Getting your foot in the door can be the hardest part of attracting new customers, particularly with once-upon-a-time niche items like vegetarian foods. However, with new business models sprouting up each day, more and more options are becoming available to get the word out.

Take for example a new discount coupon service called Groupon, which gives customers the chance to purchase one discounted business deal per day. Services like these can often bring greater exposure that businesses otherwise would not have. For vegetarian restaurant Terri, a relatively new Manhattan eatery, Groupon brought in new customers, when Terri decided to offer a $10 off discount coupon for a $5 charge, a service fee which was retained by Groupon.

According to Terri’s owner, sales jumped by about 40% over the next few days, and the campaign was profitable even after the costs of the discounts. Many customers ordered items beyond the special, and the deal was just enough motivation to bring in a number of new customers who will likely return for more. Examples like these show that creative marketing can result in long term sales, and opportunities to reach new consumers are becoming cheaper are more viable each day.