Understanding the role of promotion and event marketing within any campaign requires a clear understanding of the role of promotion and its impact on achieving marketing objectives.

By design, single or short-term promotions drive an immediate response, while long-term repeated campaigns are designed to build consumer loyalty to a specific product or service.

Keep it simple!
It is important to remember that promotions must be simple, both for the product and for the consumer. The product can be anything from radio stations to a can of coffee. The goal is always to bring the product to the consumer’s hand. You can achieve that goal by promotion or by event, but they have different elements that make it up from start to finish. Promotions last (at least) two weeks and can continue for a couple of months. Events are generally from one day to one week and meet multiple goals for the client.

Event promotion and marketing are often viewed as a single entity, but both require clear and precise goals that can be measured by attendance, participation and/or sales. Both are an important part of strengthening client/company relationships. Over many years working in promotions, you gain experience. Experience is what you need to keep promotions successful.

success strategies
Here are two examples of successful promotions that were developed for clients such as; Jack-in-the-Box, McBride Homes, Seven Up, Wehrenberg Theatres, Chads Coalition for Mental Health… all have generated response, sales and revenue for organizations. Here is a brief explanation of how some of them worked and the results:

Jack-in-the-Box was participating in a Midwest event. We developed a promotion that brought participation to local stores by giving out coupons for children’s meals designed specifically for the big event. Jack-in-the-Box created a way to set itself apart from the hundreds of other companies by becoming kid- and parent-friendly. They also offered value to potential customers and a consumer market that they had not captured at the time. Sales increased during the first weekend by 160%.

The CHADS Coalition for Mental Health was looking to develop a unique event to drive fundraising and awareness for their organization. We developed Kids Walking for Kids focused on youth engagement and raising awareness of teen death by suicide through teens themselves. The first year we raised over $150,000! We took an event and added a fundraising promotion element and they have grown steadily over the last 5 years.

The examples shown are just two of many successful and sustainable promotions developed for clients to achieve specific goals.