Food for thought on increasing future sales

I’m not sure when it started, but the past couple times I’ve purchased something at Barnes & Noble, I get one of these:

It comes attached by a little niblet of paper to my full sales receipt. Now, I’m not a marketing expert or a sales expert, and I’m definitely not a retail expert, but I’d have to say that this is pretty cool on all fronts. Usually personal, applicable recommendations for future purchases are a benefit only provided to online retailers.

How can WE use this, even if we’re not saving cookies on the hard drives of our frequent customers?

I like to think that they’re snickerdoodles, by the way. The cookies, I mean. You know, the cookies saved on our hard drives. Mmm. Snickerdoodles. They’re all buttery and cinnamony and just perfection, am I right?

Hello? [tap tap] This thing on?

[sigh] Nevermind.

So, this receipt. Why don’t I have a section on my blog that suggests a couple other posts related to the one you’re currently reading?

Facebook does it with Suggested Friends.
Twitter, too.
Many successful bloggers incorporate it into their design, usually suggesting by tagged subject or keyword.
Online news sites are great at it, linking to several other articles in the margins of the one that has your focus.

What else? Who else?

How can you provide suggestions for future purchases – for future engagements – to your audience?

Future engagements – further engagement. Good food for thought, don’t you think?

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to hop on over to the bakery before Hubz gets home and catches me…

Tagged as: business, marketing