12. Promotional schemes

1. overview 2. planning 3. swot 4. marketing plan 5. marketing mix 6. product
7. price 8. promotion 9. place 10. literature 11. public relations 12. promos
13. advertising 14. sponsorship 15. sales
marketing armoury

As with other weapons in the marketing armoury, be crystal clear about what you're trying to achieve with a promotional scheme. They can be very costly and very time-consuming if you allow your enthusiasm to run away with itself.

Conversely it can be a very targeted weapon and an appropriate creative approach can increase its perceived value well above its actual cost. An example I would cite of this is a promotion carried out by a leading condom brand to young people to encourage them to carry condoms just in case. The condom key-ring was developed which was a small plastic sleeve on a key-ring and just large enough to hold a single condom.

These plastic sleeves were produced with appropriate "slogans" on the front face. The result of this promotion was that the company were inundated with requests for this item by both consumers and health care professionals involved in promoting safer sex. This then resulted in considerable media attention and hence considerable free advertising of the brand. It even resulted in this promotional item being sold to health care professionals as they proceeded to be of great help in spreading the safer sex message.

This promotion did not cost money; it actually turned in a profit!

Your promotional scheme might be aimed at:

  • consumers
  • your retailers
  • your distributors

With your customer audience of consumers/retailers/distributors. The objective of your promotional scheme might be:

  • to generate new customers
  • to entice current customers to use the product more frequently
  • to entice current customers to purchase other products from your company
  • to reward current customers

Suffice it to say promotional schemes can be put together to meet a wide range of marketing objectives. All I would add is that they can become quite costly and they can take up considerable management time if they are to work effectively.

Follow Us on Twitter:

Latest Blog Posts


Testimonials


The following are a number of testimonials from satisfied clients. We are really pleased to receive these testimonials, and proudly list them here.

Thanks for the website Ian.
As you stated, I have had a steady stream of enquiries since setting me up on the internet.
Simon
-----------
Morning Ian, just a short note to say 'thankyou' for the work on my website. Not only am I pleased with the way it looks, but I could not believe it when I got my first enquiry from it only a few days after its completion. All you said would happen has indeed happened.
Regards
Glenda
-----------
Thank you very much for your kind help. It is really a good advice for my marketing plan.

Thanks and best regards,
Thi
-----------
Hi Ian Just a short note to tell you we have had a very good season, an excellent sales increase so we should be ok now the autumn is here and going very soon into Winter.. . . . . . . . .
-----------
Thanks Ian. The website has certainly increased our Bookings and we look forward to next year.
Best Wishes
Sue
-----------
I am not really interested in getting back in to PPC as it cost a lot of money last time for not a lot of return. We have been without it for over a year and what you are doing is still increasing visits and turnover on the site.
Regards
AJ
Director
Sports Outlets
-----------
Just a quick note to say I’m very interested in maintaining the website you have completed a marvellous job of so far. We are already noticing a complete change and receiving a lot higher internet inquires.
Thanks Ian
Marie
Director
-----------
Hello Ian, came across your website via a Google search and wanted to say how impressed I am! The marketing plan template arrived within seconds of my request - it is clear, tremendously helpful and has provided me with the structure I desperately lacked as I prepare to kick off my new business on 1st September! A really super service, am sure I will be in touch again over the coming weeks to discuss other elements of your offer.

Thanks and regards
Sarah
Director
-----------

....... I have also noticed the success of extra clicks! Business is also up by at least 15 percent from last year. Regards
Simon
Owner (Dry Cleaners)

-----------
I would just like to bring a ray of sunshine to your day (well it did for me).
Since we started to work with Ian Smith, our Adwords guru, our results have improved impressively. These figures are the average across the board, ..
Our Click through rate has gone from 1% to a very credible 4.5%
Our average cost per click has dropped from 87p to 63p (just remember some clicks are still £2+).
Our average position has gone from 5.4 to 4.6
So all in all a very good result and with further input we hope to do even better.
Chris
Interior Design Retailer
-----------