Offering Discounts to Customers: What Creators can Do to Increase Sales to Increase Sales

 The last update was on August 4, 2022

Selling your digital products and services online requires just the same amount of planning and preparation as making your products or services. There is a need for compelling marketing as well as a loyal audience and a dependable selling platform. What happens if all that still doesn't translate into better sales figures?

An excellent place to begin is by offering discounts to customers.

Everyone enjoys a good sale, with a recent survey concluding that 88% of American shoppers used coupon codes for savings for 2020.

So what does it take to be able to promote sales on downloads, subscriptions, as well as memberships on the internet? These are the things digital creators ought to be thinking about prior to cutting costs.

Don't offer discounts before looking at the basic

Selling your products online is an ideal option to earn money doing what you like to do. However, you mustn't forget why you're doing it in the first place: to earn profits. It is important to consider these aspects when you decide if it is appropriate, what, and how to offer discounts to customers.

 What is your margin of profit?

The fact that you can sell your own products online at a low cost upfront is one of the major advantages of being a digital artist. However, you still need an effective business plan.

Before offering discount coupons to your customers you must calculate:

• Your expenses for business (subscription costs of graphic design programs, social media tools and maintenance, hosting for websites and selling platforms, etc. )
• The quantity of money you must/aim to earn

Combining these two numbers will give you the number that you have to reach every month. This will help you figure out how to price your products and then apply discounts according to.

 Who is your customer?

Everyone enjoys a good sale regardless of gender, age or income. However, keeping these aspects to your mind can help know which deals you can offer, and the best way to offer them.

Creating customer personas is a great way to do this. Below are some categories that can help you think about the people those who might be interested in your products and the best way to provide them with discounts.

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Profession
• Income
• Family (marital status and children)

So how can this data aid decisions when it comes to promotional activities?

First, if you've identified the minimum monthly amount you'll need to spend, estimating your customer's budget will help you focus on that discount 'sweet spot' -- an amount which entices customers but nevertheless makes a profit.

A second reason is that solid user personas will aid in choosing which products to bundle into sales or buy one, get one deal.

 What is your store and schedule appear?

The process of getting your merchandise to be seen by customers is a feat of technology for its own. Once you've done it, that first impression is crucial: Your storefront should provide background information on yourself, detailed item descriptions, as well as a straightforward checkout procedure. This shows legitimacy, boosts buyer confidence, and makes an impact.

If you've got a variety of items, you'll have determine which items to discount in order to convince customers to buy more. It's the point where an accurate persona of the customer is a big help: It can help you determine which products serve best as a discount or offer, and which can be used at full price.

As a coach or instructor offering free consultations or trials it is not a good idea to book yourself to gain more customers. The first step is to analyze your current client volume and availability before launching such promotions.

Which types of discount you can offer?

Smart sellers know that there's more than a sale to be made when they offer discounts to their customers. Making the most of special deals means giving an appropriate discount in the appropriate time.

Digital downloads (Ebooks, printables, presets, sewing patterns etc. )

 Percentage reduction

This is the most common kind of sales and is the one online shoppers love the most. Recent research shows that 74% of online coupon users like a percentage discount more than other types of promotions.

 What should you look for

For cheaper products, customers generally perceive a better deal in percentage reductions versus dollar amount discounts -- even when discounts are similar. For example, a sale with T-shirts priced at $20 for 25% off will get greater attention than a sale that offers $5 off those same $20 T-shirts.

 How do you use it

• Attract new customers and grow your list of subscribers with a 10% discount on their first purchase when they join your email newsletter.
• Rewards loyal customers by giving them a discount of 20% on the next purchase.

 Fixed Discount

A different form of discount is one which provides a set amount of the original cost of a product. As with percentage reductions, the message is all-important.

 What to watch for

Get the most out of discounted prices that have a fixed amount, when you apply them to expensive products. See how different $50 dollars off a $150 digital print poster seems in comparison to offering the exact item for just 33% less. Think about applying it to higher-priced merchandise that hasn't done in the past.

 How do you use it

• Offer a fixed amount discount for purchases that are at least. Example: 30% off on all purchases that exceed $100.
• Let customers purchase and send digital gift vouchers worth $10, $20, $50 etc.

 Buy One Buy One, Get One

BOGO discounts are basically providing two goods with 50% discount. It's no wonder why this is the kind of offer most often favored in 64% of customers across the board. The type of discount you offer can help you increase sales and to introduce customers to goods they would not typically purchase.

 What to keep an eye out for

Choose wisely which items you bundle and consider the needs of your customers. Does the possibility of bundling the products from various categories higher than the possibility of the cart being abandoned? Do you want to play your cards safe and offer related products, even if it involves giving the item that could have been purchased separately regardless?

 How to use it

• Send BOGO offers to your email list. Offer customers a discount when they purchase an item that is new at the cost full.
• Promote Buy One, Get One offers on social media. Create a multi-slide reel of every product that consumers can mix and match to avail savings.

 Bundle discounts

Offer multiple items for sale at a discount is a great method to increase sales and boost the AOV (average order value). The research shows that 29% of shoppers would purchase an item they never planned on purchasing if it's heavily reduced. Brick and mortar stores make use of this kind of discount to quickly get rid of stagnant inventory in order to free up space for the latest products.

 What to look for

If you are a digital artist with unlimited storage space, make sure to consider your margins prior to offering multiple products at a reduced price. Be aware that when offering bundle discounts, timing is everything: One popular tactic is to promote this offer at the conclusion of the buyer's journey. If someone decides to buy something, provide related items in a bundle for a discounted price at the checkout.

 How do you use it

• Include a pop-up display to your checkout webpage that shows a bundle with related products.
• Include a bundle discount on the product page with free items listed below or on an additional sidebar.

 Special time, limited supply and seasonal special offers

The web is accessible 24/7 and that diminishes the urgency needed to purchase when you shop on the internet. Applying time-sensitive discounts or limited-supply offers encourages customers to act promptly. Additionally, you can utilize seasonal and holiday sales to benefit from more shoppers or to highlight products that fit certain seasons.

 What to look out for

Make a discount calendar in advance of the time. This helps you to plan releases of new products as well as your social media content. Also, be careful about timings for sales duration: You want to make the sales small enough to cause the sense of urgency, yet large enough for adequate promotion and customer awareness.

 What is it and how to utilize it

• Send birthday discounts to those who previously made purchases with your company.
• Give digital Christmas coupons to your mailing list.
• Participate in Cyber Monday, with huge discounts.
• Incorporate sales for seasonal goods within your newsletters. For example, if you write vegan cookbooks, offer discounts on your best soup cookbooks in the first week of the fall season.

 Freebies

Although technically, they are not discounts but they are a great way for sellers to grow awareness and drive traffic to their website. This kind of offer is perfect for digital creators as you don't suffer any losses in terms of money.

 What should you look out for

Everyone likes free...but the purpose of offering freebies is to get your customers to buy eventually. So be wise: Offer templates that demonstrate your best work and leave your audience wanting more. If, for instance, you're a fitness trainer You could give your customers a complimentary week-long meal plan that includes only lunch options and workout regimens that are targeted to a particular area.

 How to use them

• Offer free downloadable PDF templates on your social media platforms.
• Combine less popular products as freebies for customers who purchase items for their full cost.
• Promoting free products via your email newsletters, and hyperlink to your store's page to increase traffic.

Subscriptions, Memberships and Software

Are you thinking that giving discounts to customers only involves downloadable products? As a coach, instructor, or software developer, there are plenty of ways for promoting memberships to your classes, as well as subscriptions to your software.

 Free trial/Freemium plan

Offering a free trial access to your courses' materials or software can be an ideal way to bring in and retain new followers.

 What should you look out for

In the case of product-based marketing Knowing your audience is vital: What do your potential clients looking for? What can you do to show them just enough of your services or software to convince them to choose paid options?

 What can you do with it?

• Give a trial version of your application with no features.
• Give a complete version of the software you use for a short duration.
• Promote a trial of workout plans or classes.
• Create savings for opting to pay annually vs. monthly.

 Consultation for free

A free consultation is an effective opportunity for coaches and service providers to win confidence from clients. You can offer a short online meeting via Zoom or via the use of a messaging platform. Clients describe their particular issue (weight loss, nutrition, parenting issues) and then you'll be able to provide an organized plan that is that is tailored to the needs of their clients.

 What to look out for

First and foremost, you'll need to determine the amount of time available. Are you targeting a local or international audience? The time difference could be a scheduling factor. In order to address both you should announce the availability of your product (i.e. the first 10 people to respond) and provide a clear description as to the services you're providing and who it's suited for.

 How to use it

• Include a "booking" button on your store's homepage connected to Calendly or other interactive scheduling tool.
• Offers for free consultations to subscribers to your list of subscribers who haven't previously purchased or booked through you.

Free webinar/ Questions and Answers

Creating live events is a great way to get the word out about your products and services. Even though you might not be able to devote enough time to each individual participant, this option may be less intimidating as a one-on-one consultation.

 What to watch for

Pick a general topic that people are interested in and be prepared to address questions! Try to give relevant information, but don't try to sell your services, yet don't go too far into specifics -- keep them wanting more!

 What is it and how to utilize it

• Set up an event live on Facebook and then promote it on your account on social media along with your site, email, and.

Which channels for marketing should I employ when offering discount to customers

The most thoughtfully planned discounts aren't going to be successful when they're not properly promoted. Making use of the correct channels for marketing will increase the chances that your promotions will reach the people you want to reach and encourage people to act.

 Social media

If you've never established a Facebook page for your product, this is the perfect time to start. This is your primary method for getting your goods or services found.

• Creating a Facebook company page can help you appear more professional and lets millions of people all over the world to connect with your profile. Use your page to promote promotions, as well as engage with your customers. Join relevant forums to find out more about your niche and to increase the awareness of your services. It is also possible to use the platform to create and promote free live events in addition to paid ads.
• Instagram is the most effective instrument to grab your customers' interest, showcase your goods or services, and bring customers to your online storefront. In a recent survey, 33% of the respondents reported that they've used discount coupons discovered on retailers' Instagram pages to shop online. Posts that highlight sales items, and add discount codes in the caption. Add your store's URL to your bio as an easy way of directing customers to your site in seconds.

 Email marketing

Emails from marketing are generally regarded as unpopular by shoppers. But don't ditch your newsletter just yet: Surprisingly, 81% of customers prefer receiving emails with discount announcements or sales. Increase the number of emails you send out by providing sign-up discount coupons and freebies, then use it to send customers special discounts, and bring more traffic to your store.

 Your storefront or website

As a digital creator having an appropriate space for your goods and services is crucial. Utilize social media as well as emails to increase the number of visitors to your online storefront, where customers can get an even more detailed look at the products and services you offer. Make use of pop-ups as well as related window displays to announce deals, BOGO discounts and more.

Not a website? Problem solved! Link your store to your social media profile and link your items to millions of online shoppers. Learn more about how simple it can be by clicking here.

On average, online shoppers using discount coupons spend an average of 24% more than shoppers that don't. As a digital creator you have it in your best interests to locate an efficient and easy way for you to give discounts to your clients.

Helps thousands of creators on the internet offer their goods for sale without any upfront investments or site required. Learn more about how simple it is to begin right now.