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Price methods to stimulate the sale of goods. Marketing communications

2.3. Non-price incentive methods

The use of non-price methods of stimulation, as well as price methods, is also associated with the solution of a number of issues.

1. Do we have anything related to our product, company, that we can offer the buyer as a bonus?

2. How much does the bonus cost: is it not too expensive to increase sales, is it expected to increase profits?

Every gift costs money. In a certain sense, a gift is also a fixed discount, which is subtracted from the price of the goods and brings us a loss. If the purpose of presenting a gift is not image, but is associated with an increase in sales, then the price of a gift is an important component in the cost of goods sold, related to variable costs.

3. If we raffle prizes, do we have a “super prize” worthy of that name, what is its price, will it pay off based on the results of the promotion?

Prizes are part of the fixed costs of hosting events. Their cost is not associated with each unit of the product sold.

4. Will we be able to overcome the organizational difficulties associated with the presentation of gifts and the organization of the drawing of prizes?

You should be aware that holding a raffle, lottery, contest or simply giving gifts to each customer is a complex organizational procedure. Labor and material costs for it, when deciding on such sales promotion activities, should be in the area of close attention.

Consider the following non-price methods to stimulate end customers:

credit cards;

Present;

Free samples;

Reusable packaging;

Contests and games;

Lotteries;

Extended warranty period;

volume stimulation.

Vouchers are controversial in terms of classification, a transitional method of incentives from non-price to price methods. Vouchers are documents of the “special money” type that give the right to buy certain types of goods with them in a special department of the store. The number of coupons depends on the amount of the purchase. The type of voucher item may or may not be related to the promoted brand.

Example 2.17

In St. Petersburg, test coupons were actively used in 2003 by Maksidom stores in the form of a certificate with a face value of 5% of the amount of the purchase made when buying in excess of the established amount.

In 1999, the St. Petersburg network of audio and video equipment stores "Aleko" held the following action. They issued a "note" in 1TH (Thomson), made according to all the rules of making money and equivalent to 10 US dollars. Banknotes were issued after the purchase of Thomson goods in Aleko stores at 1 TN for every $100 purchase over $200. In general, it was like a 10% commodity discount for every $100 purchase. "Money" had a limited maturity. They could be used to purchase Thomson products in Aleko stores. In principle, with their help, it was possible to sell not very popular products of the company, some of the coupons were not sold at all.

Example 2.19

In the Lenta hypermarket chain, test coupons are points for the purchase of certain goods. When you purchase cheese, milk, laundry detergent and other items, you earn points. Not all products are awarded points. The points earned can be used to partially or fully pay for future purchases. To participate in this system, you must have a store discount card (customer card).

And here is another example showing the variety of the pass method.

"E. Leclerc Group is the largest retail chain in France, the sixth largest in Europe, uniting more than 9 thousand stores - grocery, cosmetics, clothing, home goods, jewelry, etc. In the face of fierce competition in its segment "E. Leclerc Group launched an advertising campaign "A check that costs money". Its meaning is as follows: if the client buys goods marked with the inscription “Product ticket” (goods on checks), he can return part of their cost by purchasing something else for a certain amount. The amount he saves for a later purchase is marked at the bottom of the cashier's receipt, and the customer can use this receipt to purchase any item at E. Leclerc Group.

Present. The most popular types of gifts are:

Complementary goods (for example, headphones for the radio);

A sample of another brand of product from the same manufacturer (for example, a trial bottle of Procter & Gamble's Head & Shoulders shampoo for Wash & Go shampoo).

Gifts are used for continuous stimulation, and when choosing them, it is necessary to strive to comply with the following conditions.

It is better if the gift is related to the product and brand. An unrelated gift is not branded.

It is better to choose a gift with a long service life, such as a calendar. Such a gift reminds the buyer of the brand for a long time.

The gift must be worthy of this name. It is not allowed to give away plastic bags, adhesive tape for sealing boxes, etc. as gifts. Such “gifts” humiliate the company and the buyer.

The gift should be pleasant and useful for the buyer. You can not give out, for example, expired batteries as a gift.

Prize- this is an opportunity to purchase another product at a lower price, subject to the purchase of the advertised product. Part of the loss from the sale of a premium product can be included in the price of the advertised product.

Example 2.21

The sports shop offers customers to purchase tents. When buying a tent, the buyer can purchase air mattresses for sleeping at a special low price.

With free samples stimulate mainly not real, but potential buyers of the goods. Sample Distribution Methods:

Delivery during promotional campaigns at the point of sale or in other places where potential buyers gather: near the metro, to motorists at intersections, etc.;

Investing in the packaging of another product.

When selling various household items, manufacturers often offer their customers reusable packaging in which they can put the same product when it runs out (nails, cleaning products, etc.).

Example 2.22

Mister Muscle cleanser is sold in two types of bottles. At a higher price, the product is sold in a spray bottle, which can be used repeatedly. The second type of packaging is an ordinary plastic bottle without a spray gun, it is cheaper.

One way to stand out and draw attention to yourself is to come up with original conditions for contests and games, as shown in example 2.23.

Example 2.23

In 1999 in Arkhangelsk, ordering the Karat velvet network, Kortes furniture stores and the Cardinal restaurant, the AMT advertising agency held the Queen's Pendants game. The meaning of the game was to fulfill certain conditions of the competition, formulated on the basis of the famous novel by A. Dumas "The Three Musketeers" and focused on advertising customers. For example, the question of the first round was: “How many leagues do our heroes need to overcome to get to the pendants? Hint: the path of the musketeers will pass from the Cortes furniture store through the Cardinal restaurant to the Karat jewelry store. Answer options: 112 leagues, 232 leagues, 328 leagues, 856 leagues. The prizes were jewelry, a set of upholstered furniture and free daily meals in a restaurant for three months. The game captured everyone, and not only Arkhangelsk residents, but also residents of the region. Two months of the game brought the participating companies a positive image, an influx of buyers and an increase in sales.

The closest in essence to contests and lottery games. The main difference is that the contest must be won by showing ingenuity and resourcefulness, while winning the lottery is a random event (example 2.24).

Example 2.24

At the request of a manufacturer of bread and confectionery, the AMT advertising agency held a campaign to stimulate sales of bread and popularize the trademark of the new Maly Eliseevsky store. The name of the action is "Bread with a diamond". In the Arkhangelsk media, announcements were published that within a month a diamond ring would be baked into one of the loaves of black or white bread. The announcements indicated that the ring would not be real, so that people would not be afraid to break their teeth, but it is quite possible to understand that this is a prize. Bread sales have tripled. The store became known to literally all residents of Arkhangelsk. In addition to the Arkhangelsk media, RTR showed a story about this action, and the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper published a report.

The main disadvantage of lotteries compared to contests is luck. If the buyer is unlucky, he tends to be offended. During the competition, such an insult does not arise: the buyer understands that someone has shown more diligence to receive the prize. To exclude the influence of a negative factor, multi-stage lotteries are used with an independent decision of the buyer to continue the game, as shown in example 2.25.

Example 2.25

To stimulate the sales of draft beer, you can organize the next prize draw using a multi-stage lottery.

A consumer who has bought a mug of beer receives a stack - a stick with divisions applied to it, which is used to determine the result of the draw. To participate in the prize draw, the buyer must dip the stick into the beer, each time by one division. At the same time, a picture with the image of the won prize or information about its absence appears on the stick. The higher the division, the lower the probability of winning, and the higher the cost. The first space always wins an extra glass of beer. If you agree to continue participating in the lottery and lower the stick to the next division, the buyer loses the right to receive prizes already won. If there is no winning when the stack is lowered on the next space, the buyer does not win anything. After drinking a certain amount of beer, the consumer is already risk-averse: firstly, because he no longer wants beer, and secondly, because he is warm enough with alcohol to enjoy the risk.

The main advantage of such a lottery is that a person himself makes a decision - to take risks or not to take risks. He has no reason to be offended by the company because of the loss: he can always win a glass of beer, and then - as lucky.

Particular attention during lotteries, contests and games must be paid to the prize system. According to the author, it should meet the following principles.

1. There must be one or more big super prizes. They serve as a symbol of success for everyone and act primarily as an advertising image.

2. In addition to the super prize, a hierarchy of lower order prizes must be built. The less valuable the prize tier is, the more prize units it should have.

3. Prizes must be displayed. If the buyer sees the prize with his own eyes, he believes more in the possibility of winning it.

4. Rules should be simple and not contradictory.

5. The rules must be fair to all participants and not infringe on anyone's interests.

6. The game must be fair. Frauds with prizes sooner or later become known to someone, and this causes irreparable damage to the company's image.

7. The rules should be built in such a way that it is always possible to accurately determine the recipient of the super prize and solemnly hand over the prize to him.

8. The prize must not burden its owner with major problems, such as paying income tax or installing in an apartment.

9. The results must be announced publicly so that as many people as possible know about them.

Example 2.26

An example of "glasnost" would be the awarding of the grand prize to the winner of a Coca-Cola Light promotional event. "Silver temptation" under the slogan "Attention: under the Chrysler cover". At the end of April 2002, a pleasant event took place in the capital of Siberia, Novosibirsk: one of the three Chrysler Sebring cars was won. The winner was an ordinary customer who, on a random buying impulse, purchased a silver bottle of Coca-Cola Light. By the solemn moment of the award ceremony, the winner managed to recover and confidently accepted the keys to the silver car. The presentation took place at a party in the Studio 69 club, where silver was the main line of the program.

An example of what “we wanted the best, but it turned out as always” is given below.

Example 2.27

The electronics supermarket chain held a lottery "1000 Super Prizes". Buyers right at the checkout after the purchase pulled a lottery ticket, which indicated a big, good super prize. These were washing machines, refrigerators, large TVs. There were many such super prizes - 1000 pieces. And so it was conceived: the buyer must win something very substantial, large. However, a difficulty arose. How many, for example, an ordinary, average buyer in Russia can have washing machines or refrigerators in an apartment? Probably no more than one. Where to put the second copy? Under the terms of the lottery, substitutions were not possible. Another situation: a person bought a refrigerator and won exactly the same one as a gift! He says: "Let's replace it with a washing machine, I just need it!". However, the rules are holy - you can’t! Many buyers were astounded by the size of the refrigerators they won, which were too big for their apartments.

Extended warranty period. In each country, the minimum warranty periods for various groups of goods are legally established. To stimulate purchases, manufacturers and trade establish their own, increased warranty periods. Everyone knows, for example, the Swiss brand of folding knives Victor Inox, whose products have a lifetime warranty.

Example 2.28

In 2001, Thomson and Star League stores from St. Petersburg held a joint campaign to stimulate sales of TVs with a diagonal of 10 to 29 inches under the motto "It's more profitable to buy in December!". The poster for the subway featured a TV in the center, next to it was a round seal that read “3 years” inside and “Extended Warranty” around the circumference. The buyer, of course, was interested in a longer warranty on the TV, and this attracted his attention. Below was text explaining that the concept of "Extended Warranty" consists of one year of the standard warranty and two years of additional service. Additional service includes all the terms of the standard warranty, except for the replacement of your TV with a new one and a refund.

Volume stimulation is the opposite discount. You can buy the same amount of goods for less money, and vice versa - a larger amount for the same money. An additional volume of goods is not a particularly high cost, and an increase in the size of the package is not technologically difficult. The costs in this case are small, and the impact on the buyer is very significant.

Example 2.29

Among manufacturers of cosmetics and detergents, volumetric stimulation is popular. Its essence is to increase the size of the bottle by 10 - 25%, mainly due to the height with a corresponding increase in the content without changing the price. The enlarged part of the bottle or cylinder is painted in a color contrasting from the main volume, against which, for example, “+25% free” or “+50 ml free” is written. Oversized bottles and cylinders stand out on the counter and attract the attention of customers with their size and contrasting colors. After studying the packaging, many buyers change their minds about the brand they are purchasing in favor of the stimulated one.

Example 2.30

For Pepsi-Cola, a larger package is a line of differentiation in order to differentiate itself from Coca-Cola. Pepsi bottles are always a little larger - not 0.5, but 0.6 liters, not 1 liter, but 1.2 liters, etc. Natura oil producers are following the same path, using bottles of size 1, 2 liters instead of liter.

The main goals and methods of sales promotion

pitch: Professional marketers are constantly expanding their arsenal of effective sales techniques. Proper use of them can increase sales by at least 10-15%. Most of these methods are universal and work regardless of what products or services are offered to customers.

Maria VELES

It has been established that, for example, the phrases “Would you like something to drink?” and "What will you drink?" affect the end result in different ways. The latter option increases the daily profit of the institution by 20-30%. As you can see, a carefully thought-out system of cross-promotion of goods can significantly increase revenues.

Basic goals sales promotion

The strategy for increasing sales in the end will depend on what goals the company sets for itself. These could be the following tasks:

Growth in sales. Ideally, any business should not only pay for itself, but also increase profits every year.

Increase in the number of repeat purchases. It is regular customers in certain cases that can bring up to 80% of income. That's why it's important to encourage repeat purchases by working with consumers.

Increasing loyalty. Most people pay not just for owning a product, but for the opportunity to use the products of their favorite brand. But in order to turn a company into a brand, it is necessary to win the sympathy of the consumer.

Expanding the use of the product. The more opportunities a product has, the wider the circle of consumers.

Increasing consumer interest in the product. The more benefits a potential client finds for himself, the faster he becomes a buyer.

Reducing the "weight" of the price. The more benefits the buyer finds from the purchase, the less the price of the product seems to him.

Increasing awareness

About the product. Quite often, some products are sold poorly just because the target audience is small.

He knows about them.

Consumer differentiation. Consumer groups are formed depending on the goods of what price category they choose (economy, average, luxury). The marketing approach to such clients will vary significantly.

Improving brand perception. Consumers love brands that can clearly define their features. Whatever changes take place within the brand, the buyer should not change his positive attitude towards the manufacturer.

Price Methods sales promotion

The ability to correctly set the price - a guarantee that the business will be profitable. Professional marketers recommend using a number of techniques when manipulating prices.

1. Direct price reduction. Depending on the occasion, there are about three dozen varieties of price discounts. They can act as a special offer and be limited in time or play the role of a nice bonus. Price discounts are provided to both retail and wholesale buyers; they can be given for paying for goods in cash, be preliminary, cumulative, personal, collective, festive or seasonal.

2. The new price of the item. When reducing the cost of goods, it is very important to indicate both prices - both the old and the new, and ideally write on the price tag the amount that the buyer will save. Otherwise, the client simply will not appreciate his benefits.

3. Discount at certain hours of the day. It is very important to choose the right time here. Many cafes, for example, make discounts for early or late breakfasts, fitness centers - for morning workouts. In this way, they protect themselves from empty halls at not the most visited time.

4. Delayed discounts. A casual customer does not necessarily turn into a permanent one. For him to come again, he needs a stimulus. This may be a discount on the second and subsequent purchases. The circle of consumers can also expand the discounts provided to relatives and friends.

5. Personal discounts , that is, those that are dedicated to the personal dates of the client - the days of the wedding, birth, appearance of the first child. Such formal care of the company personally about the client helps to tie him to a particular brand even more tightly.

7. Small wholesale sale. To do this, the product is packaged in quantities of two to six units and is offered at a reduced price. This method stimulates the purchase of not only wholesalers, but also retail buyers. It is important here that the cost is really below the average prices in the market. This little trick allows you not only to increase sales, but also to get rid of products that were in low demand.

8. Simple discount cards. Most often, the discounts provided for them are small and do not exceed 6-7%. These figures are unchanged and do not depend on the amount for which the goods are purchased. However, regular customers do save good money over the year. Moreover, this small incentive binds the client more strongly to a particular company, store, brand.

9. Accumulative discount cards. This type of card is the most popular. Unlike simple cards, the discount amount here is not fixed and directly depends on how much money the consumer has spent. The benefit for the target audience is obvious and logical here, and therefore, you can count on sales growth.

10. Bonus programs. Bonu sy - this is the same discount, only veiled. A person accumulates not money on a discount card, but bonuses, which can then be exchanged for a virtual amount, gifts, you can use them to purchase any product much cheaper. The bonus program is developed for specific stores and can be built on a wide variety of conditions. Usually bonus cards are used in the entire network of stores, in any city in the country. Bonuses, even if they are small, significantly increase brand loyalty.

11. Stimulation. The discount centers of branded stores, where products are purchased at a discount, are excellent for stimulating sales. This method is especially good for clothing, sporting goods and electronics stores. Naturally, leftovers or those goods that were sold poorly are sold with a markdown.

Non-price methods sales promotion

In addition to playing with the price, there are many more methods to push a person to buy.

First of all, this is a natural stimulation when, after a purchase, a person receives a gift. For example, when buying two tubes of toothpaste, a toothbrush is guaranteed as a gift, and when buying a bottle of expensive wine, a box of chocolates is guaranteed. The gift should not be too expensive, not cheap, but most importantly - useful. It happens that the buyer himself chooses a gift depending on the amount spent. It is important to provide bonuses for children. First, attention to the child is very flattering to parents. Secondly, it is easier and cheaper financially to surprise and please a child. This is skillfully used by shops, the main contingent of which is young families. For children, a keychain, a souvenir, a pen, stickers can become a bonus. The methods of natural stimulation include tasting and distribution of samples. This technique is especially good for promoting food, cosmetics, and hygiene products. People are afraid to buy a pig in a poke, but they are happy to purchase new items, the quality of which they are convinced.

As practice shows, buyers take part in social games with pleasure. This allows, firstly, to prove oneself in communication; secondly, to demonstrate their dexterity, ingenuity and strength. Finally, everyone is pleased to receive a prize if they win. Therefore, stimulation by the game, contests, drawings, lotteries can be very effective. In competitions, for example, both adults and children willingly participate. Creative or family contests are especially popular. Prizes should be interesting for both parents and the child. Draws are also very effective, especially on the opening day of a store or company, during seasonal or holiday sales, when the winner can choose one of the possible prizes, receive a discount or use an additional service. Sweepstakes may be held as a customer event or on a more modest scale. Most often, before buying, a person is offered to pull a ticket out of the box or shoot any of the balls to find out what discount he is entitled to. Another playful and effective BTL marketing technique is situational promotion. This method involves the organization in the trading floors of holidays dedicated to some common dates. Here it is important to correctly determine the group of goods that are in greatest demand on a particular day. For example, by March 8, perfumery and cosmetics will definitely be sold out. It is logical that if there is a discount, the products of a particular brand will be dismantled even faster.

Additional services offered to the customer are not necessarily directly related to the specifics of the store. In order to stimulate the buyer with a service, you can, for example, organize free home delivery of goods, offer a partner company's goods at a discount, or issue an additional guarantee. This warranty does not replace the first one or change the conditions, it is provided by the seller in addition to the obligations of the manufacturer. This marketing technique works best in home appliances and electronics stores.

Business prosperity largely depends on intermediaries and business partners. It is no coincidence that most companies pay great attention to corporate communication, strengthening ties and holding events. Joint promotions, exhibitions and presentations introduce customers to new products, build brand loyalty, and affiliate programs promote product distribution.

One of the most effective methods of sales growth is the initiation of feedback from satisfied customers published on the website, in the catalog, or in the booklet. People trust consumers more than the manufacturer. But the manufacturer, when forming reviews, must follow clear rules. First, reviews cannot be fabricated. Secondly, next to the review, it is necessary to publish photos of clients or partners, indicate their position, age, and, if necessary, put a signature.

Methods for increasing the average check

Cross-sell, Up-sell and Down-sell methods are very effective for increasing the average check of buyers.

Cross-sell (cross-selling) is a technique in which the customer is offered another product that complements the main purchase. So, if we are talking about a smartphone, then in addition to it, you can be advised to purchase a case, stylus, memory card or screen protector. There are several types of cross-selling. For example, batch cross-sales, which are pre-planned by the manufacturer. For this, a small series of useful products is being developed that the consumer cannot refuse. Internal cross-selling stimulates the promotion of complex solutions among consumers. And external cross-selling is organized to sell complementary products from different companies. An entire product line can be sold using the core-periphery method. To do this, the price of goods is calculated so that with each subsequent product the client receives a discount, small, but sufficient to interest. This is how electronics and accessories are sold: mats, keyboards, covers, styluses. And the “second product” strategy allows you to sell the second or third product much cheaper than the first. This technique is most clearly demonstrated by shoe stores during the sales season, when customers are invited to buy two, three or even four pairs at once. at a big discount.

Up-sell technology - sale of a more expensive product. This technique is suitable when the consumer has a clear intention to purchase a product, but he has not yet decided which one. Up-sell works for almost all product groups, if the cost of the product does not exceed 10-20% of the one that the client was initially willing to spend. For greater efficiency, direct contact between the seller and the client is necessary.

It is worth noting a few more effective techniques.

.Increase the purchase threshold.

In this case, sales promotion occurs not due to artificial restrictions, but due to indirect factors. For example, free delivery around the city when ordering a certain amount.

. contrast method. Before selling a product belonging to the middle price category, the customer is shown cheaper and more expensive products. As a result, the impression of the product remains the most favorable.

. Delivery of goods. In fact, this is another cross-sell. Instead of delivery, if there is no way to count a round sum, the client receives some useful related product. This technique is used quite rarely, although in practice it turns out to be very effective and can significantly increase the profit of the store.

The modern market of pet products and zoo services is developing rapidly, which means that there is fierce competition between enterprises. Manufacturers and resellers are looking for improved systems to attract new customers and keep existing ones. Along with other means of promoting a pet product to the market (advertising, propaganda, personal selling), sales promotion occupies an important place.

Current economic literature defines sales promotion as a short-term incentive that stimulates the sale of a new pet product or popularizes a brand name among consumers. The main purpose of sales promotion in relation to consumers is an incentive to buy regularly with a certain commercial benefit from the purchase. Before sales promotion, the task has always been to activate the sales process. Therefore, it is considered as actions, events, promotions aimed at creating additional motivation to complete trading operations in the very near future. In general, sales promotion includes price and non-price methods.

Considering price incentives, it can be noted that price reduction can be initiated by both a manufacturer (who seeks to increase sales or attract new consumers) and a trading company that wants to gain a reputation as an inexpensive trading establishment.

Price reduction can also be the result of a mutual agreement between the two parties: the producer provides a discount to the trading zoo network, and the latter partially or completely provides it to the consumer. At the same time, relevant advertising and information messages are addressed to the consumer in order to encourage him to buy in a particular retail outlet. Price promotion of buyers is carried out depending on the terms of delivery of products, purchase volumes, payment methods, insurance conditions, etc.

The price promotion methods that are currently used on the market include: direct discounts, special prices, combined sale, crediting the price of an old pet product when buying a new one, coupon.

A price reduction using a direct discount can occur in the form of:

discounts in percent - it is noted that the price is reduced by X%;
discount indicating its size in monetary terms (“minus RUR”);
indication of the new price information on the reason for its installation.

When using special prices or small wholesale sales, the price reduction does not apply to an individual pet product, but to a small lot. The offer of a special price aims to increase the consumption of the pet product by each family.

This proposal is implemented in several ways:

a general reduction in the price of the entire batch (X rubles for Y cans of canned food);
one can from the package - free of charge;
a general reduction in the price of packaging.

A combined sale is applied to pet products that complement each other, but at the same time, each separately is not a necessary component of the other. The price of the kit is set below the sum of the prices of each of the pet products.

Charging the price of an old pet product when buying a new one is mainly used when selling expensive machinery and equipment that do not have a high turnover rate. When buying a new pet product, the consumer receives a certain benefit, because he loses the old pet product and at the same time receives a discount.

Coupon is that the consumer is offered a coupon that gives the right to receive a discount from the price. Coupons are either placed on the packaging of the pet product, or delivered to the house, or distributed through the press. The discount is provided in the form of a certain amount of money, a percentage of the price of a pet product, or a reduction in the price of another pet product, subject to the purchase of the pet product specified in the coupon.

Price promotion methods must be substantial

Research shows that price-based sales promotions must be substantial enough to build a message on and attractive enough to entice the consumer to buy.

Non-price methods of sales promotion play an important role in the formation of long-term mutually beneficial relationships between the consumer and the manufacturer. There are the following types of non-price methods of sales promotion - in-kind promotion, active supply and service promotion.

An in-kind incentive is an offer to the consumer of an additional quantity of a pet product, regardless of the price. There are two ways of in-kind incentives: premiums (encouragement of the consumer to purchase a product by giving him a gift) and samples (free donation of a pet product in quantity, has no commercial value and is used only for product evaluation).

An active offer is all types of incentives that require the active and selective participation of the consumer. There are two ways to stimulate the consumer through an active offer: contests (requiring the consumer to be observant, quick-witted or knowledgeable, they do not rely on the game of chance) and lotteries and games (you can take part in them, and without purchasing purchases, they are fully or partially built on the game of chance).

Service incentives are also of great importance (free repair and delivery of goods, packing and packaging of pet products under the order creates convenience for the consumer, and, accordingly, his loyalty to a certain TM).

Sales promotion, both price and non-price, has become an important component of the marketing communications mix of many domestic and global companies, and it will continue to grow as an alternative or addition to advertising. To date, the domestic consumer is not yet overloaded with sales promotion measures and remains open to such contacts.

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Hello! In this article, we will talk about methods of sales promotion.

Today you will learn:

Why and by what methods sales are stimulated;
What are the sales promotion methods?

It happens that it is not enough to promote a product or service. Therefore, it is necessary to resort to other marketing means and stimulate sales. How this happens and what methods exist, let's talk today.

The essence of sales promotion

The term "Sales Promotion" means throughout the entire chain of movement of goods: from the manufacturer to the final consumer. Moreover, the form of promotion can be any, except for advertising.

How to plan incentives

After a decision is made to promote the sale of goods, a plan is developed in accordance with which this event is carried out.

It consists of the following items:

Setting incentive targets;
Budget setting;
Implementation of the choice of stimulation methods;
Analysis of the result.

Types of Incentives

There are three main types. We will review and describe each of them.

1. General.

Used at points of sale. This is a tool that is used for the general revitalization of trade.

2. Selective.

With such incentives, the product is placed in a more advantageous position than other products. For example, on a separate rack or at the beginning of a row of products.

3. Individual.

This type of incentive is usually a manufacturer's initiative. Advertising posters, signs, and so on are placed.

What is the purpose of sales promotion?

All goals can be conditionally divided into several main categories.

Strategic character:

Increase in the number of buyers of goods or products;
Achievement of planned sales targets;
Increase in turnover;
Increasing the quantity of goods purchased by each consumer.

One-time character:

Support for advertising campaigns;
Getting profit from any event.

Specific character:

Establish regular sales of seasonal goods;
Get rid of products that are illiquid or stale;
Increase the turnover of a particular product;
Put up a barrier to emerging competitors.

Incentive objects

The objects of stimulation are:

Sellers;
Intermediaries;
Consumers.

Consumer-facing incentives have the following goals: to increase the number of people buying a product, and also to get the same buyer to purchase more products.

Intermediaries are the link between those who produced the product and those who buy it. In this case, stimulation has other goals: increasing its interest in the sale of goods, making the product recognizable, and so on.

When the incentive is addressed to the seller, then the account is taken of how successfully and skillfully the seller sells the goods. Moreover, the encouragement of the seller and the development of such qualities are always in the interests of the company.

Price promotion methods

It consists in attracting a potential buyer with a reduced price on the goods or products of the company. It is advisable to use it at such moments when the interest of buyers in goods is rather low.

This technique does not require any preparation, and the profit is good. The main thing here is that the process is organized correctly.

A similar method is a short-term phenomenon, while an excellent alternative to various advertising.

What is included in the list of such methods:

Providing discounts on goods;
Promotion "2 for the price of 1" and similar;
Reducing the cost of goods, plus a discount on the next;
Provision of gift and discount plastic cards;
Refund of part of the funds after payment for the goods.

We note right away that all the manipulations associated with lowering the prices of goods are price methods.

Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Providing discounts.

Everyone knows that buyers are most attracted to various discounts. They can be seasonal, wholesale or festive, the essence of this does not change. Even if a discount is provided for a product that has been on the shelf of your store for a long time, there will definitely be a buyer.

Return of part of the money.

As soon as the buyer pays for the goods, a small part of the amount is returned to him again and is a kind of compensation for the costs incurred. By the way, this technique is often practiced by large retail chains of household appliances and electronics, cosmetic and perfume stores, and so on.

Provision of gift and discount plastic cards.

Also a practical ubiquitous technique. It is used not only by retail chains and shops, but also by beauty salons, fitness centers, and even some taxi services.

If the card is a discount card, then the buyer will constantly receive a discount in a particular store or hairdresser. If it is a gift, then he will be able to use it when paying for the next purchase, or maybe give it to someone else.

Issue of coupons.

For example, a customer purchases washing powder, at the checkout he is given a coupon, using which he can purchase another product at a lower cost.

Negative sides of price methods

Along with the positive effect that the use of these methods has, there is also a negative one. We will not bypass it, but analyze it.

The most common mistakes sellers make are:

Promotions run too often. It turns out that on other days the buyer considers prices unreasonably high;
Large discounts. Not all people consider discounts a boon. There are buyers who are sure: the larger the discount, the worse the product;
Reduce the price at a loss. A very risky policy. If you just want to increase the flow of customers, do not use it. Such actions may lead to an outflow of funds from the company.

How effective are pricing methods?

To understand how effective price reduction measures are, you need to analyze several important points:

Discount percentage. It should be such that the buyer feels it. If you set a discount of 0.5% for phones worth 70,000 rubles, it is unlikely that buyers will line up for you;
In what period to reduce the price. If you want to sell a seasonal product, or one that has taken its place on the counter for a long time, set discounts at a time when there are very few buyers;
What result will you get. A global decline in prices can cause distrust of buyers, and hence the outflow of profits.
Increasing the % discount on a product with a large margin. If you initially made a large premium for safety, then you can reduce the price by a significant percentage. Stay positive.

Non-price methods of sales promotion

If you are getting buyers' attention to your product without resorting to price manipulation, then the methods you are using are non-price methods.

In the use of such methods, a psychological factor is necessarily involved. The buyer receives a pleasant gift from the seller, which means that next time he will most likely come shopping to this seller.

The list of these methods includes:

Tastings of various products;
Issuance of various gifts and souvenirs that complement the goods
Holding contests and lotteries;
Issuance of credit cards;
Distribution of free trial samples.

Product tastings.

Such events are often organized and held in supermarkets. For example, just a few months ago, a tasting of Syrobogatov brand cheeses was held in the Lenta hypermarket chain. Everyone could try the products and choose something for themselves.

Issuance of gifts and souvenirs that complement the goods.

Everything is simple here: headphones are given as a gift to the purchased mobile phone. At the same time, it is important that the gift is related to both the product and the brand. Otherwise, it will not remind you of the trademark.

Holding contests and lotteries.

A well-known brand of alcoholic beverages held the following lottery: a silver bar was awarded for the purchase of a certain amount of drinks of this brand, and an amount of 200 rubles was credited to the mobile phone account as a consolation prize. That is, if you do not win the ingot, then you will definitely receive money on your mobile account.

When holding such events, you also need to take into account some important nuances: the buyer must see that the prize is real, the established rules of the competition should be extremely simple and not contradictory.

Issuance of vouchers.

Vouchers are a transitional link between price and non-price methods. These coupons allow you to exchange them for certain goods. This is practiced by a large chain of hypermarkets, for example: last year a certain number of coupons could be exchanged for expensive dishes of a well-known brand.

Distribution of free trial samples.

This method helps to stimulate a potential buyer.

Samples are distributed in different ways:

Invested in packaging with other goods;
Sent by mail;
In various magazines are attached to the pages and so on.

This technique is used by sellers of household goods, offering customers a package in which the product can be placed after it is already finished.

Example. Cleaning agent for washing mirrors is sold in different types of bottles. A spray bottle is more expensive, while a regular bottle is cheaper.

On the price tag, indicate the price without a discount, but attach a sticker indicating its percentage;
Indicate two values in the price tag: old and new. The client clearly sees the benefit, and you encourage him to buy the product;
Set discounts for the third and next positions on the check: this will increase the cost of the average check;
Form goods into sets: a great way to sell surplus stock;
Set discounts for goods at a specific time of the day: for example, in the morning and in the afternoon;
Offer additional services that encourage customers: a long product warranty, free service, free home delivery, and so on.

Using these options helps the seller get rid of a whole range of problems with the sale of goods.

Conclusion

In modern economic conditions, sales promotion plays an important role in the activities of any commercial enterprise, although it is not only about them. The level that prevails in the market forces manufacturers and sellers to make concessions to buyers and intermediaries.

The main thing here is that it is necessary to apply all the methods analyzed above carefully and with full responsibility. After all, the main goal is to make a profit from holding various promotions, not losses.

To speed up the sale of their products, companies use various methods to stimulate sales. This set of actions is designed to increase consumer demand in a short time.

concept

Today, competition in any market is so high that enterprises are forced to apply sales promotion methods and sales of new products. Measures aimed at accelerating the sale of products should be carried out constantly. There are many ways, the action of which influences potential consumers and leads them to desire to purchase a particular product.

Sales promotion is a set of activities necessary for every company interested in the successful promotion of its products on the market. Through the implementation of various programs, wholesale buyers, sales representatives and sales consultants are also motivated to sell as soon as possible.

Tasks

Launching an active process of selling goods can pursue the following goals:

sales of a large volume of products;
introduction of a new brand (product, manufacturer) to the market;
increasing the effectiveness of promotional activities;
attracting buyers' interest in the company's products.

Tasks of motivating intermediaries:

inclusion of products in a permanent assortment;
regular orders in large volumes.

Working with personnel directly at retail outlets is aimed at creating a personal interest among employees in order for the goods to be sold as soon as possible.

Advantages

Sales promotion has a number of positive aspects:

the effect comes very quickly;
using various methods, you can attract any target audience;
from a financial point of view, sales promotion activities are available to both large and small organizations;
motivates to make the next purchase;
sales volume increases sharply;
keeps customers in good shape, promotes excitement;
supports the work of intermediaries;
contributes to the overall development of trade.

Flaws

The disadvantages of stimulating sales of goods include:

a short period of action, advertising support is required to increase it;
after the completion of various promotions, sales volume, as a rule, drops sharply;
with the continuous use of stimulation methods, they lose their effectiveness;
some nuances are established and regulated at the legislative level;
low probability of attracting new regular customers;
a high percentage of fraud (for example, theft of incentive prizes by intermediaries);
if the buyer has formed stable preferences, he is unlikely to respond to the proposals of other companies.

Types

To date, there are three main incentive mechanisms that encourage purchases:

General.
Selective.
Individual.

The objective of the general promotion of retail sales is to revitalize trade. It is aimed at all target audiences and combines the complex use of several methods: discounts, tastings, coupons, lotteries, gifts, etc.

Selective sales promotion does not require strong advertising support. The use of this type involves the placement of goods separately from the general display, for example, at the entrance to a retail outlet, in the middle of the hall, in the aisles between the racks.

Individual sales promotion usually comes from the manufacturer. It is held in the premises intended for viewing products, and involves the use, for example, of an unusual packaging design containing information about bonuses, competitions, etc.

Incentive methods, their features

In order to constantly maintain the interest of buyers in products, high-quality advertising is needed. For it to work as efficiently as possible, it must be combined with other ways to quickly promote trade.

Effective methods to stimulate the sale of goods are:

Distribution of free samples. This method helps to attract new customers by giving them the opportunity to actually try out the product and evaluate it objectively. The disadvantage of the method is that the manufacturer cannot predict in advance the degree of success of the sale of goods. In addition, admission requires significant financial investments.
Demonstration of goods (tasting, if we are talking about drinks and food). On the one hand, the consumer has the opportunity to evaluate the product, but on the other hand, this method affects a small number of people and requires a lot of money.
Mailing flyers containing information about discounts and benefits. Advantages: excellent susceptibility, unobtrusive reporting to the potential buyer of information about the benefits of the acquisition. Disadvantages: the peak sales volume does not reach immediately. The content of the offer should be given special attention - each line of the text should be written correctly and motivate the purchase.
Placement of information about discounts in printed publications. Positive aspects: the method takes into account geographical features and most fully covers the desired target audiences. Nevertheless, the degree of susceptibility of this method is low.
Money Back Guarantee. The method strengthens the reputation of the company, makes its image positive in the eyes of customers. By creating the image of an organization that is confident in the quality of its products, new consumers are attracted. The main drawback is that sales volumes increase slightly.
Purchase Gift. The method does not require significant financial investments, and the level of sales increases rapidly. But regular customers do not need strong motivation, besides, gifts do not always reach the end consumer in full due to the high percentage of thefts by intermediaries.
Compilation of a set of several products sold at a discount. An effective method that stimulates the acceleration of sales. The buyer can evaluate several products of the company at once. Negative moment - reduces the level of prestige of the enterprise.
Contests, lotteries, games. These methods motivate people to make a purchase due to the appearance of excitement, an element of rivalry. Consumers develop trust in the brand. The disadvantage is that in the end, a limited number of people take part in the events, and the implementation of ideas is very expensive.

Forms of incentives

The greatest efficiency is achieved by using several methods simultaneously. An integrated approach involves combining them into the following forms of sales promotion:

Price. It is a temporary decrease in the price level to such a limit that the volume of sales increases sharply, but the company does not suffer serious losses due to a decrease in the cost of goods.
Stimulation in kind. The consumer receives a reward for the purchase made (prizes, coupons, samples).
active offer. Includes all methods that involve the participation of gambling-minded people.
Stimulation of intermediaries. Techniques aimed at creating a stable interest among sales agents and sellers in a commercially successful result.
Advertising in place. It implies bright design, eye-catching posters, noticeable signs, etc.

Features of the implementation of measures

To achieve maximum efficiency when organizing sales promotion, the following nuances must be taken into account:

Too little financial investment will not bring the desired result. It is important to apply the methods in a complex way; the implementation of one sales volume will not significantly increase.
When developing a program, it is important to consider the timing of its implementation. With a short duration, it will not be possible to attract the maximum number of potential buyers. A protracted period of shares is also ineffective.
If possible, it is recommended that incentives be tested before they are introduced on a large scale. This is necessary in order to predict the result.
After the events that encourage people to buy are over, it is important to evaluate the degree of their effectiveness.

Finally

In today's market, maintaining competitiveness is a must. There are many ways to draw attention to the company's products of potential customers, but their choice must be justified, and the implementation carefully planned. It is important to remember that the method should preserve and strengthen the positive image of the company, and not just increase sales.