Carrie, the Local Business Card giving shoppers savings and sellers marketing

Carrie, the Local Business Card says “Yes” to the idea of giving shoppers savings and sellers marketing support. The Local Business Card has just arrived and will save shoppers money through freebies and discounts. The card has been named “Carrie” and is designed to get consumers buying from local business, whether out shopping or through the internet. The brainchild of Mike Leahy, a Swansea marketer who believes in supporting local businesses, the card is designed as a key-fob and is easy to carry and always available. Mike said, “Consumers just look for the symbol in shop windows or on websites. When they present their card they’ll get a saving or other benefit. There is no paperwork, nothing for the retailer to complete or record. And this is ideal for businesses to promoting themselves. It’s hassle free.” Shoppers save when they “Carrie their card”. What about the retailer? Carrie brings in new customers and gets them coming back over again. Shoppers become loyal customers through the newsletter that is sent out fortnightly. This is a great way for them to find genuine bargains and start buying from new retailers. And it’s a really low-cost way to find new customers at just £2 per week. What else of value can you get for so little? The marketing budget goes to the customer as a “Thank you”. And provided the retailer looks after that customer they’ll be able to build up a solid customer relationship. Carrie can be used in a wide range of shops, hairdressers, health clubs, restaurants, entertainments and much more. Simple to use, Carrie is available for just £10 a year – less than a couple might save on a meal for at their favourite restaurant. There is a website where all offers are shown. It sounds great – a loyalty card that is accepted by favourite retailers and entitles shoppers to freebies or discount simply for shopping with them. And it is planned to use Twitter, texting and the new exciting Cinch, which allows telephone messages to be up on the website immediately. Mike Leahy said “I was involved in a similar scheme called “Gainers Club” back in the sixties in London but the cost of regularly printing updated directories and sending our information by post was prohibitive and the club only lasted for 18 months or so. The Internet and automated e-mail newsletters brings the cost down to peanuts and we are just charging something to cover our overheads. We are giving a top-line service to both cardholders and sellers. Just £10 a year for the card and £2 per week to advertise as a merchant isn’t going to break anybody’s bank. Most people will save that on a single purchase: many merchants will recoup the annual cost in less than a week. And there’s no commitment. I just want a card that’s easy to get, simple to use and guarantees the user something extra. Something that helps everyone through the current economic climate and beyond.” Mike went on to say “And it’s not just shops. I’m looking for entertainment such as clubs bowling, racing and theatres, restaurants, hotels and health clubs, internet businesses and business-to-business. In fact the scheme was originally created to work between businesses but the demand has opened the floodgates. So there will be web designers, sign makers, graphics designers, stationers, plumbers and electricians and many others. I’ve designed the scheme to be simple without any need for unnecessary paperwork apart from registering. A scheme that will be good for both shoppers and sellers.” When you Carrie your card you can be sure of a great deal. There are already sellers signing up in Swansea but this will become much bigger and planned to be accepted nation-wide through franchising. In fact the first new area has been signed up just today so Carrie can be used in Lincoln too. The Local Business Card is the only card you need.


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