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12 inexpensive retail promotional ideas!

We all need ideas. Some of these ideas may be new or old for you, but you might find something you can use anyway. One thing is for sure is that they have all worked and we all need ideas, even if some of them have been lost in the confusion. Sometimes you can take an old idea and put a new spin on it. So … here they are!

Know the sale: Find out from your local government where you can get a list of the newest residents and invite them about once a quarter with an invitation to a special event. You could call it a “get acquainted sale” and offer a special discount and hors d’oeuvres. Don’t forget to receive their emails and any other contact information from them.

Carry out a joint promotion with other companies or retailers; possibly even a restaurant. You can offer your products at a discount, or possibly a free meal with a meal purchase, in exchange for a purchase from your store. The other business could do the same.

Work on creating some announcements over the summer for the next school year designed to appear in the school newspapers in your area. You could even offer a donation to a school fundraiser in exchange for each sale. Students are tomorrow’s customers and if you have products that appeal to them now, promote your store to you and them today.

Start building followers for a special surprise of the week we have regular day of the week. Avoid advertising specific products, but work regularly to build the concept through posters and brochures. Turn it into a special discount, with the idea that customers start thinking about your store each week that day, just to find out what it might have. On the same day, post a large poster with the “Surprise Special of the Week – Available TODAY!”

Offer a free lesson or class about makeup, scrapbooking, sewing, hairstyle, gardening or a home improvement task or even how to get more effective use of a product or product line you are selling. The options are limited only by your imagination. When customers learn how to get the most out of your products, they are more likely to buy more and also connect more with your business.

Have a character to attract attention: Find out what it would take to have a special sports team mascot or other character in costume to draw attention to your store on a special weekend. At a minimum, use your email list and create a flyer to distribute to clients to promote the event. This is much more successful if you do it in a store that has a lot of traffic driving or walking through your store.

More window advertising: With all the commercial space vacant, take advantage of empty windows by reaching out to owners in nearby locations so you can create a showcase in an empty storefront. The owner benefits from having a better looking and active storefront and you gain from having another free advertising vehicle. Just don’t agree to pay them for the privilege.

Offer lunch at your store once a month, if you are in an area with many offices within walking distance. The idea is that every month, on the same day, you make it easy for potential customers to shop at your store while they have lunch. You can offer sandwiches, chips and a cold drink. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just regular. Again, advertise your event continuously over a long period of time to develop the habit with customers. Advertise with store signs, banners and flyers at the front desk. Put up the banner a day or two before the day to remind buyers.

Consider a FREE offer on after-sales service – cleaning or maintenance of the product purchased in your store.

Advertise in unusual and creative locations. Advertising on other companies’ websites, on gas station videos, in restrooms, and even on park benches are all good possibilities. A company pays to fill the potholes in the city and then paints its logo on the potholes with the blessing of the city. You can also advertise in the sign area or on bus stop seats. Don’t forget that advertising on the outside of the bus will get many potential customers to see your business on a daily basis, whether they take the bus or not. You don’t even have to like buses! Just make sure these are your target customers.

As an example:

In and around Louisville, KY (KFC headquarters), Kentucky Fried Chicken is filling the potholes faster than you can say “Finger Licken ‘Good.” As part of a new marketing campaign, KFC is given the right to mark and label potholes with a template that reads “Renewed by KFC.” This idea is working for them on a couple of fronts. (1) The city fills and pays for many of its potholes. (2) KFC receives excellent publicity on roads and highways every day. Talk about traffic! (3) KFC gains good public relations and goodwill by dealing with previously aggravated driver potholes. Imagine the mileage a specialty drink could get from the term “refreshed.”

Sale today? Check the temperature!

Offer a standard sale offer that comes and goes with the temperature you promote throughout the summer. Promote it on any call waiting recording. Promote it with flyers all summer long. Promote it on banners and in your window. Post it on your tweets, facebook, and your website. But do it consistently over time! Do what you ask?

Promote the fact that any day the temperature is above __XXX degrees __ (you decide) all merchandise will be ____% off. You can also limit it to a particular type of merchandise, such as clothing store shorts. Do this regularly enough over time and sales will increase as customers start to remember you and look for you on those hot days. You can also do the same in winter!

Business cards and books: I’ve seen this one used at my own local bookstore. In this case, the business takes your business cards and places them in all the books related to your business. Obviously, a computer repair company could put one on every book on the library or computer bookstore shelf. Talk about targeted marketing. Wow! And it is also cheap.

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