More recently, the agencies and the clients have switched to an ‘Integrated Communication Approach.’ BTL is a common technique used for “touch and feel” products consumer items where the target potential customers will completely rely on the immediate information rather than the previously researched items. The various proven BTL techniques completely ensure the effective recall of the brand while at the same time highlighting the crucial features of the product.
Some of the ways by which the different companies do the BTL (below the line) promotions are by the help of exhibitions, sponsorship activities, various public relations activities and sales promotions like giving some freebies with goods, trade discounts given to the dealers and the customers, reduced price offers on the different products, giving away coupons which can be redeemed later at the mentioned retails outlets and stores etc.
Methods of BTL Sales promotion
- Price promotions
Price promotions are also very commonly known as” price discounting”. These can be efficiently done in two ways:
- An attractive discount to the designated normal selling price of a specific product, or
- More of the concerned product at the MRP.
The price promotions however can also have a completely negative effect by spoiling the overall brand reputation or just a temporary sales boost during the discounts followed by a lull when the discount would be called off.
2. Coupons can be distributed to the potential consumers of the concerned products and services.
3. Gift with purchase can be given in order to attract more and more new customers.
4. Competitions and prizes can be announced. This is a crucial tool to increase the overall brand awareness amongst the target consumer. It can be very effectively used to boost up the sales for the temporary period and ensure the overall usage amongst the first time users.
5. Money refund schemes can be introduced. A customer receives a money refund after submitting a valid proof of the purchase to the manufacturer. The customers often view these parties some important schemes with some suspicion – particularly if the concerned method of obtaining a refund looks unusual or onerous.
6. The frequent user/loyalty incentives can be proposed for best results.
7.The Point-of-sale displays can use as a major BTL activity for boosting the sales.
Successful instances of BTL advertising
The shopping habits are rapidly changing for the people living in the different metropolitan cities. People usually prefer big retail outlets like Big Bazaar to local kirana stores. Most of the purchasing decisions of buying are taken by the great virtue of the point-of-sale displays in these retail outlets. In these times of high inflation and more and more channel surfing, BTL are indeed proving to be really very cost effective tool. The effect of BTL advertising is immediate and objective, one can certainly know within few days about the overall effective utilization or not of the money. We have seen the great success in the BTL activities done by the Continental Biscuits and Engro Foods in Pakistan.
The Power of Promotional Products in BTL Advertising
The concept of Below-the-line advertising is a style of specialized marketing where rather than using the mass media, you connect with your unique target audience at a more one-to-one type of the level. It can be exceptionally powerful because not only can it have a real stronger impact and be efficiently directed at a carefully planned audience, but its overall effectiveness can be very easily quantified. The Below-the-line advertising is also popular because you can execute these particular strategies yourself, without having to use an effective advertising agency and any of the media outlets, so it can cost significantly less than the “above-the-line” alternatives.
One excellent device that can be very well used as a below-the-line advertising or BTL advertising aid is to get some very effective promotional products made up. These can be almost anything, so you can come up with some of the really creative and novel promotional merchandise that can entice the potential customers. Whether these promotional products are being given away free as the corporate gifts or whether they come with a purchase, the branded bespoke products can be one of the really most effective ways to get your brand seen and well- remembered.
The key to rightly and strategically using the promotional products well is to do something wisely that will really appeal to your target market in a very efficient manner. You can rightly choose the attractive merchandise that is completely silly or funny to stick in the people’s memories or something really useful that is completely relevant to what you do – every time they use it they will see your logo, reaffirming the overall positive attachment to your brand in their minds. You can even have all your gifts that are personalised if you are planning to send them to the distinct people you really want to impress.
Of course, one of the major reasons why the promotional products work so well is that everybody likes to feel like they are getting something absolutely free and somebody is more likely to like something they have been given as a gift than something they have paid genuinely for. It makes all your customers feel like you as a business like and value them, and want to reward their loyalty. This can be rightly used as a pure marketing gimmick, or as a right way of temporarily driving up the sales by offering the various promotional items as free gifts with the purchases. Giveaways can really help to effectively launch a new product.
