11 Easy Ways to Create Promotions that Drive Action
80% of consumers would be more tempted to buy from Amazon if they were offered free shipping. 66% would buy if they were offered next-day delivery and 64% said they would buy if they were offered free returns.*
Can you say, cha-ching? If your business isn’t using promotions, you’re leaving money on the table. Period.
Sales promotions are powerful marketing puzzle pieces that help do many, many things. They entice customers to take an action, draw new customers or clients with price, encourage repeat buying, and lower perceived risk. Promotional strategies do differ depending on the product or service, but they all are meant to do one thing: DRIVE AN ACTION.
When was the last time you succumbed to a sale or promotion? Yesterday, perhaps? 🙂 Hey, they work.
And don’t think just because you don’t sell a “product-oriented” item—say, like toys—that you can’t have a special promotion, offering, or discount. Every business can offer awesome deals and promotions—yes, even pure service firms.
11 Easy Ways to Create Promotions that Drive Action
You must think strategically about your own product or service. So to get your creative juices flowing, here are 11 ways to create promotions that entice customers and prospects. And if you’d like, you can tie these examples to the upcoming holiday season.
Are you a consultant?
What if you offer this:
Get 25% off my services when you refer a friend who books their appointment by December 31. Offer redeemable in the following year.
Why do this? Consultants and service businesses rely heavily on referrals for new clients, so why not give an incentive to current clients to do a little prospecting for you? You are ensuring that you get additive business the following year from your existing client base. A win-win, if you ask me.
Holiday positioning: Start the New Year with more great advice!
Are you a food retailer?
How about this:
30% off for the first 200 orders.
Why do this? Give folks an incentive to not delay and act now. If you’re a local business, mail a postcard to the zip codes surrounding your store.
Holiday positioning: Be ready for the holidays when your family arrives!
Are you a house cleaning service?
Think about this:
Get one room and all wall art cleaned free of charge. Offer ends XXXX date.
Why do this? Holiday time is a time for friends and family to be inside the home. People may not immediately think of getting furniture deep cleaned professionally. Incent them to do so.
Holiday positioning: Make your home sparkle for the holidays!
Are you a cleaners?
Ponder this:
Drop by and get a pant suit or dress laundered for free when you bring in any sized comforter. Offer ends XXXX date.
Why do this? A comforter is a higher priced item which you will charge full price for and may be able to absorb the costs of laundering the free pant suit or dress. And you have an opportunity to showcase your quick turnaround and stellar service.
Holiday positioning: Why not look your best for free during the holidays!
Are you a financial advisor?
Consider this:
Book a new estate planning review appointment by November 30 and get a free will created or reviewed for another family member.
Why do this? This offer is appealing to your prospects’ sense of not only wanting to help themselves, but also wanting to help others with something as important as the creation of a will. And once you provide your free will review or development, you can promote additional services and potentially gain another client.
Holiday positioning: Give you and your family peace of mind with an Estate Planning Readiness Review!
Are you a winery?
Give this a try: Buy a case of wine and get a second case 30% off.
Why do this?
One thing I know about wine drinkers, is that they REALLY love wine—and they will likely gobble up a 30% off a second case of their favorite wine. This offer goes after repeat business.
Holiday positioning: Keep the festivities going for the holidays!
Are you a movie theatre?
What about this:
Watch 10 movies in 2018 with a friend and we’ll give you 25% off all ticket prices.
Why do this? Talk about repeat customers—this goes right for the movie lover, who is willing to commit to signing up to come to your movie theater and watch 10 movies throughout the year. If they don’t come in for all 10 movies, you can charge them the full price retroactively back to the first ticket. I bet I can find a friend to go watch a movie with to keep from getting charged full price for 20 movie tickets, right? 🙂
Holiday positioning: Be the go-to conversationalist for movie reviews for all family occasions!
Are you a cable service?
Contemplate this:
Bundle your services and save 30% on phone, voicemail, Internet, and cable.
Why do this? We’ve seen this one and it’s super effective. Any time you can cross-sell a service, your relationship becomes that much more “sticky” with your customer. So much so, that severing that relationship for the customer can be downright painful.
Holiday positioning: Talk, watch, and listen for less during the holidays and beyond!
Are you a tax preparer?
Try this:
Sign up to get a 15% off holiday fee waiver on your next tax filing.
Why do this? Trust me, people will keep the coupon with the New Year right around the corner. You get to showcase your service and wow a customer.
Holiday positioning: Tax season isn’t until next year, but give yourself the gift of a tax break now!
Are you a real estate agent?
Go for this:
Get a $3,500 fee reduction on buyers closing costs. Offer ends March 31.
Why do this? If you’ve ever bought or sold a home, it can be darn expensive and any reduction on closing costs can be music to your ears. You can make this offer with a minimum purchase price of a home if you choose. For example, any purchase of a home over $250,000 can qualify. You can play with this amount depending on what commission percentage you typically require. You do this to make sure your commission can cover the fee reduction you’re offering.
Holiday positioning: Get the gift of a new home. Start the process now!
Are you a landscaper?
Do this:
New customers get 15% off initial landscaping fees good through March 31.
Why do this? Fifteen percent can be a meaningful discount for an initial cleaning when starting with a new gardener. And it’s time-stamped, so you get people to act.
Holiday positioning: Be the talk of your neighborhood this holiday and all to follow!
Wrapping Up
Promotional strategies differ depending on the individual business or product, but all have the same goal of increasing demand and awareness, enticing reluctant customers, and offering information about what you sell. I hope you enjoyed these 11 easy ways to create promotions that drive action. Do you have any other promotions you’ve tried that worked like gangbusters?
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