February 12 - Marketing Minute from McCulloch Communications
Published about 1 year ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader!
Valentine’s Day is practically here, and if you’re looking for a way to “show the love” to your customers and clients, today’s issue has a fabulous (and easy to implement!) idea!
Of course, this isn’t just for Valentine’s. Showing appreciation for those who support you is an ongoing effort for small business owners (or should be!). So if it’s too stressful to think about doing this in time for Vday, then mark your calendar for another time/season/holiday that works better for you.
Below you will find step-by-step instructions for how to do a “Coffee on Us” customer appreciation campaign.
Want to see it in action? Check my Instagram stories @mccullochcomms tomorrow and have a coffee or tea on me! If you grab something, be sure to snap a photo and tag me in your stories!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
CONCEPT: Niche-related News Reaction/Commentary
DESCRIPTION: Share your response or commentary about recent developments in your niche. Or recap some interesting news in your industry. Film yourself talking about the issues/news/updates to position yourself as a thought leader. Don’t forget to add closed captions and summarize the content of your video in your written caption.
Will you try it? If you do, be sure to send it to @mccullochcomms as a DM, which will ensure that I see it, and can increase your engagement and views!
Showing your customers appreciation can be as simple as buying them coffee! You’ve probably seen other small businesses or brands do a “Coffee on Us” campaign. Well, here’s a step-by-step guide for doing one using Starbucks!
A “Coffee on Us” campaign is simply when you treat your clientele to coffee by putting a Starbucks gift card barcode on social media and encouraging your followers to use it when they grab their morning caffeinated beverage. You can choose a set amount of money, and when it runs out it’s done, or (if you’re baller status) you can just leave it open for anyone to get whatever they want for the 24 hours that your story is live.
I don’t know about you, but free coffee ALWAYS makes my day. Giving back (even in small ways) to your audience is a great way to remind them that you’re there and appreciate them. Even if your customers don’t use your barcode, they will remember that you offered, and that will earn you some goodwill and top-of-mind awareness.
Turns out, a Coffee on Us campaign is actually super simple to do with Starbucks! Here’s how:
Get the Starbucks App.
Create your free account by clicking “Join Now.”
Go to the Gift tab and create an eGift. You can choose whatever card design you want.
Enter any name and the gift amount that you want to put on the card. I would recommend starting with a small amount like $20 and having it reload whenever it runs out. That way no one person can blow your entire budget. (Sadly, that does happen!)
Choose to send your gift by email and list yourself as the recipient.
Press Checkout. Set up your credit card for the purchase.
You will receive an email with the barcode for your gift card. Screenshot the barcode, add it to a story design, and post it to your stories! (Just make sure any identifying information isn’t showing.)
Next, turn on Auto Reload: go to Home, and then the person logo on the top right for Account settings. Click Starbucks Cards & payment. Under Starbucks card, find the one you just bought and click on it. Turn on Auto Reload and set your parameters as you wish. Don’t forget to turn it off when you’re done!
Your customers can then use that barcode to pay for their drink until the money runs out.
And that's it! This works best if you let your customers know ahead of time what you are planning (i.e., send out an email to your database or mention it in your newsletter), then post the graphic in your stories, AND post to your main feed letting people know about the campaign and to check your stories for the barcode. Do not post the barcode to your feed unless you plan to archive or delete the post when your campaign is over.
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