How to respond to sudden changes in consumer behaviour with last-minute sales promotions

Despite spending hours analysing consumers’ behaviour, unexpected events and last-minute fads can take our marketing strategy by surprise. Still, we can turn these sudden changes to our advantage with a quick-to-market promotional campaign.

For example, if consumers show an unexpected interest in one of your products, you could bundle it with a less popular one and offer cashback to those who purchase both. This way, you make the most of changing trends by encouraging customers to spend more and promoting an overlooked product. Delivering the proper sales promotion at the right time can give you a massive boost in reaching your sales and marketing goals.

But, before riding the wave of unexpected, time-sensitive opportunities, ask yourself two questions:

1. How do I integrate this new campaign into my marketing plan?
2. Can I deliver quickly enough to benefit from this opportunity?

If the objective of the new sales campaign doesn’t fit into your existing marketing plan, you risk investing time and resources in activities that don’t support your long-term goals. At the same time, if you don’t bring your new promotion to market quickly enough, you might miss out on the full potential of the opportunity.

In this blog post, we’ll help you find the answers to the two questions above.

Some promotion mechanics can be swifter to implement than others, but they may not fit your brand’s targets and values. Sales discounts, for example, are perceived as a quick strategy to boost sales, but they tend to attract mainly price-sensitive consumers. If your yearly marketing plan focuses on building a loyal and sustainable customer base, a price discount might not be the best choice. Plus, a consistent reliance on discounts can also impact profit margins, limiting the resources available for long-term strategic initiatives and brand-building activities

At Benamic, we’ve set up and launched promotions for existing clients in as little as two weeks. If the campaign’s design, mechanics, and requirements are similar to the ones you’ve previously run with us, we can bring your promotion to life in no time.

If you want to run your sales promotion in-house and have previous experience, you could hit the ground in two to four weeks. When it comes to short-notice promotions, simple offers and quick-to-check claim validation requirements will help you speed up the entire process.

If you have never set up and delivered sales promotions internally, we recommend working with external promotion experts. A team of sales promotion professionals can get new promotions live in six to eight weeks. The golden rule to save precious time is, again, keep it simple.

Despite the need to act quickly, you cannot rush into a sales promotion unprepared.  Particularly, there are three important components of a promotion that require careful consideration:

1. Offer
2. Terms & Conditions
3. Customer experience
4. Compliance

Claim validation requirements and processes are also essential to the swift execution of your campaign. If you are working with sales promotion professionals, they will be able to guide you in choosing the best solutions for your specific requirements.

So, let’s talk about the three fundamental components of sales promotions mentioned above and why they are so important.

Your offer has to be compelling but straightforward. A simple proposition makes it easier for consumers to perceive the value of what they’re getting. What products are part of the promotion? What does the reward or incentive look like? What do consumers have to do to redeem the offer? Will participation be solely offline, or online, or both? Make sure the answers to these questions are clear and simple. If the promotion offer isn’t clear enough or the redemption process is too complicated, it will miss the mark. This is true for any sales promotions, even more so for those that have to be set up and delivered rapidly. In addition, promotions with simple mechanics can be executed more swiftly.

Take time to consider the requirements to participate in your promotion. Is there an age limit for participation? Are certain areas or countries excluded based on local regulations or legislation?  Is it only available for a limited period? You have to consider these questions as you develop a clear idea of who you want to participate and why. This is where an experienced promotions partner can really take the wheel. You’ll need clear and watertight T&Cs to support your promotion and ensure only eligible consumers benefit – let’s not forget the Pepsi, Where’s My Jet fiasco.

We’ve already mentioned that the redemption process has to be clear and simple. However, this is only the first step in ensuring a seamless customer experience. Another important aspect is enabling customers to communicate with your brand. We suggest establishing an inbound channel to instil trust and encourage more sceptical consumers to participate. Whether it’s a dedicated helpline, a chatbot, or an email address, you should provide customers with a simple and effective way to ask questions about the offer and the status of their claims.

The same applies to outbound communication channels.  Which updates do you want to send your customers after the purchase or claim submission? How do you want to deliver these messages? Do you have an online tracking system, or will you send shipping and claim status updates by email? We recommend setting up an automated email sequence to thank customers for their purchase, acknowledge receipt of their claim, provide them  with credentials to access your online platform, request missing information, and communicate updates about the status of their claim or shipment.

Depending on the country(ies) where you will launch your promotion, you must comply with different local legislations and regulations around consumer protection, data protection and privacy. Failure to do so will result in financial and reputational damage. Your promotion partner can really make a difference in dealing with legal intricacies across multiple jurisdictions. A team of expert professionals will ensure your promotional activities are compliant with local legislation, EPrivacy management regulations, and any other legal requirements.

Sudden shifts in consumer behaviour can be a double-edged sword. They can either help you achieve your sales and marketing goals or entirely derail your efforts. The key to turning them to your advantage is flexibility and strategic thinking. Embracing last-minute sales promotions that align with your brand’s targets and values can be a game-changer.

But remember, don’t rush into a sales promotion unprepared. Take the time to carefully consider the offer, terms and conditions, customer experience, and compliance components of your promotion. By doing so, you can maximise your potential and achieve your desired outcomes.

As consumer trends continue to evolve rapidly, mastering the art of last-minute promotions becomes a valuable skill for marketers aiming to stay ahead of the curve and maintain their brand’s competitive edge.