Company News

Understanding the Basics of Mobile and Online Coupons

by webmaster — April 15, 2010

Clipping coupons is no longer the only way for price-conscious shoppers to get a good deal. Coupon usage is on the rise, and companies are responding by providing customers with convenient multi-media coupon offers that can benefit the consumer—and the retailer. By offering multi-media coupons, retailers are able to un-clutter their print ads by dispersing weekly items to other platforms while still collecting co-op money. Email and text message programs also enable businesses to continuously build their customer databases, laying the foundation for stronger and more enduring customer relationships.Below we’ve outlined the basics behind four of the most popular outlets for multi-media coupon distribution and redemption.

1. Text Messaging Coupons

What are they?

Text message coupons are virtual coupons sent to a subscriber’s cell phone in the form of an image (barcode) or text message. To redeem the mobile coupon, a customer would need to show their phone to the cashier so that the bar code can be scanned, or show the text messaged coupon at checkout.

The Benefits

Customers always have their cell phones with them.
Messages can be sent out instantaneously, and the message is understood immediately.
Customers who don’t use their email regularly now have another way to receive discounts and deals.
The price structure for tex
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Coupon Pandemonium

by DW Green — April 8, 2010

Arriving home from work a few weeks ago, my wife greeted me at the door excitedly. “I saved $172.25 on groceries today with coupons!” she exclaimed.“Wow, how much did she spend?” I wondered. In twenty-eight years of marriage, I can’t recall a conversation about coupons, excitedly or otherwise.

Is coupon pandemonium commonplace in America today? Well, maybe not pandemonium, but research indicates that both the number of coupons available, and their redemption rates, is rising; from 2008 to 2009, redemption rose 27 percent.“Without question, coupon usage is undergoing a renaissance,” said Todd Hale, Senior Vice President, Consumer and Shopping Insights for Nielsen. Overall, 1.6 billion coupons were redeemed in the first half of 2009.“These findings from Nielsen suggest that the increased coupon usage not only helped consumers stretch their budgets but also provided meaningful sales impact to manufacturers and retailers,” said Matthew Tilley, Director of Marketing for Inmar, a company that handles the bulk of coupon processing in the U.S. “Coupons have always been an effective way to encourage trial and repeat purchase and are proving to be a bright spot in an otherwise dreary economic environment.” See an example coupon book

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by webmaster — April 7, 2010

We’re thrilled to announce that Janet Smith is back at DW Green Company as new Web Project Manager!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, tell us a little bit about yourself.I grew up in small-town Kansas then moved to the big city (Oklahoma City) for college. I started as a graphic designer with Fleming Companies in the late 80s and have been in this business ever since. I love to travel and, wherever I go, I tend to rate the place on the quality and diversity of the local grocery stores. (Is that bad?)

What did you miss most about Arizona during the time you were away?Aside from the obvious—the beautiful weather—I missed the beauty of the desert (me, who loves trees and rain!), the wide-open vistas and the diversity of the state.

What did you miss about DW Green Company?My friends. It’s rare to find such an innovative, diverse group of foodie-oriented people. And the collaborative environment is so unique. It’s what makes our culture successful. (Oh, and I missed DW’s jokes.)

What are you most looking forward to now that you’re back in a new role?Coming from a print background of many years, learning the web side is a new challenge, but a welcome one. I’m finding that the same skill-set that I’ve used for managing print projects has laid the groundwork for my new position.

Anything else you want to share?I am thrilled to ...

by webmaster — April 1, 2010

Check out Angeli Foods’ new website!...

by webmaster — April 1, 2010

Over the past few months, we’ve taken a closer look at new media marketing, and the latest opportunities for retailers looking to reach out to customers beyond traditional print and broadcast media.In response to the questions we frequently receive about how best to utilize these new technologies, we’ve collected some of our favorite articles on five of the most important new media for innovative marketing efforts.Take a look, and don’t forget to share any thoughts or questions in the comments section at the bottom of each posting!

1. Digital Signage
Thinking about bringing digital signage into your stores? Here are five key things to consider before it’s installed.

2. Email Marketing
Check out six simple steps for developing an effective email marketing strategy—or improving the one you already have.

3. Maximize Your Website
How well is your website performing? Learn how two va...

by webmaster — March 25, 2010

Founded in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary will be celebrated on April 22, 2010. While your store may not be green through and through, Earth Day is a great holiday to celebrate in-store for several beneficial reasons.Not only does Earth Day help support environmental programs and renew the public’s commitment to sustainable living, it is also a great way to maximize sales and kick off green marketing program initiatives. Here are five ways to increase add-on sales and promote green marketing in your store(s) as April 22 approaches:

1. Promote earth-friendly products throughout your store. Theme and group environmentally friendly products together in order to sell multiple items; for example, a spring cleaning display featuring environmentally friendly products such as Bi-O-Kleen, method, Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation, and more. “Make Spring Cleaning, Green Cleaning!”

2. Put the products in your customers’ hands. Strategically set up separate tasting and testing stations with earth-friendly products such as locally grown foods and green cleaning products. Have your employees interact with customers in order to help your customers understand the products. There is a greater chance for sales to rise if your customers can experience...

by webmaster — March 18, 2010

Some 3.5 billion text messages are sent and received each day according to a recent estimate by CTIA, the wireless industry trade group. Approximately 97% of all of the text marketing messages sent are opened. So why aren’t more retailers utilizing text messages to reach out to their customers? Why aren’t you? If you’re lacking clarity on this relatively new form of marketing, here are some of our answers to a few of the most common frequently asked questions we hear:

Q: What are the benefits of text message marketing?

A: Text message marketing provides retailers with the unique opportunity to deliver immediate, targeted messaging to customers who want to hear from them. A text message program doesn’t exist without customer opt-in, so when it is implemented correctly, it can lead to a highly receptive, loyal brand audience. Set up is minimal, and a text message requires very little time and money to send.The ubiquity of cell phones, and the relatively low number of retailers currently reaching out to consumers via texts, make it possible for you to connect with customers in new ways, redefine the meaning of exceptional customer service, and, ultimately, provide an experience that will further differentiate you from your competitors.

Q: How do I get people to sign up?

A: If customers don’t give you their phone numbers, you can’t send them a text, so utilizing various form...

by webmaster — March 11, 2010

DW Green Company welcomes Dale Riley and Fresh Seasons Market!...

by DW Green — March 11, 2010

“Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving.”—David Ogilvy“If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.”—Jack WelchEffective advertising attracts an audience and motivates them to action. It drives customer traffic, differentiates your store and your ad from your competitors’, and always supports your store’s strategic position.

By creating ads that accomplish these four things, you’ll achieve the short-term goals of increased sales and customer count while developing advertising that will become the building blocks of tomorrow’s success and prosperity.

Create ads that people will read and respond to

The reality is that most folks don’t read supermarket ads — maybe two out of 10. And of the folks who do read ads, they normally read the ads of stores they regularly shop in. So why do most supermarkets insist on putting their name and logo at the top of their ads? If the reader does not like the store, they will not read the ad, regardless of the benefit the ad is offering.The supermarket industry routinely violates this basic principle of effective advertising. Look through an issue of USA Today or The Wall Street Journal and count the number of ads that have the company name and/or logo in the headline—you won’t count very many.

by webmaster — March 4, 2010

Take a look at your website. Is it the best it can be? Sometimes it’s easy to spot the deficiencies that are preventing a website from performing at optimum levels; other times, a little investigating is required. A web audit is an invaluable tool for taking an objective look at your website’s performance. At DW Green Company, we use the audit outlined below to assess the effectiveness of our clients’ websites in five key areas of performance: User Experience and Search Engine Optimization; Content; “Clickability”; Traffic; and Credibility.Take a look at the web audit below—you might find some new opportunities for improving your site that you haven’t considered before!

A) User Experience & SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Use GreenTrak or another comprehensive web analytics system to assist you in answering the following questions:

Who comes to your site, and what are they looking for?
Is your navigation easy to use? Are your users finding what they’re looking for?
Is your site search engine-friendly?
Are you using basic SEO practices?