POCONO TALK: Joann Manka is the owner/creator of the Pocono Gold Discount Card which is a way to save at over 450 local businesses here in the Pocono Mountains.
Joann, thanks for talking with us today about the Pocono Gold Discount Card – and your new business – Welcome To Savings, both Pocono Mountains discount oriented businesses. For anyone that might not be familiar with the Pocono Gold Discount Card, can you tell us a little bit about what it does?
JOANN: The Pocono Gold Discount Card offers unlimited savings to over 450 Businesses and Services here in the Pocono’s. Just show your card and receive the discount that the business offers. You can get a printable list of businesses and their offers by signing up for our newsletter. You’ll be sent a link you can click on to print the list in excel; or browse our website to find more offers and categories as well as links to the businesses websites to find out more about them.
We help bring new and loyal customers to businesses with our FREE advertising. Business owners only have to offer a discount to participate. This keeps customers coming back because the discount is unlimited and can be used over and over again, unlike a single coupon.
It’s also a great fundraiser for Non-profits.
POCONO TALK: How much can an average person in the Pocono’s expect to save with the Pocono Gold Discount Card, and is there a cost involved?
JOANN: The Pocono Gold Discount Card is ONLY $10 and expires each December 31st. The new cards come out every October giving the cardholders up to 15 months of savings depending on when they purchase it. Savings can vary depending on how long you have the card as well as how and where you use it. It is possible to save hundreds of dollars.
Savings is unlimited. I had a customer contact me to say thank you because he saved over $400 in 3 months and then stopped keeping track and another who saved a hundred dollars the first 2 months. Both these people said they would check the list before purchasing anything and used mostly the services and stores accepting the card. One had tried a new Hair Salon and loved it, that business made a new customer as I’m sure others have as well.
POCONO TALK: What is the advantage to using the Pocono Gold Discount Card compared to just coupon clipping?
JOANN: There are several advantages to using the card. You’ll always have it with you because it’s the size of a credit card. I tell people to keep it with their credit card or cash so they don’t forget to use it.
You’re also not wasting valuable time clipping coupons or money on ink and paper if you print them from your computer. It’s also good for the environment because you purchase it once a year and are not using paper. I know I’ve printed coupons and then didn’t use them because they either expired or we changed our minds and went somewhere else.
POCONO TALK: Can you give some examples of discounts that you get with the Pocono Gold Discount Card?
JOANN: We have discounts on almost EVERYTHING you can think of. Auto Repair and service, Restaurants, Delis and Pizza, Hair Salons, Spas, Hotels, Home Services and Repair and much, much more. I think we have just about anything you buy or need at a discount and if not, contact us, we will try to get that business on the card.
POCONO TALK: Does the Pocono Gold Discount Card work with non-profits at all?
JOANN: Yes, non-profits sell the card to raise much needed money. They earn between 40-50% of the sales. The YMCA also accepts it for savings on their membership fees.
POCONO TALK: If I have a business in the Pocono Mountains, what does it cost to get my business listed with the Pocono Gold Discount Card?
JOANN: It’s FREE to be on the Pocono Gold Discount Card, you only have to offer a discount for our card holders only. This helps bring new and loyal customers to your business. Because we add your website link to your listing, it also helps with SEO. We follow you on Facebook and share your posts with our followers there and on LinkedIn and Twitter, giving your business more exposure.
POCONO TALK: It sounds like the Pocono Gold Discount is not just a great money saver, but a time saver as well, where can the card be purchased?
JOANN: The card can be purchased at our website PoconoGoldDiscount.com. There are also several businesses in the Pocono’s that sell it for your convenience; such as Silver Arrow Gallery in Tannersville, Alignlife in Stroudsburg and E. Stroudsburg and Dr. Lorraine Alexis in E. Stroudsburg and several other locations. You can find more locations at the website on the “Where to Buy the Card” page.
POCONO TALK: You also started a new program recently called “Welcome To Savings” where you mail new residents great deals and savings, can you tell us a bit more about how this program works?
JOANN: “Welcome To Savings” is a mailing that targets new residents. Businesses can place an ad or an offer to attract new residents to their business. When someone moves to a new area they have no loyalties to other businesses and are looking to familiarize themselves with the area businesses. These are the people businesses need to advertise to. There wasn’t another service doing this in the Pocono’s so we created Welcome to Savings.
When a new resident moves in, we send them a mailing with coupons, discounts and freebies from businesses that have signed up. This is great way for businesses to get out in front of the people who are looking for their business and need their services.
We only allow one business category to an area so they get the most for their advertising dollar. For example, if you’re an auto service or an Italian restaurant your competition 2 blocks down couldn’t be in the mailing. We are doing our best to help businesses bring in new customers which will also help our economy. We need to support our local business owners and work together to make a change.
POCONO TALK: If someone is new to the area and wants to get their coupons, what should they do?
JOANN: They should receive a mailing from us within 2-3 weeks of moving in. If they haven’t, they can go to our website “WelcomeToSavings.com” and send us an email with their new address and we will mail it to them.
Thank you very much for your time. I appreciate the opportunity to be interviewed by you. If anyone has any questions they can find our contact information at our websites. PoconoGoldDiscount.com & WelcomeToSavings.com
Joanne’s Pocono Gold Discount Card can definitely save you money at many local places!