It’s easier than ever to be a consumer. Digitization has transformed our phones from just a communication device to a global market, bursting with brands, advertisements, and “add to cart” behind nearly every URL. In fact, in 2021, almost 2.2 billion people (yes, with a b. That’s two hundred thousand million people)  purchased something online, up from 1.5 billion just five years ago. As a consumer, this is amazing!

As a brand, however, you’re probably left reeling. The days of consumers walking into their regular (probably the closest to their home) retail store and buying everything they needed and coming back next week, are simply over now. Your consumers can buy whatever they want from an endless number of other companies. Fail to satisfy a customer and you might never see them again. Yikes. 

In order to stay competitive and maintain customer loyalty, your company must be agile and meet their evolving needs. Delight your customers and keep them returning to your store with effective in-store promotions. 

In-Store Promotions as Part of Your Customer Loyalty Strategy

An in-store promotion is, of course, a marketing strategy to increase sales of a particular product or service within a brick-and-mortar store. You won’t find these deals shopping online. 

Done well, in-store promotions urge consumers to engage with a brand, product, or service. Most of the time, an in-store promotion will appeal to a consumer’s urgency and emotions. Ever heard of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)? Consumers don’t want to miss out on a great deal, a fun time, or a chance to win. Once you’ve tapped into this, you can use it to help convince your consumers to take a desired action. 

These promotions can take life in a number of different ways: point-of-sale advertising, buy-one-get-one deals, product giveaways, and samples, you get the gist. 

However you spin it, whether it’s a sample, a sale, BOGO, a chance to win something, or freebies, offering your customers an “exclusive in-store promotion” is bound to build your relationship with them. Encourage positive feelings about your brand, and even foster greater brand loyalty. 

In-Store Promotions Done Well 

Ok. So, we know what we’re up against: consumers with more options than they know what to do with and a list of ever-evolving needs. A painfully saturated retail market with individuals launching competitive e-commerce brands left and right. And, finally, a digital-first world that no longer prioritizes brick and mortar retail shopping.

No problem, right? We’re only looking at a dramatic shift in the way consumers purchase goods and services over the last decade, nothing too difficult to handle. Actually, it’s not impossible! Successful brands have pivoted their strategy in recent years, implementing new campaigns to encourage more in-store shopping. Enter in-store promotions. 

Promotions are valuable in launching new products, as you can test its success with a wider audience who might not be willing to spend money on a product they’ve not tried yet. Confident your product is a good one? Let consumers try it for themselves and you might just find them running back to you for more. 

Consider partnering with another brand to double, or even triple the popularity of your product. Some of our favorite campaigns to run feature two incredible brands joining forces to achieve a similar goal. This was evident with Call of Duty, MTN Dew, and Doritos partnering to build hype for the new Call of Duty game, while increasing sales for MTN Dew and Doritos. 

Here, three brands came together and achieved millions of extra sales. Not only that, but by offering in-game benefits and further connecting the three brands (go ahead, ask any gamer what they snack on while playing. MTN Dew and Doritos have created a cult-like loyalty amongst gamers), these three brands solidified brand loyalty in an enticing way. Consumers continued to purchase MTN Dew and Doritos in-store so they could reap the benefits in-game.

Your Next In-Store Promotion is Waiting

As you can see, getting consumers into a retail store and in front of your products is trickier than ever, but still critical in achieving your brand’s goals. You’ll need to get creative in your efforts to encourage customers to seek your brand out, and you’ll need to work even harder to keep them coming back.

The more a customer recognizes your brand, the more likely they are to make a purchase. After a purchase, if you continue to actively remind your customer of your brand through subsequent promotions or other customer retention techniques, they will be repeat purchasers. 

Offer your customers a quality, effective in-store promotion and watch your sales surpass goals. Whether you’ve run them before or are new to the world of promotions, reach out to one of our experts today for a free consultation.