About

The company provides a unique four step approach, (an email-based customer loyalty program, a weekly community update, local website and text messaging), often at half the cost of the merchant’s current solution. Using the service, merchants provide special offers to existing and prospective customers in their community that encourage new and repeat visits to their local establishment. The Service is delivered and supported by local owner Lisa Wines (Central Macomb SuddenValues), who implements the services on the merchant’s behalf. “We are experiencing a large rise in the acceptance of the Internet as a local marketing vehicle, said Steve Klock SuddenValues CEO. At the same time, Merchants and consumer are feeling intense economic pressure to cut cost. This environment makes SuddenValues an ideal choice”.

Using SuddenValues, merchants collect the email addresses of their existing customers, with the promise of receiving their updates and specials. These emails are entered into the Merchant’s private database by the local Dealer, who provides the signup cards and a collection point. In consultation with the Merchant, the local Dealer sends out a branded email update, (often including special offers), to encourage repeat and referral business from their customers twice each month. “Over 15% of all SuddenValues campaigns are forwarded to a friend”, notes Klock. To generate new business, the local SuddenValues Dealer sends a weekly community update to individuals who signed up for the loyalty program at a participating merchant’s establishment. This update contains a list of the most popular offers of each merchant—a cross promotion technique enabling merchants to expose their offers to a much wider audience. With thousands of individuals reading down the list of merchants and offers each week, it’s also an excellent source of branding.

The offering is supported by a local website that exposes the merchant’s brand, offers and key information to local consumers who access the site daily for the latest savings. The local Dealer promotes the site via the weekly community update and other marketing activities. Merchants can track this activity and update their information in real-time via an access point on the local website. “SuddenValues made total sense from the start, I received over 100 redemptions in my first week,” states Kal Farrah, Owner of IHOP in Ann Arbor, MI.

The Service is free to individuals in the Macomb County community, with funding provided by participating merchants and restaurants. Individuals learn about the Central Macomb SuddenValues website and weekly email updates through a proven grass roots marketing campaign in the community, including contests and give-a-ways at participating merchants, door-to-door marketing and email based referrals.

Merchants create, modify and deliver offers in real-time using any Internet connection. However, the Service goes beyond simple offers, providing features that include a Business Spotlight, Featured Merchant graphic and Deal of the Day to build awareness for the brands and offerings of participants.

Central Macomb SuddenValues is a partnership between Lisa Wines and US Online.com, Inc. Lisa Wines is the exclusive distributor, providing sales and marketing support, with technology and operations support provided by US Online.

In announcing the launch of Central Macomb SuddenValues.com, Wines said, “I am very excited about this venture. SuddenValues is targeted expressly to the Macomb County community. It is one of those unique services that geographically, categorically makes the Internet relevant as an inexpensive alternative marketing vehicle for local business to reach local customers.”

About Lisa Wines.
Central Macomb Sudden Values is a local media firm owned and operated by Lisa Wines, a local small business owner and entrepreneur. Ms. Wines formed the company to bring SuddenValues to the Macomb County community after learning of its success in Ann Arbor this Winter

About US Online.com, Inc.
SuddenValues.com is a subsidiary of US Online.com, Inc., a private company founded in 1998. The firm is located in the rich hydro electric region off Wenatchee, Washington that is quickly becoming a Mecca for server farms, including the one it shares with Yahoo. The company launched SuddenValues.com in November of 2004, to provide merchants a “new way” to use the Internet to communicate with existing and prospective customers locally. SuddenValues is the core service in US Online Sudden Services strategy and a central component of its mission to “Unite the Connections between Us”.