In this day and age, it would be hard to find an internet user who doesn’t belong to a group deal site. Most people belong to several; it’s easy to be lured in by their promises of grandeur and their seemingly insider info. We join because the concept is great and the potential deals are so tempting. And yet, once you’ve joined, you realize that the deals are rarely applicable to you. Yes, 50% off laser hair removal sounds great, but the drive back from York, PA sounds like it would be unpleasant. Sure, that 50% off a bushel of crabs sounds nice, until you realize it’s only valid from November 30-January 30. And, frankly, if we were going to skydive, we wouldn’t want to do it on the cheap.
Thankfully, an alternative to the woes of “horizontal” deals is coming to Baltimore.
Citybizlist, a site dedicated to bringing relevant local business news to business owners, executives, and professionals, is launching Citybizlist Rewards, a program that will offer deals their targeted demographic actually wants to use.
Edwin Warfield, CEO of Citybizlist, wrote in the launch email that the launch is “a tremendous step forward for readers and advertisers….Our fast-growing audience has demonstrated a passion for the quality business and financial content curated by our editorial team, and we believe they’ll be similarly excited by the deals we’re finding for them.”
Warfield touches on a key point: the relationship between reader and advertiser is key in group sites. With horizontal group sites, companies know that so many readers will see their offer and at least some of them will likely be interested. The risk always looms that the deal won’t work. Citybizlist solves this problem by offering relevant companies a pipeline to their target audience, and in doing so, offers its readers deals they actually want to use. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
“We’re offering a limited number of advertisers the chance to put their business in front of a very high profile audience of business executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. We will be offering real rewards for our readers that you don’t see anywhere else; our philsophy is ‘you’ve worked hard, you’ve earned it, now enjoy yourself,’” says Warfield.
Best of all, the program is launching in Baltimore, with additional cities to follow over the next year. This month’s deals will include an overnight stay at The Inn at Black Olive in Fells Point, Custom-tailored suits by Victor Pascal, Easton’s Promise B&B, and more.
The uncertain market for deal programs (local daily deals have had only modest success in Baltimore so far and Groupon is reevaluating the wisdom of preparing for its IPO), the new twist of Citybizlist Rewards could be just what we need. Are you ready to make a deal?
