Coupons as PR

I'm back!!!

Today i would like to discuss about coupons as PR.  

Can coupons can be used as a public relations tools?? or they are firmly in the marketing campaigns?  Business experts have argued about this for ages actually...and the influence of the internet hasn't exactly helped to settle the scores.

In fact, its probably blurred the lines even more website like Groupon, MAD and Foursquare are changing the face of the coupon and making it more of a way to interact with customers rather than simply get them in the store..right?

Whichever side you're on, marketing or public relations, it barely matters; what matters is getting those folks through the front door and buying the stuff.  Coupons are a great way to do that.  So how you all thinks that its effectively can used them as a PR tools??

In event???

One things website like Foursquare do so well is to create "hype" around a store's coupons.  The managers have been know to pull off some pretty elaborate situations for their business, resulting in a veritable swarm of new customers. For instance becoming "mayor" of a restaurant can get a customer free stuff like drinks, food or even merchandise. 

How it does translate to the public relations??

To stay mayor that long, user must go to the story to check-in.  If users are holding a contest to get these coupons, then people have a chance to talk to you and to their fellow customers about the experience in that place.  This is translate PR quite easily, especially if you also combine the experience with other social media in Facebook.

Other social media

Speaking of other social media, this is also a perfect way to bring public relations to the store while also giving the customers a break.  Many business will give out deals if folks "like" their own page or business page.  That;s a great way to bring in a new people.  The promise of future coupons can be a great way to ensure those users don't jet as soon as they're gotten what they need from their initial coupons.  Coupons can come in the mail all the time, but users wouldn't say that interacting with customers at all.  But to give people opportunity to "earn" them, like coming to the store and using their phone to check in, then it becomes something else entirely.