Local business bargains
Photo: Connor McCourtney
One Drake student is doing worthwhile work with new Des Moines-based bargain site DSM Daily, a company everyone can cash in on.
Junior Joshua Poindexter, 21, from Kansas City, Mo., started interning at the local website development business Webspec Design in October. Last winter, he was asked to join DSMDaily, a company owned by the same man behind Webspec. The site officially launched on April 18 and plans to cater to the local market by providing services similar to sites like Groupon.
In a sluggish economy where professional couponing is quickly catching on, the site’s start-up is timely. Dsmdaily.com will post new deals every day. To get in on the action, users simply register by providing general information — email address, zip code, age — and listing interests. The site will then sends emails with bargains matching users’ wants and needs.
More than 10,000 people from the Des Moines area have signed up for DSMDaily so far, Director of Business Development Kate Altmaier said.
Social media has played a big part in bringing in those numbers. The site has gained over 700 Twitter followers and garnered nearly 1,500 “likes” on Facebook. As the director of social media, Poindexter, plays an important role. He directs the social media channels that DSMDaily uses to interact with its customer base and implements creative strategies to build brand awareness to get customers involved on a more personal level, he said.
“Joshua helped create a brand that focuses on businesses and consumers,” Altmaier said. “He has proactively sought to build our (social media) following with some incredibly creative approaches…Joshua has the perfect personality to do our social networking campaigns and is incredibly diligent and hard-working.”
Poindexter, a marketing and entrepreneurial management double major, is relishing his experience with the company. Although his post-graduate plans are yet to be determined, he said getting this experience ties in with his career goals.
“Any marketing experience is a stepping stone to greater opportunities,” Poindexter said. “I love the environment that small businesses have to offer.”
Every digital coupon will save consumers at least 50 percent off a good or service out of Des Moines. Other advantages include promoted by the site include convenience and portability. But these savings aren’t the same as Grandma’s coupon-clipping, users need only show the electronic coupon via smart phone at one of the local attractions, restaurants, salons or other participating companies to reap the site-offered savings.
The company’s aim is to not only help consumers but businesses, too. It provides free advertising to area businesses, and there are no outright charges — profits come from sales made.
“DSMDaily wants to provide the local market with what companies like Groupon do and to support local businesses,” Poindexter said.
Kate Altmaier, director of business development, pointed out that the company is an affordable alternative to similar sites and said she expects it to be as successful as competitors.
