Chapter 18 - Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

Experience is Key...

 

    Businesses across the world do all they can to hold effective promotion activities targeting the ultimate consumer. Whether its through coupons, sweepstakes, hiring effective sales persons, or offering rebates, if the customer has an incentive to buy; they will most likely buy. The Boys and Girls Clubs America doesn't use any of these techniques though - they use a technique called sampling. Many clubs across the nation allow non-members to sample what the they offer by allowing a "free day." The second main source of income for clubs, behind sponsors, are memberships and registration fees from events. The more people that are in the building, the more revenue the club is generating. That is why clubs offer free days on specific dates, and others may allow a non-member to come any one-day they please.

Source: http://www.mbgcnh.org/main_sublinks.asp?id=1&sid=45

    Not only does the free day program attract more than just kids, it boosts membership purchases depending on the turnout. The Boys and Girls Club of Manchester, New Hampshire is one of the many clubs that holds the free day program. The club calls the event "Day for Kids" presented by Panera Bread. The event offers a great all around experience for new customers by hosting live shows, music & dancing, food, arts and crafts, and much more!

(The "Day for Kids" ad above is another representation of cause-related advertising talked about in my advertising blog post for Chapter 17.)