Repeat Business . . There is No Secret

November 24, 2010 by admin · 2 Comments 

fanbaseInteresting post at American Express Open Forum titled “The Secret to Repeat Business:  Grow Your Fanbase.” I completely buy Paul Rosenfeld, CEO of Fanminder’s, premise that small merchants are “soured by $500 rate cards and the 50 percent cut that flash sales sites take from merchants.”

He then puts forward two principal ideas that businesses who are succeeding excel at:  1) Engaging customers through fan lists that inform and provide deals; and 2) Growing their fanbase.

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Game On With Groupon

December 3, 2009 by admin · 26 Comments 

groupon_logo11209As co-owner of Savvy Cellar Wine Bar & Wine Shop, I get to experiment with promotional services that are designed to help local businesses.  Over the course of several years we’ve tried (no particular order):  Google Adwords, Yahoo! Local, MerchantCircle, Local Newspapers, Local Magazines, Email, Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Peninsula Shops, Movie Theater Advertising, Rumbafish and now Groupon.

Groupon is an online coupon site.  It is organized by major metro markets in the US.  Each day they feature something unique to do in the local market (restaurants, spas, entertainment, etc.) at a special “group” price.  There is a minimum level set for each offer – meaning that a certain # of people have to sign up for the daily groupon in order for everyone to get it.  This drives sharing among friends on social networks.  If enough people opt to take the offer, then the offer is “on”.  At the end of the day, everyone who took the offer is charged.  Then Groupon takes their cut 40-60% and pays the merchant the balance.
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What I'm Drinking on Thanksgiving.

November 27, 2008 by @smokejumper · 1 Comment 

Here is my guest blog post on The Savvy Sommelier . . . . 

“It’s time for the obligatory blog post about wine to pair with your Thanksgiving feast. But alas it is Thanksgiving eve, the short week has slipped away, you’ve probably bought your wine already and the real Savvy Sommelier has gone out with the girls.

So now that this lowly spouse has grabbed the reigns of this blog, what could I possibly add to the conversation?”  Read on . . . .