Friday, November 18, 2011

DealChicken | War's been declared in the barnyard

[Today's special: turf and . . . turf]

Who knew chickens were carnivores?

But it's true, according to DealChicken's first national deal: discounted packages of meat from Nebraska's second most-famous business, Omaha Steaks.

"Millions of customers," the ad copy says, "have served their flocks tasty, flavorful meats from Omaha Steaks since the company's founding in 1917."

I learned about this best-in-class offer when a reader forwarded me the following e-mail sent to employees this morning. Here's the text:

Hello everyone.

Today, DealChicken reached a new milestone – our first national deal. In all 57 Gannett/DealChicken Markets, Omaha Steaks is offering six packages at up to 58% off. I invite all employees to check out today's deal at www.DealChicken.com and to pass the great deal on to friends and family. The packages come with free shipping and make a great holiday gift for the steak lovers in your lives.

DealChicken has had a terrific start and is making gains in the local markets by offering advertising opportunities the other daily deals site can't. Gannett's powerful network of broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing properties offers local merchants enhanced market power to reach consumers and build long-term relationships. 


Congratulations to the sales team on this major win, certain to be followed by many more. Thanks to all of you for your support as we continue to watch DealChicken hatch great deals on a daily basis.

Raj Mohan 

VP/General Manager
Social Commerce Gannett Digital

23 comments:

  1. Will I get a cut of the profits if I spam my friends and family on behalf of f'ing Gannett? No, you say? Screw you I say. I will not be passing this deal on to my friends and family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The beautiful thing about Omaha Steaks is that they already discount their product by this much every year so you don't have to go through the chicken. I know because I've purchased from them several times in the past and will do it again this Christmas without utilizing the chicken. So if you're enticed, just go to their website and see for yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yup, I just went on the Omaha site and they are offering 63% off on some of their holiday packages with free shipping.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Really? Meat sent through the mail? That's the grossest thing I've heard today.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1:02. It comes very safely packed in ice inside a reusable styrofoam cooler.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congrats to the DC team great job! A Happy Thanksgiving to all!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes on the nice packaging on the meats. But even with the discounts, it's overpriced and overrated. The meat lacks flavor and texture.

    That said, they're always offering these kinds of 'discounts' to make you think you're getting a deal when you're not. (Oldest trick in the book.) Going with DC just sounds like a way to possibly broaden customer base while taking zero risk on pricing strategies. A no-brainer.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes, 2:35, congrats to the DC team for offering a deal that is, in fact, not a deal in any way, but playing it up as a deal.
    What's next, Deal Chicken? 99-cent fries at McDonald's? $5 foot-longs at Subway? We can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Advertising! Advertising!
    It's all in the mind!

    Like the way Supermarkets try to get one to spend $300 for a free Holiday Turkey or Ham!

    I love it! Especially when it's my turn at the register and the cashier says: "Your Turkey/Ham is NOT free because you haven't spent $300!"
    I pause and say: "Well, lets take a look at this deal.... I'm spending $12.00 plus 84 cents tax for a Turkey, minus the $300! I'd say, I've made out like a bandit! Wouldn't you?
    ROFLMAOOOOOOOOOOO
    That really ticks them off, because other people in line always say: "Ya know, she's got a point!"

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great job Deal Chicken team! Your hard work is paying off. Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I certainly hope they balanced the sale with ROS poster and banner ads at all sights, seems short sighted to offer just one product solution in a multi product media conglomerate, a giant like Gannett. Is this a near sighted chicken?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Omaha ran a special in our Smart Source coupons for $159 worth of meat for under $60, in the last week or two.

    Print STILL wins - or Omaha meat has the highest markup of any meat product around. Not exactly the smartest product to choose if you are looking for bargain hungers to build your end audience.

    But hey, good job. It only took months of efforts and adding sales and management to 50 sites while redirecting efforts from lower cost, higher revenue products. For one national sale. So it's a win.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have to congratulate nearly all of the above posters. For the reporters among you, congrats for getting the point....the marketing program through Deal Chicken probably saved a few jobs at the newspapers. Great catch on your part. I have to say it's amazing how you guys get right to the point and see the big picture. You knew that revenue, of any kind, saves your jobs. That's why you wrote such great comments. Superb job. Those great reporting skills just hit the nail on the head and show how smart you are.

    Jist Sayin

    ReplyDelete
  14. The fact that the Chicken people are so excited about one sale is a good example of how far behind they are. Did they also frame the first dollar and post in the office?

    ReplyDelete
  15. 8:18, we could be the winner of the Connecticut Powerball game and it wouldn't "save any jobs."

    ReplyDelete
  16. As an aside, there's something quintessentially American about mailing beef to each other.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Personally, I think the steaks from Costco are far superior to Omaha Steaks -- and usually cheaper, to boot.

    ReplyDelete
  18. 8:18 - revenue of any kind does not save jobs. An acceptable level of profit may prevent job loss.

    Profit = Revenue - Costs.

    If the revenue from DealChicken do not cover the costs created by it, we are losing money.

    If we invest in the daily coupon fad that has already substantially faded, the only hope to recoup those initial investments is to cut rate and get it back in volume.

    Trumpeting one nationwide sale MONTHS after the successful idea was taken from Phoenix means there's been no volume either.

    So whose fault is it, the people who forced it into markets that couldn't sustain it, or the fall guys we hired locally to try to sell this dog? We've had three new faces already in those positions - and we have yet to 'hatch' a deal.

    We'll get some additional revenue, sure. But proclaiming victory because the ship's band learned another song doesn't fix the iceberg hole.

    ReplyDelete
  19. 9:52 what a silly pmost. Of course they should be excited and proud. Way to go DC reps. Keep up the great work. They just surpassed two million dollars in sales! Onward and upward

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dear readers
    How much chicken beef did your site sell?
    The numbers at our site were not tracked.
    I doubt we sold much. The local Beef is better,fresher, and cheaper.
    Did anyone's site keep a local tally?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Do the Chicken people trash print? No. We support you. Might be nice if you did the same instead of constantly complaining. If you hate your job that much, quit. Otherwise stop tearing everyone else down and just do the best job you can.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh look. A Deal Chicken supporter.

    And par for the course, arrives 8 days after everyone else has moved on.

    Sorry honey, the Groupon was delicious but we just could not take another bite.

    (now can we have back the four FTE's we had to give up to hire you and your manager?)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I dont know why everyone was all excited about this "deal". It did not meet expectations of the revenue it brought in at all. It makes the sales person's job that much easier after they already signed up with Doubletakedeals, groupon, and livingsocial. The "hey why dont you run with us too" sales pitch is really all Deal Chicken has and many business owners think the name is absolutely ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete

Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.