The elements of the promotional mix
- Advertising: paid messages in search, social media, display, TV, radio, print and outdoor.
- Sales promotions: short-term incentives such as discounts, coupons, free trials, contests and bundles.
- Public relations: media coverage, events and reputation management.
- Personal selling: direct conversations between salespeople and customers.
- Direct and digital marketing: email, SMS, social media, content and SEO.
Choosing the right mix
The best combination depends on your audience, product, budget and goals. Complex B2B services lean on content, personal selling and events, while consumer products rely more on advertising and sales promotions. Coordinate the elements so they share one message.
Sales promotions: use with care
Promotions can lift sales quickly, but constant discounts train customers to wait for the next offer and can weaken a brand. Use them for clear goals, such as getting people to try a product or clearing stock, and measure the profit, not just the extra sales.
Promotional mix example
A software company selling to accountants combines: advertising (search ads and LinkedIn), content (a weekly blog and a monthly webinar), public relations (articles in trade magazines), sales promotion (a 30-day free trial) and personal selling (demo calls). After a year, it finds most trials start from search and webinars, so it reduces spending on trade magazine ads and adds more webinars.
How to choose your mix
- Start with your audience: where do they look for advice?
- Match the tool to the purchase: high-value B2B needs personal contact and proof, low-priced consumer products need reach and convenience.
- Set a budget for each tool and a way to measure it.
- Make the message consistent across tools.
- Review each quarter, increasing what works and cutting what does not.
Promotional mix mistakes
- Using only the tools you like or know.
- Letting each channel send a different message.
- No way to see which tool gets results.
- Over-using discounts, which trains customers to wait.
Promotional mix FAQs
Is the promotional mix the same as the marketing mix?
No. It is the promotion part of the marketing mix. See integrated marketing.
Which tools suit small businesses?
Search, social, email and word of mouth are often cost-effective. See word-of-mouth marketing and advertising budget.