What are promotions in stores and how do they work?

Billboards. Commercials. Advertisements on the internet. This all helps increase awareness for your brand. However, nothing is as effective as engaging with the public directly. There is no middleman. No mixed messaging. This is why even the largest brands are using an in-store promotional agency to sell their product.

But what even is an in-store marketing? With increasing shades of experiential marketing spreading across the market, there's understandably a lot of confusion.

Below we'll answer any questions you may have. What are in-store promotions? What are in-store promotion jobs? What does an in-store promotions agency do? We'll even explain the different kinds of in-store promotions, and provide you with some ideas for promotions in stores to try out.

Let's get started.

https://jrpromotions.co.za/what-are-in-store-promotions/

What are store-based promotions?

In a nutshell - it's an advertising strategy that's designed to attract people to a store to try the product. It could take many shapes.

Slash prices. Trial free tasters. Also, you can stock a whole display with your product - top to bottom. If you want to make an in-store sale You must follow two rules that are simple:

1. It should be in a retail location
2. It must be able to promote a brand

In-store promotions usually begin with the company itself. However, occasionally stores might introduce a new product through an in-store sale.

The objective is to increase interest in the product. Whether that be a free taster to encourage customers to buy, or a special promotion to boost sales and build a loyal customer base.

It's also a great opportunity to convince customers to brand switch. This can shift large quantities of stock, and generate additional revenue when sales might be decreasing. For example, displays of products can be placed prominently at the end of the aisle or near the cash registers to increase sales. They'll leave a lasting impression in the minds of your customers.

All-round, in-store sales are a versatile and effective selling strategy.

They not only increase sales, but they enable brands to manage the perceptions of customers. But that relies on an experienced in-store promotions company and a charismatic, talented store promoters.

 

What is an in-store promoter?

An in-store promoter may be employed by the store. However, most often they're assigned to a store by an agency for promotions in the store.

Their role is to present the brand's image to customers.

Think about product display, demonstrations or even free tastings. The store promoter can draw people to buy the brand, and also answer any questions.

In-store store promoters must be knowledgeable about the product, the brand and the business. They'll chat about the things that customers liked about the product. They'll then encourage them to buy one through announcing the discount that is offered.

With capable in-store promoters businesses can manage their brand's narrative. Additionally, they'll be in a position to draw customers away from competing brands. That's particularly critical when dealing with a new launch of a product.

In short: They're profiting from the impulsive purchasing of customers. Most people don't plan their purchases. And they're generally open to bargains or product.

It's the in-store promoter who spells out the benefit in boosting sales overall.

What can a promotional company do?

In-store promotions provide a one-stop shop for all things promotional. No matter if the event is big or not, these companies will run a promotion from start to end.

But what does that entail?

Well, first they'll discuss the type of promotion you'd like. Are you only looking for a product display? Or do you want to test a more bold strategy?

Then, they'll move on to the planning. Which stores do you want to promote the event in? Why those stores? Do you want to tie in the promotion in-store with other promotions? For instance during conferences or expos.

These are crucial questions to designing a successful store-based promotional strategy.

The company that promotes in-store will then begin to hire staff. The in-store promotional staff are required to be interviewed and scrutinized before they are hired. They must then go through rigorous training to make sure they are familiar with and complement the brand. This is key to lasting brand activation.

Finally, throughout the promotion the company that has the promotion will review progress. Adapting the promotional strategy will further improve the outcomes and ultimately increase sales and attract more customers.

Types of in-store promotional items

In-store promotions are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. There are a variety of promotions in stores, from classic discounts to displays of products. Which one is best for your company?

Here are some examples:

Discounts

They are the most obvious method to sell the product. They are available in a variety of varieties, such as percentage discounts, a lump discount (e.g., ZAR 100 off) Buy one, get one free, as well as multi-buys. Shipping that is free can be classified as a type of discount. It has one advantage that is obvious that it's a simple sell. Everyone loves a bargain, and a discount can be an effective way to entice a buyer into taking a look at your product.

Coupons

They are similar to discount. They can also be more successful. For instance, in one study, a $50 coupon beat a 15% promotion. However the percentage discounts generally perform better in general. The trick is to determine the sweet spot for price. It's all about making it seem like a bargain compared to the perceived value. For example, a 40 percent discount could be equivalent to 10% off, however the latter sounds better.

Free tasters

It is best to focus on food and drink products. It's probably the most effective way to announce a new item especially during the holiday season and important occasions. For instance, letting people try a fresh recipe of a chocolate Christmas cake will make them giddy. If it's delicious, you just know that it's going to be flying out of the shops.

Demonstrations or Try Before You Buy

Are an awesome method to display an item. These are free samples of non-consumable products. Imagine a new cooking device demonstrated in-store by a chef. You could also use headphones so that you get to hear the quality first. It's also a resolute statement from a company - "our product is so great that you'll have to buy the product once you've had a chance to try it".

Product displays

Are more subtle but no less effective. This type of passive marketing relies on our psychological understanding of the supermarket. Displays of merchandise placed at the aisles at the end or near cash registers increase customers' chances of picking the item. A striking design is a simple method to increase sales with little upfront costs.

What are some in-store promotions that you can think of?

Perhaps, you've got some ideas to promote your product. However, to stimulate your creativity Here are some of the best examples of store promotions:

Check out a pop-up store

Mix social media with real-world experience. Pop-up stores work wonderfully. This is exactly what the Los Angeles-based jewellery store Angie along with Chloe Jewelry did. They sold and promoted their jewelry at shops as well as cafes, events, and many more.

The result: more exposure, increased turnover and more customers. It worked!

Go seasonally

It's the time to start selling - regardless of the time of year is Christmas, Summer or another holiday, tailoring your store promotions to the season is an effective way to attract customers.

One such example is the Christmas Blend. Food and beverage companies such as Starbucks often create a Holiday Blend. Then, you can market in-store and sell at an extremely high profit.

It's a win-win situation!

Clever product placement

Subtly does not pay. Don't leave your top products languishing at the side of the store. Place them in the front of the store.

Here are a couple of suggestions for displaying products:

1. Place similar items together
2. Put high-value goods near areas with the highest foot traffic.
3. Make sure that the best-selling items are at eye level Otherwise, people will walk-by without noticing
4. High demand, low cost items should be placed close to the cash registers

These easy tips will help you ensure the best possible product displays.

Influencers can be attracted by HTML0.

Social media has a major influence on marketing. Alongside your highly skilled in-store promotional staff, invite a local celebrity or online influencer along. It's not just a way to draw crowds to the event, but it will also significantly boost brand awareness.

Ask them to post about it in advance and keep posting throughout the duration of the promotion. This way, you can combine the digital and real-world for a full-on promotional experience.

https://jrpromotions.co.za/what-are-in-store-promotions/