sales promotion

Sales promotion comprises temporary action measures intended to support other marketing measures and thus to promote sales. A basic distinction can be made between sales promotion related to end customers and sales promotion related to distributors or sales organizations.

End customer-related sales promotions are targeted at final consumers and can be carried out by both, the manufacturer and the distributors. Functions of end customer-related sales promotion are:

• information function (e.g. leaflets, brochures, consumer exhibitions, training events)
• motivation function (e.g. competitions, samples, special offers)
• sales function (e.g. add-ons, vouchers, displays in retail outlets)

Distributor- or sales organization-related sales promotion is targeted at sales intermediaries and can fulfill the same functions as end customer-related sales promotion – but with different content and instruments:

• information function (e.g. sales letters, seminars, training courses)
• motivation function (e.g. bonus systems, supplements)
• sales function (e.g. manuals, argumentation aids, test results)