That statement tells me that your service is not a commodity.
This thread has gotten silly. Just try it already and let us know how it goes. When do you start?
There is a way of using coupons I believe, this isn’t one of them. As soon as you are competing for low price work, you are already raping yourself & hating yourself for doing work underprice. This usually shows through in the work performed. All this in the hope that you will reap rewards further down the line - when in fact the customer that used the service in the first place is just waiting for another offer. Cheapening your service leads to cheapening yourself, your company & your employees. So in answer to your question, “Do you think they would treat you like a 2nd class service because you used a coupon?” Yes, with Groupon - they just did. I can’t answer for companies with several employees who may think these deals will keep them semi-busy during the off season - but in the long run, I can’t see it helping them. I think you’d probably become the service that gets known as “works for nothing.” Try raising your prices after that.
leave the groupon stuff for the coffee shops and restaurants.
I think you hit the nail on the head with this comment, Mr Yamaharacer.
I might add dry cleaners and day spa’s, too. But not a good fit for our industry, unless it’s really (really, really) well strategized and carefully (ethically) manipulated as a medium.
Amen
Ha!
You beat me to it.
I am truly shocked that the world has thirstily drank the Groupon Kool-aid without stopping to think about the potentially toxic effects on their business and client base.
I have yet to see an article that pulls back the curtain on the sheer foolishness of the whole system. Have you ever found one? I’d love to read it, if so.
Maybe it’s high time I write it.
You go boy, GO
I really, honestly should. I should write a book on it. Research 100 companies that have used it, and report the results, and then warn the small business world about the nonsense. I just wish I could use a title like
“The Groupon Lie”
“How To Destroy Your Business From The Inside Out: The Groupon Effect”
Or something similar 
I fear I would end up being sued for $6 billion, though. I don’t really need that right now.
Any other book title ideas that don’t include the name Groupon?
“Coupons Kill: The Plague of Online Discounting”
Thoughts?
I like all of them. You’re probably correct about being sued though. One thing I will give Groupon is they probably have some deep pockets, at the business owners expense 
True.
They just turned down a $6 billion buy offer from Google.
Groupon is an incredibly profitable company (I think they’re running at a $50 million/mth revenue clip right now).
$600 million/yr. I think that’s why they turned down Google’s offer. It’s only 10 times earnings.
Here’s another, even better in-depth analysis of the toxicity of Groupon:
Groupon Reviews: Worst Marketing For Your Local Business -
And there are 10 more parts to the story, pretty well-written, very good.
In Part 11, a brilliant suggestion:
“You might even put…in an upcoming email…[B]“No Groupons – Ever.”[/B] That way your best customers know no one gets a better price than they do.”
You could to the book, but they can sue…but over what?! Its not slander if it is true…plus you could do it as a case study…I would be number one to give my experience!!
I’ll do a poll on my facebook business page. Maybe others can do the same. To wit: “if you buy from Groupon and like the product or service, how likely would you spend full price next time?”
That’s the Groupon trick, they measure intentions, not revenue.
Intentions are wispy and ethereal. Only trust language spoken with the wallet.
Hmmm…
“Why I hate Groupon”
“Groupon Killed My Business”
“The Truth About Groupon”
Any other ideas?
