Creating great store promotions is both an art and a science. It deserves plenty of thought, great application of skill and an ability to create excitement—and, with it, strong sales.
Even though the bottom line for most retailers rests on the success of store promotions and sales events, and that they are familiar with routine aspects of the business, it’s still a good idea to review what can make those efforts truly shine. Here are three thoughts to keep in mind:
1. Get your stock and displays ready in advance: As much as possible, get all your “T’s” crossed when you prep for your upcoming promos. If you’ve already planned seasonal promos as part of your goal-setting calendar, this is probably just part of your usual process. As part of your action plan and goal setting, your promotions should be set well enough in advance to make them easy to implement. That’s not to say you can’t pivot to promote a product or nutrient that is suddenly in the media spotlight, either, because that can be a great way to respond to a burst of customer interest.
But I would also encourage you to keep a few evergreen topics and ideas in mind that you can set up quickly and then promote through your website, store newsletters, local ads and social media. Some of these might dovetail with a nutrient or supplement that suddenly becomes a hot topic, and if so, you have a few bases covered at once.
2. Promote your promotion: This sounds like obvious advice, but in the whirlwind of activity, it can be easy to forget some basics. That includes how much you advertise your store promotions, and through which means or platforms.
If you need to, have someone on your store’s team head up your social media accounts and make sure any promo gets mentioned there—a lot. Likewise, in your newsletters, printed or emailed, mention your promo. Treat it like the event it deserves to be and let your ads about it generate excitement. Let customers who are part of a store loyalty program know about any promo in advance and consider giving them a sneak preview the night before the sale officially starts. That also gives a chance to customers who have become more ‘virtual’ since COVID-19 to still feel like they are getting special treatment and are part of this event.
Remember to make creative use of signage a part of your promotions, too. Large-sized, eye-catching signs that fill up entire windows or doors can be a great way to push out the names of products, the dates of the sale and drive home a sense of urgency.
Have your most talented and artistic team members build up your endcaps and select or design in-store signs to make your displays memorable and effective. Like anything well designed, it should draw your customers into your curated selection of promoted products.
Again, make sure every potential outlet for letting your customers know about your promotion is considered, including your local papers and radio stations, and Facebook and Instagram accounts. Also, consider tying in your events with other local businesses, too—like having exercise trainers give a presentation during a pain relief promo, for example.
3. Educate your team: Educating your staff with a deep dive on the products highlighted in this promotion sounds like basic advice, but the point is, since your promo may be the very thing that brings in new customers, it’s incredibly important to showcase the competence of your team on those products.
Make sure to teach, review, and be a good mentor and coach in the days leading up to this promotion so that everyone on your staff who has questions feels like they can come to you for answers and explanations. For some, it may require a crash course of educational materials to become familiar with the featured items you have on sale. If you are fortunate enough to work with vendors who have informative brochures, articles, archived webinars or other training materials, make good use of them.
The bottom line: the best promotions make more than money
One of the positives of creating a successful sales event at your store is that promotions may introduce life-improving products to entirely new customers. One survey reported that two-thirds of customers made purchases they didn’t originally intend due to offers or discounts, and 80 percent were more likely to try out a new brand because of offers or discounts. I think you must be careful about how deep you make your price cuts in any business, but for the sake of introducing some of your store’s most profitable and popular brands to a new audience, it’s something to keep in mind. After all, any quality product is worth buying again, even at its regular price once the promotion has run its course.
And ultimately, when you introduce new people to products you truly believe in, products that make a life-improving difference, you are fulfilling your store’s mission in a deeply meaningful way. VR
A highly regarded leader in the natural products industry, Terry Lemerond is founder and president of EuroPharma, Inc. He also founded Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. and PhytoPharmica, Inc. and is currently co-owner of the Terry Naturally Health Food Stores in Green Bay & Suamico, WI, which recently won its eighth consecutive consumer choice award as “Best of the Bay.” With more than 50 years in the natural products industry, Lemerond has researched and developed more than 400 nutritional and botanical formulations that continue to be top-selling products in the market. Lemerond shares his wealth of experience and knowledge in health and nutrition through his educational programs, including a weekly radio show and newsletter, podcasts, webinars, and personal speaking engagements. He is author of 13 books, including Seven Keys to Vibrant Health, Seven Keys to Unlimited Personal Achievement and 50+ Natural Health Secrets.
