Have you ever thought about emailing companies to get coupons and figured that it would take a lot of time to get maybe a couple $0.50 off coupons? That is what I used to think. I would not even take a few minutes to email a company even if I had a product that was defective. Then I saw a post over at Couponing to Disney that definitely changed my point of view. I started to email companies, a few every day. I checked out Kristin's awesome spreadsheet and started by emailing companies that send out free product coupons for compliments. Slowly I started to receive free product coupons in the mail too. I received all the coupons pictured above over the past month or so. Sometimes I complained about a product that I had some problem with, but a lot of the free coupons I received were from compliments.
I never mail companies by post, always by email. It is easier, quicker, and saves me the cost of a stamp. When I email companies I try to keep it pretty short and sweet. I always try to give a personal story about how a company's product has made an impact on my life, or my family's life. I also never actually ask for coupons. You can go here to see some sample emails. At first it took me 10-15 min. to compose an email to a company, but the more you do it, the quicker it becomes. Now, it usually only takes me about 5 min. to email a company. One of the coupons above is from Bayer for free Flintstones Vitamins, up to $15.00 for a compliment! I'd say that is a pretty good investment of my time.
Last Christmas, my husband and I spent what I felt like was a decent chunk of money on a wood table and chair set for our son. When we received it the particular model that we ordered had a small defect in the table surface, and it only got worse as it was cleaned over and over. I emailed the company explaining everything to them. I even took several pictures that I attached to the email. Then I told my husband that I would be surprised if I even hear back from them. To my surprise they emailed me back the next day saying that they were fed-exing me a different table and chairs model for free. I also got to keep the first set! The new set they sent is pictured below:
I have written to several companies to complain and I don't think many people so that anymore because every time that I have done so, I receive complimentary items from them. I called the maker of Airheads and said that there was a "flavor" that was off. They overnighted me a new Sam's club size box! Write, write, write! LOL
ReplyDeleteHi, Anna! I recently found your blog and I absolutely LOVE it! I am trying to become more healthy and natural in the products that I buy so I can't wait to read more of your blog. And this particular post of yours here really inspired me to test the letter and compliment-writing thing because there are a few products that I am very loyal to buy but there are never coupons for them so I think I’ll start with those companies first to see what kind of luck I have. I linked a little post of my own back to you here: http://thriftyideals.blogspot.com/2010/10/where-to-find-great-coupons.html.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Stephanie