How to Launch a Promotion

There are many different kinds of promotions.

From discounted gas at a new station to contests on the bottom of soda bottle lids, we're inundated with company promotions all day, every day. In fact, promotions are probably how you heard about many of your favorite products and services. Although they have become so common they seem simple, what differentiates successful promotions from unsuccessful ones is careful planning. Whether you are interested in the popular web-based promotion or something more traditional, a successful promotion requires work on launch day and beyond.

Instructions

1. Develop a budget for your promotion and figure the percentage of your total advertising budget it represents. Work with an accountant to determine realistic soft and hard budgets. In other words, figure a number that you would like to stay under and another number that you will not surpass.

2. Research different types of promotions and select one or more that you would like to try. Implement the type or promotion(s) that will be most effective for your target audience. For example, if your target audience is younger, you may want to pour most of your budget into Internet promotions, including contests over social media as well as a website. If you are promoting a product for senior citizens, you should still have a website, but you can devote most of your budget to fliers or television commercials. Consult with a product and marketing expert and research your target demographic to make the most informed choice.

3. Plan the entire promotion -- from launch day to post-launch. Draft a calendar of deadlines for projects and purchases that must be completed prior to launch, such as research, graphic design, contest rules and business reply mail. Dedicate time throughout the week during the promotion to check on the effectiveness of the promotion and plan any changes that will make it more effective. Schedule meetings after the promotion's launch day to discuss its results and plan subsequent promotions.

4. Launch the promotion. Double check that everyone knows what they should be doing and that back-up plans are in place for any unforeseen events, like website crashes. Allow the launch to take place as scheduled. Carefully observe the effectiveness of the launch and be prepared to make last-minute decisions, but do not hover over your employees or get in their way.

5. Reflect on the promotion. Survey the data of the promotion, and weigh the benefits against resource and time costs. Complete your own report on the success of the promotion, and ask those employees integral in its launch to do the same. Meet to compare notes. Discuss what changes you may want to make to promotion launches or operations in general based on the launch.

Tips & Warnings

• Successful promotion launches must be strategic, designed to meet specific goals with a specific audience. If you just think a particular promotion "sounds like a good idea," you are in the pre-planning stages. Sit down with a marketing analyst or organization board to make the idea specific to your organization's needs.

References

• Marketing Pilgrim; Joanna Lord: How to Launch a Successful Web-Based Promotion
• Business Plan Hut: Promoting Your Products and Services

Resources

• Jeff Bullas: 10 Ways to Launch and Promote a Product Using Social Media
• Small Fuel: The 9 Most Effective Ways to Advertise a Small Business