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From a consumer’s point of view, sales are the best time to hunt. From a business perspective, they are the quickest way to boost revenue. That’s what makes sales promotions a win-win situation. According to RetailMeNot’s Google Consumer Survey, thousands of shoppers reported that promotions influence their decisions on what to buy and where to shop.
Flash deals, limited-time rewards, buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) deals, or loyalty incentives are just a few sales promotion examples that effectively attract customers. After all, who doesn’t love to avail a great offer?
It’s all about the right promotion at the right time to drive massive conversions. In fact, strategic conversion-boosting campaigns have been proven to influence 91% of in-store shoppers and 89% of online buyers.
Not just that, these sales-boosting strategies leave a lasting impact on buyers and promote the likelihood of future purchases. This is how successful brands build a huge, loyal fan base. The good news is, you can do the same for your business!
We’ll walk you through the 10 best sales promotion examples, handpicked after analyzing real-world examples. These tried-and-tested sales promotion ideas, packed with bonus tips, are guaranteed to stir up your return on investment.
Let’s dive in!
What Is Sales Promotion?
Sales promotions are part of a marketing strategy used for an immediate boost in sales. Even if the business is steadily bringing in revenue, marketers may still want to stimulate the product or service demand. This is where the limited-time offers do wonders with an instant impact.
Sales promotions can be of various types, such as:
- Price-based promotions: Percentage discounts, coupons, and flash sales.
- Product-based promotions: BOGO deals, free samples, trial offers.
- Engagement-based promotions: Contests, giveaways, refer-a-friend deals.
- Targeted promotions: Special offers targeted to a certain audience based on events and occasions.
10 Best Sales Promotion Examples to Boost Revenue
Without any further delay, let’s jump into the types of sales promotions that can be game changers for businesses!
1. Flash Sales and Limited-Time Offers
Nothing creates an urgency quite like a ticking clock. It is why the classic style of sales promotions, such as flash sales and limited-time offers, still pushes customers to act fast before the deal disappears.
For example, marketing a 24-hour discount with a countdown timer on the brand’s website and social media can instantly grab attention. It also triggers FOMO (fear of missing out) for the viewers, urging them to avail the offer.
2. Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO) Deals
BOGO is one of the most irresistible sales promotion examples, especially in e-commerce and retail. Customers love the idea of getting twice the value for the price of one.
As beneficial for consumers, the “buy one, get one free” promotions are also highly successful for businesses since they increase sales and clear inventory. In fact, they are called “self-liquidating” because they clear out stock faster without really cutting much profit.
When your marketing goal is to introduce new products or cross-sell without much risk, BOGO is the best trick. The spike in purchases not only helps your products reach the audience but also increases the average order value.
3. Free Shipping or Free Trials
53% of people admitted that free delivery is their top reason to decide where to buy from. This is how influential free shipping promotions can be!
You may see many brands offering free delivery to encourage customers towards purchase. It gives them one less reason to walk away, which ultimately reduces cart abandonment.
For SaaS and subscription-based models, free trials work exactly the same. It reduces friction by allowing potential prospects to experience your product risk-free. Canva is our best example in this case. The platform offers a 30-day free trial of Canva Pro to hook users.
For your SaaS business, try a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. It will lower the barrier to entry and bring more signups to your platform. These strategies not only improve first-time conversions but also build trust within users.
4. Bundle Promotions
Bundle promotions combine multiple related products or services into a single package at a discounted price. Here’s why it works:
For customers:
- They get more value for their money.
- They don’t have to hunt for individual items.
- They get to try other products with less risk.
For businesses:
- Increase average order value.
- Easy upselling.
- Boosted sales and revenue.
In short, bundle promotions make buying decisions easy while also multiplying profit. Thus, the most common examples, such as “Starter Kit” offers or “Bundle & Save” packages, are proven enticing for buyers.
For example, a skincare brand can bundle a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer together at a 20% discount as compared to buying each separately.
5. Seasonal or Holiday Promotions
Holidays and upcoming events or occasions are undoubtedly the best sales promotion ideas. These seasons are the time when people are ready to spend, and the businesses get ready to cash in.
Leverage popular events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Valentine’s Day to offer price-based or product-based promotions.
You can create special campaigns like “New Year, New You” at the end of the year or giant price slashing around Christmas. Offer your customers time-limited incentives to create a sense of urgency. These promotions perfectly align with people and help them connect with your offer.
Here are some more brilliant seasonal sale promotion ideas to run successful campaigns:
- Halloween
- Eid/Holi/Diwali
- End-of-Season Clearance
- International Days
- Back-to-School Deals
- Independence Day Discounts
- Anniversary or Store Milestones
- Mother’s Day & Father’s Day Specials
- 11.11 Mega Deals
6. Referral & Loyalty Incentives
Turn your loyal customers into advocates for your brand simply by using referral discounts. Even a classic incentive like “Refer a friend and get both 20% off!” can help boost customer acquisition.
Referral programs are your low-cost yet high-return way of attracting new leads. According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from their friends and family even more than ads.
For repeat business and stronger retention, offer loyalty bonuses. You can set up point-based systems where your customers earn rewards every time they shop. Or keep VIP perks like “Early access to our exclusive sale” for your most loyal users.
Your consumers want to feel valued, and offering loyalty incentives does exactly that.
7. Exit-Intent Discounts
Catch them before they click away!
An exit-intent discount is your last chance to turn a bounce into a sale. You may set these smart pop-ups to trigger just when the user’s cursor is near the exit button.
On average, exit-intent popups typically convert around 2.87% of site visitors into leads. They prove best for first-time visitors who might be hesitant to buy. All they need is an encouraging message offering exclusive discounts or freebies to make the purchase.
For instance, “Wait! Here’s 15% off—just for you!” or “Get free shipping if you complete your order now” can prove irresistible to the user and make them reconsider the purchase.
8. User-Generated Content (UGC) or Social Contests
In today’s world, if your business is not using social media to attract customers, you are missing out on a strong sales promotion strategy. User-generated content (UGC), social media contests, or giveaways are your fun-filled way of capturing leads.
For example, run photo contests like “Tag us and get a 20% promo code” on Facebook or Instagram. This encourages participation, which gets your brand in front of new eyes through organic shares.
The best part? UGC can help you build a strong sense of community and trust among your users. When potential buyers see people using your product, it adds authenticity. And authenticity drives more action than ads can.
9. Limited-Time Upsell Offers
A customer is about to buy your product or service. When you persuade them to spend a little more and go for a better deal with complimentary products or benefits, they are most likely to do it. This is how you upsell in the business world.
Upselling is usually easier than a regular sale since the customer is already in a purchasing mindset. You just need the right tactic to convince them to upgrade their order before checkout.
For instance, “Add $20 more to your cart and get free shipping or a surprise gift!” can work like magic. This kind of time-sensitive offer can push your buyer to act quickly while effortlessly increasing your average order value.
An important thing to note here is the difference between upselling and cross-selling.
- Upselling: When you encourage the customer to buy a premium version of the product or service while offering some perks (e.g., “Get the Pro version for just $10 more!”).
- Cross-selling: When you recommend related products to the customer (e.g., “Buying a phone? You might not want to miss this hot-selling back cover!”)
Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/fJncYSpjRPXZbhQw7
While both are types of sales promotions, upselling with a limited-time offer adds more urgency. The key is making the buyer feel like they are leveling up their purchase. Offer limited-time perks like free gifts, exclusive discounts, or bonus points. Make your customers feel like they are winning while you are smartly driving more revenue.
10. Early Access or VIP Sales
Everyone loves to feel special, right? That’s exactly why VIP sales or early access offers work.
When you reward your loyal customers, email subscribers, or high-value shoppers with exclusive deals or first dibs on new products, you are not just boosting sales. You make them feel like a part of your circle.
A promotional email like “VIP Members get 24-hour early access to our Summer Sale” can make your best customers feel seen and appreciated.
This sale-boosting strategy creates a sense of belonging. And when people feel special, they are far more likely to return, engage, and even spread the word.
Early access campaigns are best to use when you are launching a new product line or when you are promoting your seasonal or flash sale. Reward VIP discounts to your long-time customers or high spenders during these sales to strengthen their loyalty to your brand. It is the most straightforward way to retain customers and build lasting relationships with them.
Final Words
Flash sales, BOGO deals, bundle promotions, seasonal offers, or loyalty incentives: these sales promotion examples have proven extremely beneficial for many businesses.
When every marketing team’s goal is to skyrocket revenue, the actual key lies in choosing the right promotion at the right time. These limited-time offers can be conversion-boosting campaigns for your business only if you keep a close look at your audience and their needs.
Test what works, track your performance, and most importantly, personalize it for your audience. This is where Relevic can be your helpful partner to create personalized campaigns that convert. Try it today!
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