10 Proven Sales Promotion Ideas That Every Brand Should Try

What is a sales promotion?

Sales promotions are short-term marketing activities designed to encourage customers to buy a product or service. They usually provide an added incentive, such as discounts, coupons, free samples, contests, buy-one-get-one offers, loyalty points, or limited-time deals.

Businesses use sales promotions to boost sales quickly, clear out inventory, attract new customers, or reward existing ones. They are often time-bound to create urgency and are commonly used alongside advertising and personal selling to increase overall effectiveness.

Different types of sales strategies

When planning how to reach buyers, companies typically choose between push and pull methods. Let's explore each in depth:

Push strategy

A sales approach where a company actively promotes its products to customers or retailers to generate immediate purchases, often before the customer has shown interest. 

Pros:

• Products get sold faster because they are actively promoted.
• You can choose where your products appear and how they are sold.
• Easier to plan inventory because sales are pushed through known channels.

Cons:

• Significant spending on advertising, promotions, and incentives is required to motivate retailers and wholesalers.
• Forecasting errors may lead to producing more goods than needed, resulting in excess inventory and storage costs.
• Direct engagement with end consumers is minimal, making it harder to adapt quickly to market changes.

Pull Strategy

A sales approach where a company creates demand and attracts customers to seek out its products, encouraging purchases driven by customer interest and brand preference.

Pros:

• Builds strong relationships because people seek out your brand.
• Customers are willing to pay more when they want the product.
• Happy customers tell others, spreading awareness.

Cons:

•  Success relies heavily on the company’s ability to attract and engage consumers directly, requiring strong marketing efforts.
• Building consumer awareness and demand takes time, so immediate revenue generation may be limited.

•  Products without an established market presence may struggle to generate sufficient demand.

How to pick your strategy

Choosing the right sales approach starts with understanding your product and audience and business goals. Here are some key dimensions to look at:

1. Product type

Push strategies align with low-involvement products, such as everyday items, where purchase decisions are made quickly.

Pull strategies are more effective for high-involvement products, such as electronics or premium goods, where buyers invest time in research before making a purchase.

2. Product awareness

If your product is new or not widely recognized, a push strategy helps create visibility by putting it directly in front of potential buyers.

If your product already has a strong reputation or caters to a niche audience, a pull strategy works better by drawing customers in through demand.

3. Audience behavior

A push strategy is ideal for reaching customers who are not actively searching but may be influenced by visibility and promotion.

A pull strategy suits customers who already know what they want and seek out products that match their specific needs.

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10 ideas to do sales promotion

1.In-person activations and pop-ups

Good for: DTC Product launches

In-person activations and pop-ups are temporary events or installations that allow customers to interact directly with a brand or product, creating memorable experiences and driving immediate engagement.

For example, Tower 28 hosted pop-ups at Sephora studios in cities like Los Angeles and Houston to promote new blush shades, allowing attendees to try products firsthand and participate in branded experiences.

These events build excitement, encourage social sharing, strengthen brand loyalty, and often lead to increased sales both at the event and afterward.

How to do it:

• Choose a high-traffic location or event where your target audience is present.
• Offer product sampling, interactive demos, or experiences that highlight product benefits.
• Include giveaways, coupons, or incentives to encourage immediate purchases.
• Promote the activation through social media, email marketing, and local advertising.
• Collect feedback or contact info from attendees to support future marketing campaigns.

2. Bundle deals

Good for: SaaS and DTC brands

Bundle deals group multiple products, features, or service tiers together at a discounted price, giving customers more value while encouraging them to try additional offerings. 

For example, a project management SaaS might offer a “Team Productivity Bundle” including task management, time tracking, and reporting features at a reduced subscription rate.

This approach increases average revenue per user or order, drives adoption of additional features or products, and strengthens long-term customer loyalty.

How to do it:

• Identify complementary products, features, or services that provide clear combined value.
• Offer bundles at a discounted rate compared to individual purchases or subscriptions.
• Promote bundles via email campaigns, social media, website banners, or in-app notifications.
• Test limited-time or seasonal bundle promotions to create urgency.

3.Timed product launches

Good for: Beauty and consumer goods

Launching a product just before a major sales event creates momentum and positions it to benefit from existing promotional traffic. Dedcool released Mochi Milk a few weeks before the Sephora Savings Event to maximize exposure and drive early sales.

How to do it:

• Schedule launches to coincide with planned retailer events or seasonal promotions.
• Promote new products across DTC and retail channels before the sale.
• Ensure initial inventory can meet anticipated demand.
• Use the launch to generate buzz via email, social media, and in-store displays.

4. Loyalty program birthday gifts

Good for: Retailers and subscription-based brands

Birthday gift programs are promotions that reward customers with a free product or set of products around their birthday to build emotional connections and encourage repeat purchases. 

For example, Sephora’s Beauty Insider program allows members to redeem a free gift from brands like Makeup by Mario, Juliette Has a Gun, or other participating brands, giving customers a risk-free way to try products while driving loyalty and future sales

How to do it:

• Offer a free product or mini-set to customers during their birthday period.
• Collaborate with key brands to feature hero products or exclusive items.
• Track redemption and subsequent purchasing behavior to measure impact.
• Promote the program to all loyalty tiers to increase awareness and engagement.

5. Free shipping

Good for: E-commerce services

Free shipping encourages customers to complete purchases by removing an extra cost barrier. It can increase conversion rates and average order value, especially when competitors charge for shipping.

How to do it:

• Set clear eligibility criteria, such as a minimum order value.
• Promote free shipping prominently on your website, emails, and social media.
• Consider a limited-time free shipping category to create urgency.
• Track the impact on sales and profitability to adjust future offers.

6. Sensory and experiential activations

Good for: Beauty, lifestyle, and consumer goods brands

Experiential food and beverage activations are marketing events that combine a product with immersive food or drink experiences to engage customers’ senses and create lasting memories. 

For example, Laneige hosted “Cream Skin Café” events and partnered with Boba Guys and La La Land Kind Cafe to create specialty drinks and treats that reflected product flavors, allowing attendees to taste, see, and interact with the brand. 

These events encouraged social sharing, built community engagement, and strengthened emotional connections with the products.

How to do it:

• Partner with local or popular food and beverage brands to co-create unique experiences.
• Align flavors, packaging, or presentation with your product’s key features.
• Invite influencers and community members to drive both awareness and attendance.
  
• Encourage attendees to share content on social media using branded hashtags.

7. Sampling with purchase

Good for: High-cost or trial-driven products

Sampling or gifts with purchase allow customers to try products without risk, encouraging conversion and repeat sales.

For example, Sephora provides fragrance samples and mini beauty products to customers, letting them explore new items without committing to full-size purchases.

This tactic helps build customer trust, drive discovery, and convert trials into long-term loyalty.

How to do it:

• Include mini versions of popular products with purchase or through loyalty programs.
• Rotate samples to showcase new launches or seasonal offerings.
• Use sampling at points of high foot traffic or online checkout.

8. Free product giveaways for early attendees

Good for: Brands launching new products 

Free product giveaways reward early engagement and generate excitement for a launch or event. For example, Laneige gave full-size lip products to the first 25 customers during its Boba Guys collaboration, encouraging early attendance and social sharing while promoting new flavors. 

These giveaways build loyalty, create buzz, and encourage attendees to share their experience with friends or online communities.

How to do it:

• Set a clear number of products for giveaways to create exclusivity.
• Tie the giveaway to product launches, pop-ups, or special events.
• Promote the opportunity in advance to build anticipation.
• Collect attendee feedback or sign-ups to expand your brand community.

9. Buy One, Get One (or More) Free

Good for: SaaS companies

A BOGO promotion gives customers an additional free service, subscription, or access when they purchase the initial one, leveraging the appeal of a “free” offer to drive conversions. This works best when having multiple seats, licenses, or accesses provides clear value to the customer.

For example, Liberty Software, a pharmacy software provider, offered a BOGO deal for a leadership summit, allowing pharmacy owners to register two attendees for the price of one during a limited-time promotion.

This tactic encourages new sign-ups, increases adoption among teams, and can expand brand awareness through the additional users who experience the product or service.

How to do it:

• Identify products, subscriptions, or event tickets where additional units add real value.
• Set a clear timeframe for the BOGO offer to create urgency.
• Promote the offer through email, social media, and your website.
• Consider limiting BOGO availability per customer to manage cost and inventory.

10. Free resources

Good for: SaaS companies 

Offering free resources—such as ebooks, templates, guides, or webinars—provides value to potential customers while introducing them to your product or service. This strategy positions your brand as a helpful authority and encourages prospects to engage with your offerings.

For example, HubSpot offers a free downloadable project plan template, allowing users to organize and manage their projects efficiently while familiarizing themselves with HubSpot’s tools and ecosystem.

This tactic helps attract new leads, nurture relationships, and increase the likelihood of conversions over time.

How to do it:

• Identify resources that address common pain points or knowledge gaps in your target audience.
• Offer them in exchange for contact information to capture leads.
• Promote the resources via your website, email marketing, and social media.
• Ensure the content demonstrates your SaaS product’s value subtly.
  

Final thoughts

Creating a standout product is only half the battle; getting it into the hands of your customers is where the real work begins. By implementing the sales promotion strategies outlined in this guide, you can drive immediate purchases, boost brand awareness, and foster long-term loyalty.

Start by selecting the tactics that align best with your product, test their effectiveness, and refine your approach as you go. With a consistent, well-planned promotion strategy, your hard work can translate into measurable sales and sustained growth.

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