Sales and Promotions - Examples of Ads

The eruption of Vesuvius, albeit fatal for the majority of Pompeii’s inhabitants, has effectively provided modern archaeologists and researchers with a snapshot of the ancient Roman city. The well-preserved buildings and items also include the earliest examples of advertisements.

The graffiti from that period exhibited gladiators paired with text about the sponsor of the gladiatorial team or additional information one wished to include—for example, the amount of money given for free to the public during the show.

These early examples of adverts aimed to inform the target group (for example, the Roman populace) about a particular sponsor’s services, goals, or at least existence.

Modern digital ads are more sophisticated, yet the goal is usually comparable—to inform the target group about a product, service, company, or particular promotion. What’s different are the details, mostly the technological ones.

Best practices in building sales and promotion ads

Obviously, the greatest changes have occurred in the technical aspects of ads. Modern internet advertising has provided possibilities for advertisers unseen before—from super-narrow targeting to dynamic changes in ad creation.

On the other hand, the room for improvement and adjustment has come with new areas of competition—companies are getting better and more efficient at spending money and allocating budgets. But not only that. The list of best practices in building ads is seen below:

Define your target audience

Trite but true. Companies need to create customer personas to understand their ideal audience. Depending on the product, the persona may be super-elaborate or fairly simple, yet it needs to include information vital from the decision-making point of view.

Defining the audience is also about researching the competition and spotting opportunities to come up with different messaging or new offerings to communicate. This requires the company to be conscious of the data it owns—without effective analytics, the company will not be able to adjust its strategy and improve its efforts.

Set clear objectives for your ad campaign

Determine if your goal is to increase sales of a specific product, drive traffic, or build brand awareness. The goal may vary depending on countless factors—a company may aim for brand exposure in the long term, yet launch targeted ads before Christmas to drive sales. Sometimes gathering data may be a goal in itself, with the information and insights harvested being enough justification for spending.

The objectives need to be tracked using the designed analytics tools of choice. These may include SMART goals or KPIs, depending on company culture and approach.

Develop a compelling ad creative

The company needs to use high-quality, original images that grab attention. Since the introduction of generative AI, companies have access to even better ad creation capabilities to infuse their images and boost their quality.

With these tools, companies can test different styles, colors, and formats to optimize performance and boost the ROI of the campaign. Yet it is necessary to ensure the creative aligns with the brand and messaging—without oversight from a professional designer, this may be challenging.

Write persuasive ad copy

A fact spotted by ancient Romans—the visual creative needs to be paired with compelling copy. The text needs to provide additional clarification and information about the advertised product or service. It is common, for example, to deliver a super-surprising visual that tells nothing, yet when paired with the brand and copy, it suddenly makes sense.

What’s always relevant is the call to action—the user needs to be precisely informed on what is to be done and what action is required.

Choose the right ad formats and placements

Knowing the audience and its preferences, the company needs to carefully plan the placement of ads and media spending. Some facts are obvious—there is a higher chance to reach mature demographics using Facebook rather than TikTok. Also, if one wishes to run super-precise targeting for a particular job position, LinkedIn is the best pick. Yet there is more subtlety in ad placement. For example, modern advertising tools enable companies to arrive at a particular geographical and time-related context and to include multiple variables. A sample combination may include:

• If there is heavy snow, show ads for nearby hotels to people around airports.

• If there is heavy sun exposure, display ads for sunscreens to people gathering on beaches and in public parks.

• Show ads for takeout restaurants to people who commute between 3 pm and 5 pm, to reach those who want to have a warm meal without needing to cook it.

With modern solutions, the possibilities are nearly endless.

Allocate budget strategically

Last but not least—money. The company needs to set a realistic budget based on goals and historical performance. The budget also needs to be set in the context of the medium used. For example—starting a LinkedIn campaign with two dollars a day is pointless. On the other hand—the same budget allocated to a different medium may bring some benefits (but maybe not in the same use case).

The budget spending needs to be precisely controlled and optimized using A/B testing, allocation analysis, and constant, incremental improvements. The company needs not only to identify the best-performing creations, but also the best channels and factor combinations.

The knowledge gathered can be used later in the next ads and creations.

Sales and Promotions examples

The advice above is general, applicable to multiple types of online advertising—basically, any campaign requires testing, analytics, and optimization of copy and image. The list below shows more specific and tailored advice, applicable in sales and promotions only.

Free Shipping and Returns

Many e-commerce businesses offer free shipping as a promotion. This strategy addresses a common reason for cart abandonment, with customers being dissatisfied with the total cost of purchase. Communicating free shipping can be a successful tactic for gathering new customers and recovering abandoned carts alike.

Flash Sales

Flash sales create urgency by offering significant discounts for a limited time. This approach can be effective in multiple channels. The customer may get a coupon via email, a targeted promotion with a display ad, or a popup when the the cursor reaches the screen edge.

Buy One, Get One 

This promotion encourages customers to purchase more by offering a free item with the purchase of another. It increases average order value while providing perceived value to the customer. The tactic may be effective in multiple industries, including fashion and home appliances.

Discount Codes and Coupons

Retailers often use discount codes to encourage purchases. Contrary to flash sales, coupons can be used over a longer time. This allows users to collect them or combine them. On the other hand, without the urgency created by flash sales, coupons may be just forgotten.

Loyalty Programs

Companies like Starbucks use loyalty programs to reward repeat customers, increasing retention rates. These programs often provide points for purchases that can be redeemed for discounts or free items, fostering brand loyalty. The loyalty program can be an effective part of the advertising strategy, encouraging people to join the program and share more of their data. This approach is harnessed by Ikea, where loyalty program users get high discounts on beverages and snacks available in the shop-owned restaurant or get better return policies with the Ikea Family card.

Contests and Giveaways

Running contests can generate excitement and engagement. Brands often use social media to host giveaways, encouraging participants to share the promotion for a chance to win, which also increases brand visibility. This approach is visible in digital goods, where companies like Steam, Epic Games Store, or GOG launch limited-time offers for games (sometimes pricey ones!) so users stay engaged and active on the platform.

Seasonal Promotions

Retailers frequently launch promotions tied to holidays or seasons. For example, back-to-school sales or holiday discounts can significantly boost sales during peak shopping times. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are perfect examples of seasonal sales festivals.

Summary

Sales and promotions are increasingly challenging to communicate. Getting through the buzz that the internet is full of requires a rare combination of creativity and technical proficiency. The key to success is precisely that—fitting the creativity in the frames of the technological constrains.