In Spectra, myStratus Desktop, and also myStratus Web 2016, we’ve added an entirely new Item Type called “Promotional Item.” I’m very excited about this new feature! Promotional items can be used on any invoice to streamline and to track various promotions you may offer to your clients. Simply open your price list, create a new price list item, change the Item Type to “Promotional Item,” and then click on the new Promotional Item Details tab to set it up.

A promotional item can be any of the following types:

• Dollar Amount Off
• Percentage Off
• Free Item
• Free Loyalty Reward

A Dollar Amount Off promotion can give a flat amount off an order or it can give a set amount off for every $x spent.

A Percentage Off promotion can give a percentage off an entire order, a single item, or just a certain type of item, such as frames.

A Free Item promotion is just that…a free item (like a free 8×10 print).

A Free Loyalty Reward is like issuing a coupon for $x off a client’s next visit. The reward can be for a flat amount or it can be a set amount for every $x spent. These rewards can also include an automatic expiration.

Limitations

For all promotions you can set a minimum amount that must be spent before a client qualifies for the promotion. For example, 10% off any order of $200 or more. Another way to limit a promotion is to specify that a client must have a specific Client Status to qualify. Use this option to create specific promotions for clients in your club plan, VIP, or membership program.

Packages

Because promotional items are just another item in your price list, you can also add them as components to your packages. For example, you can create a package that includes a free 8×10 print just by adding your Free Item (8×10) promotion to your package. Or, create a package that includes a free $25 loyalty reward the client can use on their next visit.

Groupons

Many clients ask us for an easy way to track Groupons or other similar promotional items. Well now you can! Here’s an example of how you can use these new promotional features to track Groupons.

First, create a regular item in your price list that denotes what the client is getting for their purchased Groupon. Give the item a description such as “Deluxe Family Session ($150 Value)” and set the price to be actual amount of the Groupon, like $75. This item should be set as taxable if you charge sales tax in your area.

Second, create a new promotional item with a description like “Deluxe Family Session Groupon Redemption.” Use the Free Item promotion type and choose the item you created in the first step (the discounted session) as the free item. This promotional item should be non-taxable. Also, check the Prompt for Coupon Number and Require Unique Coupon Number options.

Now, when creating an invoice, simply add the Groupon promotional item to the invoice. The software will prompt you to enter the Groupon number and will validate that this Groupon has not been used before. The software will then add both items to the invoice, the free product and the Groupon redemption. The dollar amounts offset each other, leaving just the sales tax for you to collect from your client.

As a final step, you can click Utilities > Export Promotional Data to export all your redeemed Groupon codes to a CSV file. This file can then be submitted to Groupon for redemption!

Item Tags

In order to accommodate the new option to apply a percentage discount on select items, we’ve created the ability for you to “tag” price list items. These tags are fully customizable. You can create an unlimited number of tags and assign as many tags to an item as you want. Click Maintenance > Price Lists > Item Tags to create your tags. A new Item Tag tab has been added to the Price List Item Maintenance form, allowing you to tag your items. Now, you can create a Percentage Off promotion and limit it to just those items with a specific tag.

Summary

I am so excited about this new feature! We know it will be a powerful tool that all clients can use to grow their business. We’re looking forward to hearing about all the creative ways you come up with to implement promotional items in your business!