Articles: promotion

Printed promotion has one advantage over online advertising: the customer holds it and has to make a conscious decision to throw it away. That is a short moment, but long enough for an offer to register. The articles here show how to use it in hospitality, services and retail.

A promotion the customer holds

A few approaches come back again and again, because they are simple and need no system behind them.

• A tear-off coupon - the part worth keeping stays, and the rest can go in the bin.
• A gift voucher - it is bought for somebody else, so it brings in a new person.
• An insert in an order - an idea for next time reaches somebody who already trusted you.
• A card with a code - it links print with what happens on your site and lets you count the response.
• Seasonal material - breakfasts, brunch or a summer offer have their own rhythm and deserve their own piece.

Before you print

The important part is the first sentence the customer reads. It should say what they get and what to do next. Everything else is detail: dates, conditions, address, opening hours. Decide in advance how you will know the campaign worked - the number of coupons handed back, a phrase given at the till or a separate web address are enough. One more thing: printing a smaller run, checking the response and repeating beats ordering a large quantity of something still being tested.

If you are looking for an idea for the coming season, start with the text about your own trade, then look at the articles on coupons and vouchers.