Looking for a way to boost sales over the holidays? Then you might want to try using online coupon codes.
While it’s similar to having a conventional sale, coupons work a little differently—and studies show they can actually be more effective. So, how do you offer coupons to your customers?
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about online coupon codes. Plus, discover three coupon landing page templates that will simplify the process for you.
You’ve probably experienced this before. You go to a website and the first thing you see is a big banner or popup that says something like:
The idea is simple: You’re given a coupon code when you arrive on the site which you can then enter at checkout to get a discount.
You might have also seen something like this before:
With this type of offer, you have to submit your email address to access the code. This allows the business to collect your email address in addition to hopefully convincing you to use the discount code and buy something.
You might be wondering why you wouldn’t just discount your items, rather than force customers to type in a code when they check out.
The thing is, there’s something weirdly compelling about online coupon codes. Visitors know there’s nothing “exclusive” about them. And the “code” is far from a secret password or backdoor hack—it’s right there on the front page of the website.
And yet, doesn’t it feel a little more special than if you simply selected a pre-discounted item from the website? Isn’t it sort of fun to find the code, type it into the little box, and be pleasantly surprised by the new total?
In fact, there’s data that backs all this up. One study from location-analytics company Placed found that “More than three in five consumers actively seek out coupons” specifically, preferring them to other kinds of promotions.
And here’s another important stat: Online shoppers who use coupon codes spend 24% more than those who don’t use them.
Coupon codes can be nice for the seller, too. Instead of having to adjust prices for every single item when you want to run a sale, you can just create a coupon code with your payment processor and share it with your audience.
Just because you give someone a coupon doesn’t mean they’ll use it. Maybe they don’t find anything on your site that interests them. Or perhaps they’re just not ready to buy.
In the typical coupon code scenario, these undecided shoppers would just be… gone. No way to follow up with them and no recourse besides waiting and hoping they return.
So, how do you get the most out of your coupons? By requiring users to submit their email in order to receive them.
Most people who are remotely interested in your brand will happily opt in, especially if you have a strong offer. Even if they’re not 100% sure they’ll buy anything that day, an email address is a small ask and they won’t want to miss out on a good deal. When you add conversion tactics like powerful calls to action and countdown timers to your landing page, you should have no trouble generating opt-ins.
If your offer nudges them over the fence and encourages them to buy something, great. But if it doesn’t, now you have their email address. This allows you to send them engaging content and future offers until the time is right for them to buy.
It’s common for ecommerce checkout pages to contain an “opt into our email list” checkbox. But because your coupon opt-in happens before checkout, it casts a much wider net and draws more people into the top of your marketing funnel.
Why use a landing page to offer your coupon code, instead of dropping a banner on your homepage or emailing the code to your existing list?
There are two reasons to use this strategy
The typical homepage offers lots of different options and depending on what visitors are there to do they might not notice your discount code banner or call to action.
Or they might see it, make a note to come back later, and get distracted by another competing offer somewhere else on the internet before they have the chance to return.
By presenting your coupon code on a landing page, you force visitors to make a decision right then and there. And when you require a decision, at least some of those visitors will decide to opt in.
If you’re trying to use a coupon code to bring in a new audience, you don’t necessarily want your existing customers, who’d be buying anyway, to get the discount. And that’s exactly the risk you run if you splash your discount code across your homepage.
Instead, decide on different channels to broadcast your coupon code promotion—perhaps social media ads, paid search ads, or even a guest post on a partner platform. Because this landing page stands apart from the rest of your site, it doesn’t need to affect any other campaigns or sales strategies you’re currently using.
Thinking about offering a coupon code to your customers? Here are three coupon landing page templates that will turn visitors into subscribers and customers.
This coupon landing page template is perfect for Black Friday coupons or any other special offer you’d like to promote. Use the hero section to sum up your offer and encourage visitors to grab the coupon. There’s also a countdown timer to add some urgency and a section where you can share some positive testimonials.
This super simple landing page is great for those who just want to get right to the point. Use the headline and description to explain your offer, and if visitors are interested they can enter their email address to receive it. The image in the background is customizable, so make sure to choose something that reflects your brand and really grabs people’s attention.
This is another relatively simple coupon landing page template that’s very effective. You have plenty of space to describe your offer and there’s a countdown timer right in the hero section to urge visitors to act now.
Each of the coupon landing pages above also has a corresponding thank you page:
Use these pages to deliver your coupon code once a user has submitted their email address (you can send the code to their email as well, but by directing them straight to a thank you page with the code you keep them on your site and limit the number of steps they have to take, which is great for your user experience).
For the best results, include a CTA button that takes them to your shop or sales page where they can use their new coupon. It’s also a good idea to include social share buttons so users can share your deal with their friends.
Leadpage templates are professionally-designed to maximize conversions. With several coupon landing page templates to choose from, and many more options that can be customized to suit your needs, you have everything you need to create an awesome coupon promotion.
Try Leadpages free for 14 days and launch your campaign today.
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