Information Sheet on Common 1

Basic Competency skills needed to access internet

What are promotional activities?

Promotional activities are techniques that marketing teams use to increase
awareness of their brand, products and services. This can help them attract new
customers, retain current customers and increase their company's revenue.
Promotional strategies often aim to first make customers aware of their
products and increase their interest. They then try to increase desire in target
groups and convince them to take action by making a purchase.

13 promotional activities to help you grow your business

Here are some of the 13 most common promotional activities that businesses
use to drive conversion and increase sales:

1. Social media advertising

Social media advertising is becoming one of the most popular types of
promotional activities for businesses in all sectors. It allows companies to
promote their products directly to potential customers and track engagement
with their materials using metrics. You can consider creating a series of ads for
your social media profiles and employing user data to target people who show
an interest in similar posts. It may also be helpful to create a hashtag or virtual
social media event to generate excitement around an upcoming release.
Different social media sites often have distinct user profiles, so consider using
multiple platforms.

2. Email and SMS campaigns

Many businesses now use targeted email or SMS campaigns to promote their
products and services directly to current or potential customers. These methods
often have a high return on investment and can include calls to action to
encourage engagement or purchases. Email and SMS marketing are often
especially effective for reminding past customers of your brand and increasing
retention. You can consider using social media posts or a website landing page
to collect email addresses and phone numbers. You can then create automated
campaigns that send messages to people on your mailing lists.

3. Content creation
Content creation is an increasingly popular form of online promotion that
companies use to increase awareness of their brand and familiarize the public
with their products. Content can refer to a wide range of materials, including:
 Product or company blogs
 Introductory videos
 Podcasts
 Product videos or unboxing videos
 Social media posts and infographics
  Guest posts on industry sites or blogs
 Guest appearances on industry podcasts and shows
 Online or print magazine articles
 Customer videos

4. Paid advertising
Paid advertising involves paying a domain owner for the opportunity to promote
a product or service. Companies can pay to have their products advertised on
popular websites or search engines and may also create paid social media
advertising campaigns. There are three primary styles of online paid
advertising:
 Display ads: Display ads are usually visual advertisements that appear
on websites or social media platforms, rather than in search results. When
users click these ads, they usually go to a landing page where they
receive a call to action.
 Pay-per-click ads: Pay-per-click ads are paid text advertisements that
usually appear in search results. In this model of advertising, a company
pays the host every time a user clicks the ad and proceeds to their page.
 Pay-per-impression ads: Pay per impression ads are another type of
paid promotion that charges a company every time an ad is displayed to a
customer. This method can be effective for raising awareness of your
brand.

5. Sponsorships
Sponsorships are a form of promotion in which a company provides funding or
hosting for an event in return for advertising opportunities. If your company
works in a competitive market, sponsorships may be a good way to increase
awareness of your brand and distinguish it from other companies in the space.
Even a small event can provide many promotional opportunities. Consider
sponsoring an event that is important in your industry or popular with your
target customer base.

6. Promotional merchandise
Some companies use branded merchandise to raise awareness of their brand
and create a visual identity. Merchandise can include clothing, phone cases,
tote bags, cups or mugs, pens and office supplies or specialty items that relate
to your brand. You can consider handing merchandise out at events or sending
it to current customers with their orders. Distributing merchandise can give your
customers something tangible to remind them of your brand and can help them
raise awareness of your company among their friends and acquaintances.

7. Personal selling
Personal selling is a common sales and promotional strategy that companies
have used for decades. It involves salespeople directly contacting or meeting
current or potential customers to give them information on their company and
encourage them to make purchases. This method can add an element of human
connection to your customer interactions and can help you build strong
relationships with clients. Since personal selling requires trained and salaried
salespeople, it can be more expensive than other forms of marketing.

8. Outdoor marketing
Outdoor marketing is a traditional form of advertising that uses public displays
to promote a product or service. This can include billboards, banners and other
displays posted in busy public areas. Although often more expensive and less
targeted than other promotional methods, it has the potential to reach a large
number of consumers with exciting graphics and messaging. This can make it a
good way to establish a strong visual identity for your brand.

9. Public relations
Public relations is the process of creating and managing a brand's public image.
It has many purposes, including providing publicity. Public relations strategies
include ensuring positive coverage in media, creating press releases, increasing
customer engagement, organizing public events and communicating company
values. These strategies can help you increase public awareness of your brand
while ensuring that customers have a positive image of your company and
products.

10. Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a recent marketing development that allows companies
to promote their products and services in collaboration with well-known internet
personalities. Companies often identify social media profiles with large
followings among their target demographic. They can then ask the profile owner
or administrator to post pictures with their products, provide positive reviews,
offer discount codes and post links to their websites. This can be an effective
way to reach more social media users in your target market and build a brand
that customers identify with.

11. Guerilla marketing

Guerilla marketing refers to surprising and unorthodox interactions that brands
organize with the public. It is often less expensive than other forms of marketing
and relies on creativity to make an impression on potential customers. Guerilla
marketing usually uses everyday environments as a setting for customer
interactions. Outdoor guerilla marketing may involve setting up advertisements
in public spaces or interacting with potential customers on the street. Indoor
guerilla marketing uses the same techniques in indoor spaces, such as
transportation stations, college campus buildings or shopping centers.
Companies may also make surprise appearances during events, like sports
games or concerts.
12. Reward and loyalty programs
Many businesses use reward or loyalty programs to retain existing customers
and create a positive brand image. These techniques can help create a loyal
customer base that is more likely to promote a brand to their friends and
families. These programs can include:
 Rewards after a certain number of purchases
 Discounts for repeat customers
 Contest entries
 Free samples

13. Partnerships and joint promotion

Businesses often use joint promotion to increase the visibility of their products.
This involves partnering with another business whose customer demographic
overlaps with your own and promoting your products together. This can reduce
marketing costs and can be a good way to expand your market share by
converting the other company's existing customers.
Companies may also enter into partnerships with campaigns and initiatives that
align with their values. This can be a good way to introduce your brand to new
customers and to demonstrate the values that your company holds. This can
help create a positive public image by associating your company with good
causes.

Reference:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/promotional-
activities