Increase Sales with Special Offers
By Dino Piccinini, PR Store

Including special offers in advertising is one of the most effective ways for small businesses to generate sales and build customer loyalty. That sounds like common sense here, but you’d be surprised how many ads don’t offer any sort of unique incentive, or worse, are self-serving. For fun, just pick up any print publication and peruse the pages, keeping track of how many ads offer nothing useful or valuable to its audience. You’ll be amazed.

Consultants recommend that small businesses focus on advertising that produces sales in the short term rather than concentrating on “image” advertising designed to generate future sales (name recognition and branding ads). Including an exclusive offer in your ad – and an easy way for customers to use the offer – motivates potential customers to purchase your products or services now.

Make sure the offer is easy to understand and always include an expiration date. Coupons and special offers are more effective if customers know they have a limited time to take advantage of them. This creates a sense of urgency in customers’ minds. Just be sure to give your customers a reasonable amount of time to redeem the offer. If you’re business provides a service instead of selling a product, consider offering a gift card to a local restaurant. This is a thoughtful gesture – and helps out a fellow business owner at the same time!

In addition, limiting the time for redemption also helps you keep track of the response rate so you’ll know which offers bring you the most business. Typically, a certain dollar amount or monetary savings is the best incentive. Movie passes are also a popular giveaway incentive.

Finally, offering special deals to your previous customers helps to build customer loyalty and encourages repeat business. This approach gives you the best of both worlds: you’ll be building your name recognition and generating short-term sales with the same materials.

Dino Piccinini is the owner of The PRstore in Toledo (www.prstore134.com), the first full-service marketing and advertising retail center created exclusively for the promotional and communication needs of today’s small business owner. Contact him at (419) 842-8580.