20 examples of sales promotions that will help you sell more

People love a good deal. It's human nature to want to save money, and companies have been taking advantage of this for years. If you want to increase sales and move more inventory, you might consider running a promotion.

To help you out, we've compiled a list of 20 different types of sales promotions that any business can use. From discounts to free shipping to a single offer, here's a summary of the 20 most effective sales promotion ideas.

20 examples of sales promotion for any business

Sales promotions come in all shapes and sizes, so it's important to choose one that fits your product or service and your customers. Take a look at these 20 examples of sales promotions to see what's right for you.

1. free shipping

Free shipping is number one on the list because it encourages customers to buy. With this promotion, customers can buy more products at no additional cost to their order. Free shipping also encourages bulk purchases!

2. buy one, get one (BOGO)

Buy one, get one promotion can easily attract customer attention, making it one of the best examples of sales promotion.

3. sale

A sale is another way to promote a product and remove excess inventory at the same time. It's a two-in-one offer for businesses, as this promotion can increase traffic and help with excess inventory.

4. coupons and vouchers

Vouchers and coupons are other examples of effective sales promotions. You can offer this promotion via email, your website, or even the products themselves. With vouchers and coupons, you encourage customers to continue buying from your store.

5. referral discounts

A more subtle way to attract new customers is through referral discounts. When existing customers refer your company to a friend or family member, offering discounts is a great way to keep customers with your brand.

6. loyalty program or reward promotions for membership

Having a loyalty or membership program for your brand is very effective promotion strategy sales. This can be an incentive for customers to continue buying from your company. You can offer loyalty points, loyalty cards and even members-only offers to further encourage customers.

7. feedback campaigns

Invite your customers to fill out surveys, profiles or leave reviews to take advantage of a special discount or coupon.

8. limited time offer

The limited-time offer encourages customers to purchase the product at a discount that is only available during that specific period.

9. flash sale

Like a limited-time offer, an instant sale offers a discount only for a limited, short period of time. From its name, an instant sale evokes a sense of urgency among customers, so they quickly make a buying decision. In addition, you can announce your instant sale with a clear call-to-action message.

10. mystery box

Having a mystery promotion can get customers interested. It easily attracts attention, builds anticipation and increases the number of potential customers to your site. What makes a mystery box enticing is the way it is communicated to customers, so make sure you design the content well.

Try out Simplified's many ready-to-use design templates to make your content stand out.

11. stamper

Considered one of the more common sales promotion strategies, tripwire offers an inexpensive entry-level product to convert prospects into customers. This sales promotion helps build trust among customers so you can offer more expensive products in the future.

12. holiday promotions

For many people, the vacations are generally a busy season, and for business owners, it's a time to boost sales. You can introduce new products, highlight holiday-related products or offer vacation discounts to entice consumers.

13. contests and gifts

Having something interactive for customers is another example of sales promotion. From games to contests and giveaways, you can promote products and interact with old and new consumers. This increases brand exposure and further builds your social media presence.

14. free gift on purchase

This happens when the customer simply reaches a certain purchase amount and receives a gift as a form of gratitude. This is a common sales promotion in marketing that makes the customer spend a little more, but in return receives a valuable gift.

15. end-of-season sale

Like a sale, the end of the season helps your company free up space for a new batch of products. You can offer exclusive discounts and even spread the word through ads, text messages, emails and more.

16. birthday sale

A birthday or anniversary sale is a fun way to celebrate your brand or company. With discounts and exclusive offers, it's like spending that special day with loyal customers. It also gives consumers something to look forward to every year.

17. first order discount

When a user first finds your site, one way to lure them is to offer a discount on their first order. Having a discount or exclusive offer is one of the most effective sales promotions any company can do.

18. influencer campaigns

A celebrity or influencer using your brand can boost your sales. You can set up a promo code for each celebrity that gives customers a discount when they use it.

19. branded sets

Having branded kits is similar to free gifts on purchase and BOGO offers, but this time you have the opportunity to partner with other brands and offer packages. This allows you to extend the promotion of your product to other potential customers as well.

20. free samples

An effective and inexpensive sales promotion in marketing is free samples. When you have a new product, let users try it out for a limited time so they can get a feel for it.