Groupon’s daily deal today was $99 for $300 worth of Tree-Removal services. I thought to myself, wow, now that’s a good deal! I guess I do want those pesky trees out front removed/trimmed. After all they are blocking all my precious Seattle sun. I almost clicked buy until I came to my senses and realized that it was not at all a need for me. Okay, besides turning the average consumer into an impulsive buyer, Groupon does have many benefits for both the business owner and the shopper. What is Groupon first of all? Groupon is a site that works with local businesses in many cities to offer special deals to the locals. These deals are special because they typically range from mouth watering 50% off and more. To take advantage of the discount the consumer would buy the deal directly through Groupon which takes a 50% cut.
Why you should use Groupon for your photography business
Groupon may well be worth it considering the outrageous traffic the site hauls in. Groupon sends out daily emails, Facebook posts, and Tweets to their subscribers about daily deals. The site encourages their users to pass on the deal to friends and family. It’s not unheard of that in a few hours the offers posted on Groupon have buyers by the hundreds and even thousands. Potential clients will pay attention to your deal. 
Why you should not
Businesses that use Groupon can lose money from the promotion. It is an investment in the hopes that the deal will get your business returning customers. At such discounted prices the true value of Groupon for businesses is in retention. However, freelance photography is not a very strong repeat business. Furthermore, Groupon will not run your offer if that offer is not lucrative enough. They are very selective. If the discounts you are offering outweigh your margins then it might not be a good idea to go with Groupon.