Quote:
Originally Posted by cordelli

If the miles get people in the door, then it may be worth it even if you lose money on the deal at first.


Exactly. But MM was thinking of miles being the primary purpose of the purchaser every time. That's why I said:

Quote:
Originally Posted by wanaflyforless

Essentially, you could only offer 1000 miles for a $15 item as a first time customer bonus - where you count the $ you lose as a marketing expense to gain a new long term customer.


both of you have posted excellent and greatly appreciated thoughts on this one!

The reason why I started even thinking about it was because my friends and I started a small events and promotions biz a while back but were thinking of taking things to the next level. We have other activities and this sort of fell a bit short of where we wanted to go at first, but we do have ideas, have some product, and have some desires...

Check out my site--an entirely unrelated hobby, which I started to think COULD involve miles or some sort of bonus for purchase if done correctly:

http://www.LarryTheLizard.com

What if Larry was purchased--or shirts or other products that involve Larry-- and people who get one receive miles? Then maybe, just maybe, I would have a whole bunch of potential new customers by simply marketing it better to THIS forum!

However, it would have to be something people want too. AND, if I lose money at first, then I'd better have a secondary thing already in the works. Mabe some event where we set it up so that anyone who got a larry gets miles, but also, they now can come to the event and get more or something like that. It could even be an E-event or something. I dunno yet.

Not everything is on the site right now but one example of the events has been some Jimmy Buffett tailgate parties and things like that. Larry has done booze cruises and has been involved with travel too.

My question is this: do FT people like us point mongers primarily get products because they know they can get miles, or do they actually want the product and the mile offer ontop of it is the thing that pushes them over the edge. think the second one is more likely but if the product itself is something good, then maybe miles is a way of just getting it more widely known by a large audience, who by default, spreads the word to others.

Again, I do not yet know exactly how to do it all or where exactly to focus my efforts but the idea of giving miles or points out to people like FT users would be good because it does target a certain market of people who might also now know Larry. If that happens, I suddenly gain new loyalty in areas where it can later pay off and make back some of the losses from the miles gig, and then some.

Business expands from initial costs and that alone generates more money in the end.

I guess...

MM