Some stores use sales as a promotional event.
Many types of businesses host promotional events to reach out to their customers. These events may feature a specific product or service the business offers or simply bring attention to the company as a whole. Regardless of the purpose, each event requires the company to plan and determine the best course of action. This plan enables the promotional event to be successful and helps the company achieve the goals it aims to accomplish.
Instructions
1. Review any past promotions that your company may have held. Whenever you complete a promotion, keep materials --- such as advertisements, emails and letters --- that were used. Keep a good record of how successful each event was. Use these materials and records to help you plan future promotional events.
2. Set the goals you wish to accomplish with the current promotional event. Determine if your aim is to increase sales, create awareness of your company or offer discounts to existing customers.
3. Identify your audience. Some promotional events focus on bringing in new customers, while others focus more on thanking existing customers. Still others offer a little bit of both. If you are looking at bringing in new customers, identify what types of people are more likely to become your customers, such as men or women, age range and employment status.
4. Figure out which time of year is best to hold your promotion. Time the promotion with your audience and any product you are showcasing. For instance, if you operate a heating and cooling company and are having a air conditioner sale, people will be more interested in the spring or summer months.
5. Hold a brainstorming meeting with others in your company to get more ideas. Some promotional events feature activities; others are sales events. The activities that are chosen should fit your audience, such as child-friendly activities for events where parents would bring children and refreshments appropriate for the ages in attendance. The more ideas you get, the better your chances of finding the perfect idea.
6. Set a budget so you know what you can spend. Know what equipment you will need to rent or acquire prior to your event, and include that in your budget, as well as the costs of advertisement and refreshments.
7. Create a theme and slogan. A theme ties everything in your event together. Slogans help your customers and potential customers remember your company when they need the product or service that your company offers.
8. Plan every detail. This includes any refreshments that will be offered, activities, products or services that will be involved and the dates and times of the event. Include funding sources and needs in your planning stages.
9. Create your advertising campaign. Alert the news media, including television, radio and newspaper. Distribute fliers to your mailing list and bulk mailing lists for your area. If you have a website or social media identity, include a page for your promotions and send information to email lists attached to your website. Send out information at least a few weeks in advance of your promotion to increase attendance.
