Are Your Customers Shopping with Cell Phones?
According to recent research a little over two-thirds of consumers are using cell phones but the vast majority say that they never use it for sales or coupon alerts from retailers. However, consumers 18-34 years of age said they would consider signing up for a mobile alerts that would give them discounts. Meanwhile one small business is successfully using mobile coupons to generate business. Common Grounds Coffee House in Carbondale, Illinois is actually sending coupons via text message. Jason Borque, owner of Common Grounds, said the concept of mobile couponing is simple. His company tested the promotional technique last year.
"All people had to do was give us their cell phone number, and then we'd periodically send out discount offers to their cell phone," explains Borque. Customers merely show the text message on their phone's screen to receive the discount. Like print-based coupons, the offers have an expiration date. One of the goals for Common Grounds use of mobile coupons is to have recipients forward the messages to their friends.
"That way we use these 'social network butterflies' to our total advantage," says Borque. "If they forward those text messages on to others, they're doing all of the marketing leg work for us."
Other companies are using Twitter and Facebook to promote their deals. Click here to see how some small businesses are reaping the rewards of a well thought out social media plan.
Stories from Africa Create $1 Million Wine Business
Small businesses in the wine industry say that mid-priced wines are where the market is in this economy and one small company is filling that niche while helping vintners in South Africa. Selena Cuffe imports and sells wines that are made by black vintners in South Africa that are struggling to make their mark in a white dominated industry. Today, wines imported by Heritage Link Brands are sold at 835 restaurants, retailers and grocery stores, and are being poured in the business and first-class cabins of United Airlines and, soon, American Airlines. Total revenue rose to more than $1 million last year from a little less than $100,000 in 2007, and it's up 50% already this year. Cuffe and her husband founded the business with a belief- to help African vintners meanwhile their business success is attributed to the price-point of the wines as well as the stories that are behind each bottle. Not bad for a business that was started with $70,000 in savings and credit cards.
Cuffe and her company are leading a trade mission to South Africa sponsored by the South Africa Department of Trade and Industry. "I hope that everyone who participates in this trade mission will fall in love and be inspired to act on the multitude of business opportunities they will be exposed to during our weeklong trip," says Selena Cuffe, Heritage Link Brands President & CEO. Among the attendees are: Chase International, wine consultant for American Airlines; WTN Services, a division of 1.800.Flowers.com; and Glazerfs of Ohio, recent recipient of Diageo's Golden Bar Wine Excellence Award.
"I am looking forward not only to the exposure of South Africa's diverse cultures, but also the educational opportunity being afforded to me of seeing, first hand, the wine making of such exquisite wines," says Marketing Manager of Glazer's of Ohio, Monica Lovejoy.
"Trade missions are fundamental in establishing the country as a world class wine growing region, and these efforts will pay dividends down the road. South African wine ambassadors will be key in the pioneering work of reestablishing and building the wine brand: South Africa," comments Ken Chase, wine consultant for American Airlines.
