First-time client promotions

Seller Plus freelancers will be able to create a first-time client promotion via the Coupons page.

There are two options available on the Coupons page:

• First-time client promotions
  A promotional discount for new clients.
• Retention coupons
  A one-time coupon to past clients (Seller Coupons).
  Note: Conversion coupons can be sent to new or past clients as part of a Custom Offer.

How it works

Each of your promotion’s details can be viewed via the table on the Promotions and Coupons page.
This includes the promotion’s name, status, the number of orders completed using the promotion’s discount, the usage limit, the discount rate (%), and the start and end date.

Eligible clients will see a pop-up when they visit a Gig that offers a promotion.
The promotion pop-up will look like this:

First-time client promotion guidelines

All of the following guidelines apply to first-time client promotions:

1. You can have a total of 5 active or scheduled promotions at a time.
   Note: Currently, promotions can run for a maximum of 30 days.
   
   
2. Freelancers on the Seller Plus program have different quotas: standard tier freelancers have a quota of 10 orders per month, while premium tier freelancers have a quota of 20 orders per month.
   
   • Orders placed with Seller Coupons that you sent to clients aren’t counted toward your promotion quota
   • If you reach this quota, all active and scheduled promotions for the current month will automatically end/cancel
     Note: If your scheduled promotion for the current month has ended, you can create a new one for the following month.
     
     
3. Promotions will only be applied to the active Gigs that you select from the Gig page, not Custom offers.
   
   Note: Clients can’t combine this promotional discount with Seller Coupons, or any other special rates.

How to create a promotion for first-time clients

1. Log in > Switch to selling >  Growth & Marketing > Coupons. 2. Click on Create a promotion, at the bottom of the First-time client promotions widget.

3. In the pop-up window, select the following: The Gig/s you’d like to include in the promotion Note: Only active Gigs that are $15 USD or more are available for promotions. The promotion’s name Note: This will only be visible to you. The discount you’d like to offer You have the option of 5%, 10% The dates for the promotion Each promotion can be up to 30 days long. 4. Review the details and confirm your promotion.

Tips for your promotion

• Focus on Gigs that aren’t high-performers to help gain new repeat customers
  Consider creating promotions for the Gigs that you don’t mind pricing at a discounted rate.
  
  
• Select a Gig that has at least one package priced above $15
  Remember, the discount can only be applied to orders that are $15 or higher.
  
  
• Experiment with different discount rates to help optimizes your earnings
  Keep in mind that the success of your promotions should be measured by how many new clients you get, as well as, how many of these clients convert to returning clients.
  
  
• Consider your past promotions and coupons to decide which discount rate works best
  After testing out different promotions, think about what works for each Gig in terms of getting more orders, new clients, repeat clients, and overall earnings.
  If needed, you can set different discount rates for different Gigs by creating multiple promotions.
  
  
• Shorter promotions tend to perform better than longer ones
  A closer end date is more likely to drive clients to make a purchase—and it will make the promotion look more special and limited.
  
  
• Take into consideration a discount that will motivate clients to order (holidays, seasonal deals, etc.)
  Schedule a promotion for a future date if you know you want to have a promotion during specific dates so you won’t forget about it.
  
  
• Choose a name that’s easy to recognize to help track each promotion’s progress
  For example: June promotion, Summer Special, etc.

FAQs

1. Can I have multiple promotions for the same Gig?
No, you can only have one active or scheduled promotion per Gig.

2. In what time zone will the clients see the promotion?
Clients will see the date and times in their local time zone.

3. What happens if I send my client a Seller Coupon to use after they already saw a promotion for one of my Gigs?
If the client has a promotion available and you send him a Seller Coupon, then the client will get the Sellers Coupon discount— not the promotion’s discount.

4. Can I edit my promotion or end it early?
Once you’ve created a promotion, it can’t be edited, however, you can choose to end a promotion early.
Keep in mind, we don’t recommend ending your promotions early, since it can potentially lead to a bad client's experience if the client already saw the promotion.

5. If my promotion expired, can I reactivate it for a client or replace it with a Seller Coupon?
Promotions that have ended/expired can't be reactivated.
In this case, you can create a new promotion or send a coupon—depending on your promotions and Seller Coupons quota.

6. What is the difference between promotions and coupons?
While both promotions and coupons are meant to entice clients to make an order and drive conversion, there is a different purpose and format for each.

With Promotions, you can offer special deals/discounts that are readily visible on your Gig page, and are available to clients that are new to your service.

Coupons are personal and offered to selected customers.
Offer Custom Offer Coupons to clients who already messaged you, and encourage them to seal a deal when it’s closer to the time of purchase
Offer Repeat clients Coupons to past customers to help increase their loyalty