generate a high volume of traffic from users trying to cut the cost of their initial sign-up with the online dating service. In addition, PerfectMatch.com consistently offers great coupons and deals that can then be highlighted by the staff in charge of the web page at CouponBuzz.com. The member of staff assigned for caretaking the dedicated web page is called a Buzz Guide, and they make sure everything on the page is fresh and current. Sound too good to be true? The great offers available on the new web page can be accessed at http://couponbuzz.com/perfectmatch.com-coupons.html. See it, believe it.
Free Greeting Card, Museum Admission and Book – WXIA
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Tuesday March 13th is Target Free Tuesday at Imagine It Children’s Museum. That will save you $12.75 per person. The offer is only good after 1pm but the line starts in late morning.
You’ve heard me complain about the high price of greeting cards so I jumped on this one! Cardstore.com is giving away 25,000 cards per day through March 14th. The coupon code is CCE2246.
Free fun at Phillips Arena this weekend! Even if you’re not going to the ACC tournament, Fan Fest features music, sports, games and lots of other free fun. It’s Saturday and Sunday at Phillips.
And here’s some free cereal on Facebook. You can get a free sample box of Quaker Oat Squares and send a box to up to ten friends as well. All you have to do is like them.
And here’s a free way to give yourself a makeover. Download the book, From Frumpy to Fabulous from Amazon’s Kindle store. If you don’t have a kindle you can download Kindle for PC for free.
For more ways to save follow ValuesVal on Twitter and Like Valerie Hoff Ways to Save on Facebook.
Rather-Be-Shopping.com Adds 25% Off Coupon For LandsEnd.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com, a leading online coupon destination, has added a rare Lands’ End coupon code that will get consumers 25% off all regularly priced items plus free shipping.
Lands’ End labels this coupon offer, which expires on February 28th, as their “Family Friends” event. The 25% off coupon code can be used both online and in stores. In addition to online coupons to Lands’ End, Rather-Be-Shopping.com offers online coupons to popular retailers like Barnes Noble, Crate Barrel, Gap, Home Depot and Old Navy. Coupon offers up to 25% off your entire purchase are not uncommon.
“By building a strong relationship with Lands’ End over the past six years, it has allowed us to leverage exclusive coupons that can’t be found on most coupon websites,” said Kyle James, owner and president of Rather-Be-Shopping.com. “For example, the ‘Friends Family’ coupon they gave us gives consumers 25% off plus free shipping on your entire order, where other coupon sites have a coupon with a $50 minimum order threshold.”
About Rather-Be-Shopping.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com is a leading destination for savvy shoppers looking for online coupons, printable coupons, and free shipping offers. Since 2001, online shoppers have made the website their hub for coupons to over 750 national retailers like Lowe’s, Lands’ End, Kohl’s, Target, Old Navy, Dell, and American Eagle Outfitters. Rather-Be-Shooping.com also has a popular blog offering tips on other creative ways to save money in everyday life. For more information, please visit http://www.rather-be-shopping.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com Adds 25% Off Coupon for LandsEnd.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com offers limited-time Lands’ End coupon for 25% off and free shipping.
Redding, CA (PRWEB) February 24, 2012
Rather-Be-Shopping.com, a leading online coupon destination, has added a rare Lands’ End coupon code that will get consumers 25% off all regularly priced items plus free shipping.
Lands’ End labels this coupon offer, which expires on February 28th, as their “Family Friends” event. The 25% off coupon code can be used both online and in stores. In addition to online coupons to Lands’ End, Rather-Be-Shopping.com offers online coupons to popular retailers like Barnes Noble, Crate Barrel, Gap, Home Depot and Old Navy. Coupon offers up to 25% off your entire purchase are not uncommon.
“By building a strong relationship with Lands’ End over the past six years, it has allowed us to leverage exclusive coupons that can’t be found on most coupon websites,” said Kyle James, owner and president of Rather-Be-Shopping.com. “For example, the ‘Friends Family’ coupon they gave us gives consumers 25% off plus free shipping on your entire order, where other coupon sites have a coupon with a $50 minimum order threshold.”
About Rather-Be-Shopping.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com is a leading destination for savvy shoppers looking for online coupons, printable coupons, and free shipping offers. Since 2001, online shoppers have made the website their hub for coupons to over 750 national retailers like Lowe’s, Lands’ End, Kohl’s, Target, Old Navy, Dell, and American Eagle Outfitters. Rather-Be-Shooping.com also has a popular blog offering tips on other creative ways to save money in everyday life. For more information, please visit http://www.rather-be-shopping.com
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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweblands_end/coupons/prweb9224278.htm
Rather-Be-Shopping.com Adds 25% Off Coupon for LandsEnd.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com offers limited-time Lands’ End coupon for 25% off and free shipping.
Redding, CA (PRWEB) February 24, 2012
Rather-Be-Shopping.com, a leading online coupon destination, has added a rare Lands’ End coupon code that will get consumers 25% off all regularly priced items plus free shipping.
Lands’ End labels this coupon offer, which expires on February 28th, as their “Family Friends” event. The 25% off coupon code can be used both online and in stores. In addition to online coupons to Lands’ End, Rather-Be-Shopping.com offers online coupons to popular retailers like Barnes Noble, Crate Barrel, Gap, Home Depot and Old Navy. Coupon offers up to 25% off your entire purchase are not uncommon.
“By building a strong relationship with Lands’ End over the past six years, it has allowed us to leverage exclusive coupons that can’t be found on most coupon websites,” said Kyle James, owner and president of Rather-Be-Shopping.com. “For example, the ‘Friends Family’ coupon they gave us gives consumers 25% off plus free shipping on your entire order, where other coupon sites have a coupon with a $50 minimum order threshold.”
About Rather-Be-Shopping.com
Rather-Be-Shopping.com is a leading destination for savvy shoppers looking for online coupons, printable coupons, and free shipping offers. Since 2001, online shoppers have made the website their hub for coupons to over 750 national retailers like Lowe’s, Lands’ End, Kohl’s, Target, Old Navy, Dell, and American Eagle Outfitters. Rather-Be-Shooping.com also has a popular blog offering tips on other creative ways to save money in everyday life. For more information, please visit http://www.rather-be-shopping.com
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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweblands_end/coupons/prweb9224278.htm