Sales Promotion

Sales promotion is one of the five aspects of the promotional mix. (The other 4 parts of the promotional mix are advertising, personal selling, direct marketing and publicity/public relations. Media and non-media marketing communication are employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability. Examples include contests, coupons, freebies, loss leaders, point of purchase displays,premiums, prizes, product samples, and rebates

Sales promotions can be directed at either the customer, sales staff, or distribution channel members (such as retailers). Sales promotions targeted at the consumer are called consumer sales promotions. 

Sales promotions targeted at retailers and wholesale are called trade sales promotions. 

Sales promotion includes several communications activities that attempt to provide added value or incentives to consumers, wholesalers, retailers, or other organizational customers to stimulate immediate sales. These efforts can attempt to stimulate product interest, trial, or purchase. Examples of devices used in sales promotion include coupons, samples, premiums, point-of-purchase (POP) displays, contests, rebates, and sweepstakes.

Consumer sales promotion techniques:

• Price deal: A temporary reduction in the price, such as 50% off.
• Loyal Reward Program: Consumers collect points, miles, or credits for purchases and redeem them for rewards.
• Cents-off deal: Offers a brand at a lower price. Price reduction may be a percentage marked on the package.
• Price-pack deal: The packaging offers a consumer a certain percentage more of the product for the same price (for example, 25 percent extra).
• Coupons: coupons have become a standard mechanism for sales promotions.
• Loss leader: the price of a popular product is temporarily reduced below cost in order to stimulate other profitable sales
• Free-standing insert (FSI): A coupon booklet is inserted into the local newspaper for delivery.
• On-shelf couponing: Coupons are present at the shelf where the product is available.
• Checkout dispensers: On checkout the customer is given a coupon based on products purchased.
• On-line couponing: Coupons are available online. Consumers print them out and take them to the store.
• Mobile couponing: Coupons are available on a mobile phone. Consumers show the offer on a mobile phone to a salesperson for redemption.
• Online interactive promotion game: Consumers play an interactive game associated with the promoted product.
• Rebates: Consumers are offered money back if the receipt and barcode are mailed to the producer.
• Contests/sweepstakes/games: The consumer is automatically entered into the event by purchasing the product.

Trade sales promotion techniques:

• Trade allowances: short term incentive offered to induce a retailer to stock up on a product.
• Dealer loader: An incentive given to induce a retailer to purchase and display a product.
• Trade contest: A contest to reward retailers that sell the most product.
• Point-of-purchase displays: Used to create the urge of "impulse" buying and selling your product on the spot.
• Training programs: dealer employees are trained in selling the product.
• Push money: also known as "spiffs". An extra commission paid to retail employees to push products.