To stand out and thrive in a digitally-driven marketplace, companies need innovative strategies that not only attract new customers but also retain existing ones. Coupon codes, a versatile and powerful tool, have emerged as a game-changer in this regard. They offer a dynamic way to engage with your customer base, boost sales, and build brand loyalty.

Coupon codes enable businesses to create, distribute, and manage customized discounts that can be delivered to customers through various channels, such as email or SMS. These promotions not only incentivize purchases but also provide a direct and measurable connection with your target audience.

In this article, we will explore the dynamic coupon codes that can be created by uploading CSV files or seamlessly integrated with your Shopify store. We'll delve into the intricacies of designing email and SMS campaigns that not only deliver these coupons to your customers but also leverage dynamic variables to make each offer uniquely tailored to the recipient. This approach not only drives sales but also fosters a deeper connection with your audience.

Whether you're a small business owner looking to streamline your marketing efforts or a Shopify merchant seeking to elevate your customer engagement game, the integration of dynamic coupon codes is a powerful tool at your disposal.

Access control:

Before we explore the coupon creation process, it's important to understand which roles within your NotifyVisitors account have the capability to create coupons.

Only admin and manager accounts have the authority to generate and view coupon codes as well as to export coupon reports. Alternatively, you have option to define a custom role and give access to specific accounts.

Creating a coupon

To create a coupon for your store head over to the brand assets section and click on coupons. Here you will see all your existing coupons, if you haven't created any yet, this section will appear as blank.

To create a new coupon, click on the create coupon button. A popup will appear asking you to choose how you want to create a coupon, i.e. either for Shopify or Upload Coupons Via CSV.

Creating Shopify coupons:

For those who operate a Shopify store, we've simplified the process of generating coupons. In this process you just need to set up a coupon list and specify the number of coupons along with the redemption criteria you require. Let's say you need 100 coupons. In this scenario, our system takes care of the heavy lifting and automatically generates 100 unique coupons tailored to your Shopify store's needs. 

To get a step-by-step walkthrough of this process, please go through our comprehensive guide titled "How to create unique coupon codes for Shopify."

Upload coupons:

If you don't have a Shopify store, we offer a manual upload method that's equally effective. With this method, you have the flexibility to create a CSV spreadsheet containing unique coupon codes. Once your spreadsheet is ready, you can easily upload it to NotifyVisitors. 

To fully understand the ins and outs of this process, please delve into our detailed guide titled "How to manually upload coupons in NotifyVisitors."

Add codes:

After successfully creating coupons using either of these methods, your coupon list will be available in the coupons section, under brand assets. And, if you find yourself running low on coupons, you can click on the three dotted button right next to a particular coupon list, and click on add coupons. 

From here you can follow the same process defined in the above guides for shopify store or manual upload method respectively. This ensures that you always have an ample supply of coupons to power your marketing initiatives.

View history:

If you've added coupons to a list multiple times, NotifyVisitors maintains a version history. Each time you add coupons, a new version of the list is created and preserved in the history.

To access the history, click on the three-dotted button next to the coupon list and select "History." 

Here, you can view different versions of the list, corresponding to each time you've added codes.

You also have the option to export any version or multiple versions. Simply select the versions you want to export and choose whether the export list should include both active and expired coupons, only active coupons, or only expired coupons. Finally, click "Export," and a CSV file containing your coupons will be downloaded.

Other options

In addition to the "Add Coupons" and "View History" options, there are two more valuable actions available when you click on the three-dotted button located next to your coupon list - "Edit" and "Delete."

Edit: You can use the edit option for making adjustments to your coupon lists. It allows you to modify various aspects of your coupons, depending on whether it's a Shopify coupon list or an uploaded coupon list. 

For Shopify coupon lists, you can edit coupon information, discount details, and active dates. In the case of uploaded coupon lists, you have the flexibility to edit campaign information and expiration dates.

Delete: When you choose the "Delete" option, you can remove a coupon list from your account. However, it's essential to exercise caution, as this action has implications. If a selected coupon list is actively in use within any campaign, deleting it could result in those campaigns displaying a blank space instead of the intended coupon code. A warning message will appear to remind you of this potential consequence. 

If you're certain that the coupon list is no longer in use, you can proceed and click on the "Delete" button to permanently remove it from your account.

Add unique coupons in email and sms

To send unique coupons to your audience, you can incorporate a dynamic variable in your SMS and email broadcast campaigns or journeys. This dynamic variable acts as a placeholder for the coupon code. When you send out the campaign, our system takes care of the rest – it replaces this dynamic variable with a unique code for each customer, ensuring that each recipient receives an individualized coupon.

For a comprehensive understanding of how to implement this process, we recommend exploring our detailed guide titled "Sending coupons via email and sms." This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough of adding dynamic variables in your email and SMS campaigns along with various other options and features, making it an invaluable resource for optimizing your coupon-based marketing initiatives.

When to utilize unique coupon codes

Examples of situations where unique coupon codes can be effectively employed in campaigns include:

1. Discount codes for email subscribers: Reward your email subscribers with exclusive, email-only promotions by providing them with unique coupon codes. This encourages customer loyalty and engagement.

2. Pre-sale discounts for VIP customers: Offer your VIP customers unique codes that grant them access to pre-sale discounts on brand-new collections, providing an added layer of exclusivity.

3. Shipping delay discounts: In cases where certain items are back-ordered or fulfillment delays occur, issue unique coupon codes to affected customers as a token of gratitude for their patience and understanding.

Examples of scenarios where unique coupon codes can be effectively integrated into automated flows include:

1. Abandoned cart: Send a time-sensitive discount code to individuals who've abandoned items in their shopping carts. The code, valid for a short period (e.g., 2 to 4 days), creates a sense of urgency, motivating hesitant shoppers to complete their purchases.

2. Winback: Re-engage previous buyers who haven't made recent purchases by offering them a discount code. Similar to abandoned cart coupons, setting an expiry date adds urgency and encourages these customers to make a purchase.

3. Welcome series: Welcome new subscribers to your email list with a discount code. For added effectiveness, consider sending a follow-up code with even greater savings if they haven't made a purchase within two weeks of joining.

Incorporating unique coupon codes into these scenarios can enhance your marketing efforts by creating a sense of exclusivity, urgency, and reward for your customers, ultimately driving conversions and customer retention.