In marketing, sales promotion is one of the four aspects of promotion. The other three parts of the promotional mix are advertising, personal selling, and publicity/public relations. Sales promotions are non-personal promotional efforts that are designed to have an immediate impact on sales. Sales promotion is media and non-media marketing communications employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability. Examples include:
  • coupons
  • discounts and sales
  • contests
  • point of purchase displays
  • rebates
Sales promotions can be directed at either the customer, your sales staff, or distribution channel members (such as retailers). Sales promotions targeted at the consumer are called consumer sales promotions. Sales promotions targeted at retailers and wholesalers are called trade sales promotions.

Consumer Sales Promotion Techniques include:

Trade Sales Promotion Techniques include:

  • Trade Allowances: short term incentive offered to induce a retailer to stock up on a product.
  • Dealer Loader: An incentive given to induce a retailer to purchase and display a product.
  • Trade Contest: A contest to reward retailers that sell the most product
  • Point-of-purchase displays: Extra sales tools given to retailers to boost sales
  • Training Programs: dealer employees are trained in selling the product
  • Push Money: also known as spiffs. An extra commission paid to retailer employees to push products.

see also:
marketing, promotion, retailing, pricing

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