Providing Customized Marketing with the TSP100 and futureprnt Introduction This application note builds upon the information presented in Professionally Branding Receipts with futureprnt. If you ve not perused the formerly mentioned document, please do so first before beginning this application note. This document explains how to use the futureprnt Configuration Utility s Text Trigger tool to trigger coupons based on key words. Key words can be any character string, but not a graphic. Types of promotions that can be run are entirely dependent on what information the POS software prints on receipts. For example, if the time of the transaction is printed on the receipt, you could add AM as a key to trigger morning hour specials such as breakfast or early bird sale coupons. Supported Printers: TSP100ECO, TSP100USB/PUSB, TSP100LAN, TSP100GT Supported Interfaces: USB, PoweredUSB, Ethernet Supported Environments: Windows 7 (32/64-bit), Windows Vista (32/64-bit), Windows XP Star Tools Required: futureprnt Utility, found on the Installation CD and the Star Micronics Global Support Site Table of Contents I. Enabling Target Marketing in futureprnt Page 1 a. Enabling Text Triggers Page 3 b. Alternate Text.. Page 5 c. Changing/Disabling Watermarks Page 6 d. Changing/Disabling Coupons Page 7 e. Modifying Page End Detection. Page 9 f. Saving Changes Page 10 II. Promotion Suggestions and Examples Page 11 I. Enabling Target Marketing in futureprnt 1. Ensure the TSP100 was installed on the PC and that the Image Library in futureprnt has already been populated, as described in Professionally Branding Receipts with futureprnt. 2. Click the Start button and navigate All Programs > StarMicronics > Star TSP100 > Configuration Utility 06/2012, V1.0 Page 1
3. Select Star Line Mode and click OK. 4. Click Text Processing in the left menu bar. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 2
a. Enabling Text Triggers 5. Click Add Key in the right pane. 6. Type the desired key you would like the futureprnt Configuration Utility to recognize. The key word can be any plain text character including numbers and symbols, but cannot be an image or True Type font. Click OK. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 3
7. The default character code is 1252 (Windows Latin 1). If the key word is not found or the replaced character string has become corrupted, click the dropdown box and change the character code as necessary. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 4
b. Alternate Text 8. This function enables futureprnt to replace the selected Text Key with a new string. This is useful if there is an old phone number or address that needs to be changed on a legacy application which cannot be changed programmatically. In the above example, the original Text Key AM will be replaced by PM in every instance on the receipt that futureprnt detects. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 5
c. Changing/Disabling Watermarks 9. This function enables futureprnt to change the merge image (watermark) selected in the Logos & Cropping section, or completely disable the merge image all together for that receipt. 10. If Change the merge image was selected, this window appears allowing for the replacement graphic choice. These available replacement graphics are pulled from the Image List of the futureprnt Utility. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 6
d. Changing/Disabling Coupons 11. This function enables futureprnt to add a coupon to the bottom of the receipt or disable printing of coupons all together for that receipt. Depending on the option selected, the printer performs one of the following operations: Add Multiple Coupons: Multiples of the same coupon are printed. The number of coupons that are printed equals the number of Text Keys that are detected. Add Single Coupon: Even if multiple instances of one Text Key are detected in the print data, only one coupon is printed. Disable Coupons: Coupons are not printed, even if other Text Keys with coupons enabled are detected in the same receipt. Note: You cannot switch between the Add Multiple Coupons and Add Single Coupon settings using different text keys. The option that you specify for the last coupon addition is the one that is enabled. See the next page for an example of how Change Coupon Settings affects print data. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 7
Sample Text Key Settings: Print Results: Add Multiple Coupons Add Multiple Coupons *1 Add Single Coupon *2 or Add Single Coupon *3 *1: ( Add Multiple Coupons enabled.) Image 1 is printed twice because Apple is detected twice in the receipt. Image 2 is printed twice because Banana and Orange are both detected one time each in the receipt and both of these key words were assigned to print Image 2. *2: ( Add Single Coupon enabled.) Image 1 is printed only one time, even though Apple appears twice in the receipt. Image 2 is printed only one time, even though Banana and Orange are both detected. *3: Regardless of setting Add Multiple Coupons or Add Single Coupon, no coupon is printed on this receipt because Peach was set to Disable Coupons. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 8
e. Modifying Page End Detection 12. This function enables futureprnt to change how the TSP100 detects the end of the receipt. Place a check mark next to the desired setting. Cut or Feed to Tearbar Commands: Select this option if the TSP100 should treat the Cut command as a signal that the receipt has ended. Form Feed Command: Select this option if the TSP100 should treat a Form Feed command as a signal that the receipt has ended. Consecutive Line Feeds: Select this option if the TSP100 should treat a configurable number of line feeds as a signal that the receipt has ended. Enter the number of line feeds for the trigger in the Number of Line Feeds textbox. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 9
f. Saving Changes 13. Click Apply Changes. Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to create a Text Key and use the settings in the Text Processing section of futureprnt. Continue on to Section II for ideas on what customized promotions can be run using this software. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 10
II. Promotion Suggestions and Examples Using futureprnt Text Triggers Below are some suggestions for different kinds of promotions. The possibilities for types of triggers are limited only by what text data is printed on the receipt from the POS Software. With futureprnt, it s possible to trigger coupons by :: Time of Day Sometimes, the breakfast crowd isn t the same as the dinner crowd. Trigger morning breakfast specials in the AM hours by setting AM as the key. Likewise, print dinner coupons at dinner time by creating a PM key. Coupons can also be triggered by hour with the use of a colon after the number. Ex: 2: will trigger a special for 2:00. :: Month Run monthly coupons or promotions by using the month as the key. Depending on how your software outputs the date, the key can be March, 3/, 03/, and etc. This is perfect for holiday specials, seasonal promotions, and more. :: Item Purchased Want to bring your customer back soon? Provide individualized marketing based on what was purchased! If a customer purchases a toothbrush, define toothbrush as a key and provide a coupon for toothpaste to be redeemed on his or her next visit. The number of triggered coupons is only limited by the amount of products offered! :: Quantity of Item Purchased Trigger a coupon for an item your customer purchases many of. Print a sample receipt from the POS software and analyze how the items are shown on the receipt. An example: Bottled Water x 2 $3.98 Soda x 1 $1.99 In the above format, the key would be set to Bottled Water x to trigger a coupon for a product purchased in any quantity. If you want to trigger a coupon when someone purchases three bottles of water, the key would be Bottled Water x 3. :: Type of Payment Trigger a coupon for customers depending on the payment method. Advertise opening a new credit card or gift card to cash-paying customers. If your company offers its own credit card, trigger a percentage off coupon to existing card customers making credit purchases. 06/2012, V1.0 Page 11
:: Amount Spent Bring the high-spending customers back! Provide a higher percentage off to patrons who spend more than a certain amount of dollars. You might want to provide a more valuable coupon to those who spend over fifty dollars, rather than those who spend twenty. Triggering a coupon by cost is an easy process and requires slight analyzing of how your POS software outputs the value. Simply adding a key as $5 might not work for your application as it will trigger the same coupon for anyone who purchases fifty dollars worth of goods as one who purchases just five dollars worth. There are two suggestions on how to handle this situation. Many POS software programs have the amount due right-justified, like in the below examples: Total Due: $50.00 Total Due: $5.00 When comparing the two sample receipts above, you ll see there is one extra space from the words Total Due: to the $5.00 value. Count spaces from the colon to the dollar sign. In this case, there are nine. The key would be set to $5 or nine spaces and then the dollar amount. To trigger the $50.00 value, the key would have eight spaces and then the dollar amount or $5. This will ensure giving the correct promotion to the patrons who spend the specified amount of money. Alternatively, a key can be created for each $50 value $51, $52, $53, and so on. Define the same setting for each key in the futureprnt Configuration Utility. * * * * * * * * * * * * The examples listed above are just a few ideas of how the power of futureprnt can help your business in providing one-toone marketing without any extra cost to you. Remember, futureprnt is provided for free with every TSP100 Series Printer. Be sure to visit the futureprnt Tips and Tricks section on the Star FAQ Site to learn how the powerful TSP100 is intelligent enough to conserve paper and power for a greener tomorrow! 06/2012, V1.0 Page 12
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