Here are some ideas for Automotive Repairs, Beauty Services, Cleaning Services, Consignment Shops, Education, Gift Stores, Interior Designers, Landscaping, Massage Therapy, Travel, and Veterinary Services.

• Automotive repairs: Can your shop service hybrid cars? Not all repair services can. If you’re one of them, let consumers know about you with a hybrid-specific coupon. Is your shop open on weekends? If so, your service may be unusually convenient. You can advertise this in a coupon with discounts specifically for weekend service.

• Beauty Services/Spas: Most coupons are designed for first time visits. Instead of focusing entirely on winning new clients, why buy some insurance for repeat visits with a stamp-able coupon for multiple discounts, with the 3rd or 4th or 5th service free?

• Cleaning Services: Do your employees have the courage to work with houses that are also, essentially, pet menageries? If so, maybe you can try a "Pet Lovers" discount. It may not be the most pleasant work, but it could bring people in who may otherwise not think of hiring assistance.

• Consignment shops: What about offering a deeper discount for the consignors themselves?

• Education/Classes/Instructional: A free introductory class may be effective to get new students, possibly the best coupon you could offer. But, perhaps you can also provide an incentive to persevere and succeed in the program, i.e., "receive 30% off the purchase of a new musical instrument, after completing 10 or more lessons." Or, “Lose 20 pounds with our fitness program, and we’ll give you a $25 gift certificate towards your new wardrobe” (and negotiate a discounted bulk purchase of these gift certificates with a local apparel retailer).

• Gift Shops: Do you offer free gift wrapping? Promote this in a coupon! (A coupon doesn’t have to always be for something you’re not already willing to offer!)

• Interior Design: Does your design service offer a distinctive style? If so, is there a coffee table book that represents it compellingly? A book that may serve as inspiration for your prospective client, and even help close the deal? What about offering free copies of this book upon completion of an initial consultation? (A bulk book purchase may make this far more affordable than initially imagined.)

• Landscaping: Offer low chemical treatment options? Maybe you can advertise this with a coupon. Or, couple your promotional efforts with a charity drive. For example, a program founded by John Denver, plant-it-2020.org, will plant trees for $1. What about a charitable coupon, in which you promise to plant 10 or 20 trees for every new client?

• Masseuses: Many spas offer innovative, potentially mysterious, services alongside the traditional massage. What about package deals offering the well-known item (massages), with more unusual treatments (i.e. Egyptian body wraps) at a combined discount?

• Travel: Do you specialize in a country or region? If so, what about offering travel guides or coffee table books as a free gift with a consultation. Or, possibly, a gift certificate to a local restaurant that serves food from the region's cuisine?

• Veterinary Services: How many people have multiple pets of the same species, and can only afford to take them in to see a vet one-at-a-time, when the animal is sick? How about a discount for introductory/check-up exams for the same species, i.e., bring in two ferrets for the price of one? This is the sort of promotion that will probably cost you little to offer, but provides a huge benefit to the pet owner.