Would a special offer help with your marketing?

Posted: Sep 30, 2011
Author: WordJack Media

 How to create offers without discounting:    

Special offers are excellent for marketing new businesses or generating sales in seasonal slumps. The objective is to get people to try your service/product, find out how good it is, and to become loyal customers.

For a special offer to be successful, it must have two essential elements:

1. THE BAIT: This is a special price or some other offer to lure potential customers.
2. EXPIRY DATE: This encourages customers to cash in on the deal before it’s too late.

So, how do you create a special offer without discounting? This can be achieved by adding more value to a package of services or products instead of offering a discount. Examples: include free training, extended warranties, or a free trial run, etc. Obviously, these depend on the nature of your business. Essentially, offer something that doesn’t put you out of pocket. You must however clearly state the ‘value’ that these extras are worth.

Special offers should be time-dependent and you should give a good reason for this. If your business is seasonal, make it known that you are able to offer out-of-season specials because you have excess stock or resources. If you tell potential customers why you can give a special offer, they are less likely to view it as a marketing ploy. A good example is a clothing store announcing: CLEARANCE SALE – 30% OFF EVERYTHING – NEW SUMMER STOCK ARRIVING SOON!  

Time-dependent specials work especially well if you can forecast periods when sales will be low. They can become powerful weapons in your marketing armory and, if you are shrewd in your thinking, they can cost you nothing.