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In today's highly prosperous commodity market, product operations cannot be separated from the support of promotional activities. As an important part of integrated marketing communications, promotion is a sharp tool for rapidly increasing sales, expanding market share, and effectively suppressing competitors in a short period. In the short term, the purpose of promotion is to boost product sales; in the long run, the significance of promotional activities goes beyond the literal meaning of the concept, with the ultimate goal of helping to enhance brand awareness and attention, establish a positive corporate image, build good public relations, and promote the long-term development of the enterprise.

In a narrow sense, in-store promotion refers to promotional activities conducted at channels where final contact with consumers occurs, such as supermarkets, mainly including tasting, buy-and-gift, and end-cap displays. For merchants, in-store promotion is both a close-quarters weapon in the terminal battle and a common technique to drive sales. As one of the routine tasks of marketing, everyone does it frequently and is quite familiar with it, but doing it effectively and economically is not an easy task. So, how can a brand carry out both economical and effective promotional activities at the retail end? We have distilled three masterstrokes from the successful promotions of Brand XX to share with readers.

Masterstroke One: Analyze Thoroughly, Plan Carefully

A large number of corporate promotional practices show that there are two criteria for evaluating the success of a promotional activity:

First, the effectiveness of the promotion, i.e., whether the appropriate promotional method was used at the right time and market environment, and whether all aspects of the activity were meticulously arranged and effectively executed.

Second, the economy of the promotion, i.e., whether the relative optimal cost of the promotion is achieved while ensuring its effectiveness. To make promotions both effective and economical, we must conduct a comprehensive analysis of the product, competitor behavior, and target consumer behavior before making promotional decisions, such as analyzing the characteristics of the product to be promoted, the competitive measures of competitors, and the behavioral and cognitive habits of target consumers. Based on the analysis results, we formulate scientific strategies and budgets for the company's promotional activities across the board to achieve the strongest targeting.

Although in-store promotion is only a part of the overall promotional work of an enterprise, it is systematic in itself. Therefore, when carrying out supermarket in-store promotions, enterprises should first plan carefully. At this time, establishing a standardized promotional process can give the enterprise a clear mindset and strategy, gaining an advantage before engaging in close combat with competitors.

To ensure that in-store promotional activities in various supermarkets proceed in an orderly manner and achieve the brand's promotional goals, during the preparation stage, the brand first formulates a specific flowchart for the promotional activity to plan the event (see figure below):

After formulating the work flowchart, we also need to develop a detailed promotional plan for each specific activity and create relevant forms for standardization. The specific promotional plan not only estimates the promotional sales volume but also makes more specific arrangements for the promotional form, time, and cost based on the different conditions of each retail outlet, ensuring that the entire promotional team is both clearly divided in tasks and coordinated.

Masterstroke Two: Know Yourself and Your Enemy, Be Prepared

When conducting supermarket in-store promotions, manufacturers should fully understand competitors' strategies to adjust their own tactics, achieving the goal of "know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." At the same time, as the carrier of in-store promotions, supermarket policies also bring certain opportunities and threats to brand promotions. If a detailed investigation and study of the target market is conducted before the activity, manufacturers can handle promotions with ease, achieving both effectiveness and economy.

To maximize the input-output ratio of promotional activities, we conducted a detailed survey of promotional resources at major sales terminals in Beijing, including detailed information on major supermarkets and hypermarkets (this part is extensive and not fully excerpted here due to space limitations), the places available for promotions, the forms of promotions possible, and various promotional costs, all summarized and studied in detail so that each promotion can make corresponding choices based on promotional goals.

The following table shows promotional costs at some supermarkets in Beijing. Of course, costs may vary depending on the period or manufacturer; this table is provided for readers' reference.

Table of Promotional Methods and Costs at Various Supermarkets

Masterstroke Three: Combine "Soft" and "Hard" for Successful Promotion

Typically, manufacturers can approach in-store promotions from both "hard" and "soft" aspects. In terms of the brand's specific market operations, this can be summarized as "combining soft and hard," i.e., hard management of in-store promotions and soft planning and design of promotional activities.

In-store promotion management mainly includes aspects such as hardware at the promotion site, environment layout, publicity, shelf display, promotional personnel management, and crisis management. When carrying out promotional activities at the point of sale, manufacturers should strive for standardization and vividness. For example, we should formulate standards for product display, price labeling, poster placement, gift stacking, promotional personnel attire, and standing positions; set up the site in advance, arrange facilities and goods stacking, and prepare flags, banners, display boards, posters, and other promotional materials so that each promotion can fully stimulate customers' desire to buy.

To achieve the goal of efficient and economical promotion, we have also been committed to building good strategic partnerships with various terminals, securing the best display positions at relatively economical or even very low prices, creating strong visual impact, attracting consumers' attention, leaving a deep impression, and establishing a good brand image.

At the point of sale, eye-catching shelf signs can attract more customers and thus sell more products. The world-renowned food giant Nabisco Foods Co., Ltd., based on years of promotional experience, believes that discount signs can increase sales by 23%, and product recognition signs can increase sales by 18%. Correspondingly, we also require all in-store promotional stores to maximize the use of shelf strips, hanging flags, promotional cards, posters, and other POS materials for all-round publicity.

Unlike the rule-based hard terminal management, the soft planning of promotional activities is highly artistic, reflecting the most charming aspect of the brand and corporate spirit. Each brand should design and plan this aspect based on its product situation and specific promotional purposes. If your product is a new brand, then in in-store promotions, you should adopt multiple methods to quickly narrow the psychological distance between the product and consumers, expand the opportunities for consumers to psychologically recognize and accept the product, and at the same time, cooperate with public relations and advertising to enable the target consumer group to achieve awareness, attention, and purchase of the brand product in a short period.

Here, we use a specific "Spring Thunder Trilogy" in-store promotional activity of Brand XX as an illustration.

Part One of the Trilogy: Gift Giving

Giving samples is a very effective method when introducing new products. Facing the attack of homogeneous products, in order to win a place in the fierce competition, a certain brand first adopted the gift-giving promotional method. This move not only gathers popularity but also helps increase more sales opportunities. Regarding gift-giving activities, XX believes that corporate gifts cannot be given casually; they must be carefully considered from the product's characteristics, functions, and the brand's attributes and connotations, to find gifts that are related to the product itself and the brand appeal. At the same time, more attention should be paid to the value and practicality that gifts bring to consumers. Only in this way can gifts be given effectively and with "reason."

Since the focus of XX brand's early gift-giving activities was on "enhancing later sales and building brand image," it was most appropriate to set the gift as a small-sized XX olive oil. Therefore, we conducted free gift activities in many K/A stores to attract consumers' attention and purchase. These activities gave consumers a preliminary understanding of the XX brand.

Part Two of the Trilogy: Tasting

After giving consumers an initial experience through gifts, end-cap displays, and demonstrations, XX launched a new round of tasting and sampling promotional activities, but this time the focus was on communicating "how to eat" with consumers. At the event site, the company invited professional chefs to prepare a feast of XX products, and promotional girls enthusiastically invited passersby to taste. Because the dishes cooked on site were fragrant, the entire event site was filled with the unique aroma of XX products, attracting many consumers to compete for tasting. After tasting, many customers praised the dishes. The promotional girls seized the opportunity to give out a large number of exquisite XX recipe books placed on the display shelves. The vivid pictures in the recipe books attracted attention and whetted appetites, and also won many consumers' active requests and reading to learn how to use XX products. Through the free tasting activities, many consumers developed a strong interest in XX products.

Part Three of the Trilogy: Participation

Promotional activities in the new economy increasingly require innovation in form and content to attract more consumer participation and boost sales. If companies can design participatory promotional activities in conjunction with on-site displays, making consumers feel that the promotional activity is right beside them, it can effectively increase sales.

During the lively process of end-cap display demonstrations and on-site tasting activities, XX also strongly launched an on-site treasure hunt activity at various promotional terminals. That is, by presenting the sales receipt for purchasing XX brand products, consumers could get a chance to draw prizes, with prizes being different specifications of XX olive oil. At the same time, audience members at the event site could participate in XX olive oil knowledge quizzes, and consumers who answered correctly could also receive product gifts. The simultaneous "Cook It Yourself" experiential marketing activity further strengthened consumers' sense of participation.

This series of relatively low-cost but very effective promotional activities not only enabled consumers to better understand the XX brand but also strengthened communication and mutual recognition between the enterprise and consumers, playing a very direct role in enhancing XX's brand image and increasing sales.

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