Sales Promotions and Customer Needs

Developing and instituting sales promotions requires considerable resources. Promotions that don't meet your customers’ needs may just be a waste of those resources. Some customers may need reduced prices, while others enjoy loyalty programs. Taking time to find out what your customers need and want and fulfilling those desires creates both increased sales and, just as importantly, customer loyalty.

Free Samples

  1. It doesn't get much better than free. Free samples stimulate sales while serving as an effective enticement for customers to visit your store. Free samples give customers an opportunity to try your product before they make a commitment to buy. Save the free sales promotions for new products or a grand opening because they are expensive and in themselves do not generate revenue.

Point of Purchase

  1. Customers often appreciate help in making decisions. Point-of-purchase displays put those items the customer may not have considered right up front where they are more noticeable. They'll boost your bottom line as well. According to the University of Delaware, 99 percent of retailers believe that point-of-purchase racks increase revenue. Nearly two-thirds of buying decisions are made while the customer is in your store. You can assist your clientele by featuring sales and interesting new products in special point-of-purchase locations and racks.

Training

  1. Whether you are selling to business customers or retail consumers, offering training and information opportunities serves as an effective complement to your promotional campaigns. Part of buyers' behavior patterns includes the learning process, according to The Chartered Institute of Marketing. Free classes, seminars and in-store presentations provide that learning experience, making potential customers more comfortable with their buying decisions. Informational brochures, clearly displayed, help customers make informed decisions. Combined with a sale or coupon promotion, the information adds value to the buying experience.

Loyalty

  1. Loyalty sales promotions and campaigns give customers reasons to visit your store again and again. Reward your regulars with sales that only they partake in. Customers want to feel special and develop a relationship with their vendors and merchants. Sales promotions combined with personal follow-up customer service endears customers to your service or product. If you run a retail operation, hold special-occasion sales available by invitation only. Consider personal calls to exceptional repeat customers telling them about an upcoming sale. Business clients should get advance notice of upcoming promotions so they can budget and plan for purchases. It costs less to keep loyal customers than it does to recruit new ones. Return customers play a significant role in your success.