Bates: In tough times, creative businesses stand out
Published: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 5:30 a.m. CDT
I really enjoy sharing about the creativity of chamber members. Creativity that takes advantage of opportunities can be the difference between success and failure.
One such innovative entrepreneur is Glen Gilmer, owner of True Blue Coupons and Glen’s Lawn Service. Gilmer established Glen’s Lawn Service as a successful lawn care company during the 1990s. Diligent and reasonably priced with references to boot, Gilmer was and is well thought of by those who use him. Yet when 2008 hit, Gilmer found his business, Glen’s Lawn Service, needed new customers to replenish some lost through the recession. That was when Gilmer followed the old adage “adversity is beset with opportunities” and True Blue Coupons was born.
Gilmer creatively spearheaded True Blue Coupons, an affordable coupon flyer, as a way to advertise Glen’s Lawn Service to the community with other organizations sharing the cost. He distinguished his flyer by its unusual blue color and 11-inch by 15-inch size that cradles all other mailers. Kudos to Gilmer for developing a cost-effective way to get the good news to the community about Glen’s Lawn Service and other companies using True Blue Coupons.
Couponing Saves You Time
One of our favorite ways, here at True Blue Coupons, to evaluate whether a money-saving idea or technique is worth your time is to evaluate it in terms of an hourly wage. For instance, if it saves your family $30-$50 and requires an hour’s worth of work, it is totally worth YOUR time. Coupons are worth your time because when you put in an hour’s worth of time, you are usually saving $40-$75 for doing so. That sounds like a pretty good hourly wage to us!
If you're not among the 94 percent of Americans who use coupons when they shop at the supermarket, drug store, or department store, you're throwing money away. Americans still are using coupons, and in GREATER quantities. In fact, there has been a huge recent spike in usage, especially with sites like this one, allowing for almost instantenous results and savings and far easier than clipping the old-fashioned way.
In 2010, U.S. consumers spent an average of just 10 minutes per week clipping and organizing coupons, but reaped a whopping $3.7 million for their efforts, or approximately $416 per family per year. By doubling the time invested weekly to just 20 minutes, the average shopper could save as much as $1,000. Not too bad, eh?
Decrease Your Shopping Expenses
With the ongoing downturn in the economy, consumers have been looking for values and bargains in the purchasing process. Online texting coupons have become extremely important in marketing almost any product. A dollar amount, percentage off sale or other offers have proved to be attention getters.
Here at True Blue Coupons, we see online coupons increasing in popularity as consumers remain thrifty even after the economy has started becoming stronger. Online research is now viewed as an extremely important tool in the purchasing process.
Coupons are a big hit and they are becoming more popular. According to comScore, a global internet information provider, 62% of consumers are using coupons to help cut back on their shopping expenses. A survey by eMarketer, a market research company, shows that 59% of consumers will be using coupons to decrease their shopping expenses.