Promotion Ideas

Birthday Promotions

Give customers a freebie or discount on their birthday.

Challenges

Challenge your customers to do something, and give a reward to anybody who accomplishes the goal.

Contests

Run a unique contest. Contests have a lot of viral power. They also appeal to media organizations, and make great press release opportunities.

Crowdsourcing

Challenge the public to create your new logo, sign, advertisement, theme song, or whatever it is you need and offer the winner a large prize.

Facebook/Twitter Promotions

Announce special offers, contests, promotions, and special events regularly over Facebook and Twitter.

Advertise that you regularly announce special deals on Twitter and Facebook to help build your subscriber base.

E-mail Promotions

Have your customers e-mail you in exchange for either a prize or a chance to win a prize. Specify that participating gives you permission to send them periodic special offers via e-mail.

First X Customers Get a Prize/Discount

The first X customers who make it to your store get a freebie or discount. One unique way of doing this is to partner with a radio station and have the DJ announce at a random time each day that the first X customers to visit your store will receive a prize.

Fun and Games

Turn paying the bill into a promotion by having customers spin a prize wheel or throw a dart at a dart board with the chance of getting their order at a discount.

The more interactive the game is, the more viral it will be as people tell their friends about how much fun they had, or how close they came to winning the big prize.

Flavor of the Month

Offer a flavour or special of the month. This doesn’t just work for food products.

For example, a graphic design firm could offer a “Logo Beautification Month” which offers specials discounts to any business that purchases a new logo.

Invent Your Own Holiday!

A florist could invent a "Buy Your Wife Flowers Day". A bakery could invent a "National Chocolate Day".

Large Purchase Promotions

Offer a discount, reward, or prize if the customer spends over $X.

Limited Time Offers

Make limited time offers that encourage your prospects to avoid procrastinating.

Point Systems

Start a point system with a “points store” where customers can cash in their points for merchandise or prizes. Offer points with each purchase, or for each friend a person refers.

Prize Drawings

Hold a prize drawing that is open to anybody who visits X times in a month, or spends over $Y.

Refer-a-Friend

Offer a bonus to your customers for referring their friends to you.

Run a Game

McDonald’s Monopoly is one of the most successful promotions of all time.

Seasonal Promotions

Run a seasonal or holiday promotion which leverages an upcoming holiday. Don’t limit yourself to calendar holidays. There are dozens of events your target market is excited about that calendars don’t mark.

For example, the World Series of Poker Main Event final table, the end of a popular television show, or the end of a college semester.

Special Offers

Run different contests, promotions, and specials on your website each week or even day. Give your customers a reason to check your website often.

Start a Club

Dairy Queen runs the “Birthday Blizzard Club” which gives members a free blizzard on their birthday. Members receive monthly e-mails informing them what the current blizzard of the month is.

Text Message Promotions

Offer a prize for customers who text message a certain message to your phone number. Specify that participating gives you permission to send them periodic special offers via text.

Two for One Days

Offer a two for one day to encourage your customers to introduce a friend to your business.

This is similar to Buy One Get One Free promotions, but with the stipulation that the freebie must be for a friend, which helps generate referrals.

VIP Programs

Start a VIP program which rewards customers for reaching a certain milestone with your product.