Effective Sales Promotions

Stop lumping your customers into broad categories like age and income. You're missing out on the secret sauce—occasion-based segmentation. Your thrifty weekday customer is the same guy ordering an extravagant pizza and Cola combo on Saturday night. People don't change; the occasion does. Tailor your marketing strategy to occasions, not stereotypes. Imagine a restaurant pushing cheap rice bowls Monday to Friday and going full-throttle with pricey pizza ads on weekends. We did this with Swiggy - two of the brands in my portfolio were Homely (an affordable homestyle meal brand) and The Bowl Company (a premium meal brand). We realised our consumers were pretty much the same people - young professionals who ordered Homely during the weekdays to eat home-style food that was ‘safe’ for the stomach,  and The Bowl Company on weekends for splurging and partying. Switch to occasion-based segmentation, and you won't just see higher sales—you'll understand the fluidity of consumer behaviour like never before. It's not just smart marketing; it's respecting the complexity of your customer. #marketing #marketresearch #business

Understanding your customers’ behaviors and responding accordingly is key to sustained business success. In yesterday’s post, I introduced the Recency-Frequency Matrix, a powerful tool for customer segmentation that helps businesses identify and prioritize their most valuable customers. Today, I want to take it a step further by showcasing how this analysis can inform targeted marketing strategies to drive engagement and growth. Strategic Actions Based on the Recency-Frequency Matrix: Champions: These are your top-tier customers who purchase frequently and recently. To maintain their loyalty, consider offering early access to new products or services, implementing a robust loyalty rewards program, and sending highly personalized communications. Loyal Customers: Customers in this segment are consistent buyers but with slightly less frequency. Encourage more frequent purchases through special incentives, reminders of your product or service benefits, and targeted re-engagement campaigns. Needs Attention: These customers have shown steady engagement but may need a prompt to stay active. Reactivation campaigns with tailored offers, requesting feedback, and exclusive deals can help prevent potential churn. Churn Risk: These customers are at risk of disengagement. Win them back with significant incentives, reminders of positive past experiences, and personalized offers designed to reignite their interest in your brand. Already Churned: For customers who have not engaged for a while, occasional check-ins or updates, targeted ads for reintroduction, and a focus on acquiring new customers might be the most efficient use of resources. Leveraging a Recency-Frequency Matrix not only provides a clear view of where your customers stand but also empowers you to implement highly tailored strategies that maximize both engagement and ROI. Art+Science Analytics Institute | University of Notre Dame | University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | University of Chicago | D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University | ELVTR | Grow with Google - Data Analytics #Analytics #DataStorytelling

After 6 years in Germany, I am still struck at how crucial Easter is for grocery retail. Germany still closes grocery stores on Sundays, AND on public holidays. The stretch from Good Friday to Easter Monday therefore sees shops closed 3 of 4 days. No shopping on Friday, Sunday, or Monday. All while families gather and folks prepare more meals at home. What does that mean?
The Thursday before Easter is a must-win for grocers. Larger volume, bigger baskets –– Thursday is the biggest spend day of the year for grocery. That also justifies a more aggressive spend on incentives & marketing, given the size of the prize. And so, every major grocer is very visible right now. Especially Lidl in Germany, which has been leaning in with gamified messaging driving traffic to their Lidl Plus app. They're even making in-app games the centerpiece of their out-of-home advertising. We regularly find that gamification increases three things: 👀 Conversion ↳ CTAs with gamification get higher click through, downloads, etc. ✅ Engagement ↳ Gamified experiences see greater engagement & completion. 💸 Redemption ↳ Won / earned rewards see a drastically higher redemption rate. When I played the Lidl Easter game today, I got €5 off a €50+ basket. That is a really juicy reward in grocery! But it could be a slam-dunk ROI for Lidl if it does three things… → Gets me to come in and do my €100+ pre-Easter shop at Lidl instead of a competitor → Cements Lidl as my go-to grocery for larger baskets  → Drives lots of app downloads / engagement Simple mechanics, clear value, a fun experience… Given the higher conversion, engagement, and redemption gamification drives, I think it's a winning playbook 🐰

When we remember something, we ignore most of it. Actually, we make an assessment based only on two parts of the experience - the peak and the end. This psychological phenomenon is known as the Peak-End Rule, developed by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues in a 1993 study. Here’s a breakdown: 1. The Peak: This is the most intense part of the experience, whether very good or very bad. It stands out in our memory and affects how we view the whole interaction. 2. The End: The way an experience ends can shape our memory of it. A good ending can make us forget any bad moments, while a bad ending can ruin an otherwise good experience. Why does this matter? - Communication In any interaction, like a presentation or conversation, the key moments and how it ends shape how people remember you. Start strong, but finish even stronger. - Influence Strategically create memorable moments and end positively to leave a lasting impression. This can make the difference between being remembered as just another voice and being seen as a thought leader. - Leadership Great leaders create experiences with memorable high points and positive endings. This inspires and motivates others while building trust and loyalty. - First Impressions vs. Lasting Impressions Making a good first impression is important, but the lasting impression, shaped by the peak moment and the ending - is even more crucial. - Communication Strategy When preparing for meetings or presentations, focus on both the start and the end. A strong conclusion leaves a lasting impact. How can you apply the Peak-End Rule? - Create Impactful Moments Highlight key moments in your presentations, meetings, and content. These can be powerful stories, big achievements, or emotionally engaging content. - End on a High Note End your speech, social media post, or meeting with a compelling summary, a call to action or a memorable statement. A strong ending leaves a lasting positive impression. - Follow Up After important interactions, send a personalised follow-up message. This strengthens the positive ending and keeps the memory favourable. By focusing on creating significant peak moments and ensuring our interactions end on a high note. We can make a lasting impact and elevate our personal brand. Remember, it’s not just about the first impression – it's about the lasting impression. How do you make sure every interaction leaves a lasting, positive memory?

Personalisation is talked a lot about in commerce, yet I am seeing very few SMB's walk the talk. Personalisation with purpose is key to investing time and resources which are finite in any SMB retailer and I suspect why it is rarely implemented. Segmeting your customers into four key groups is a crucial first step: Loyal customers - repeat, full price shoppers Discount customers - repeat, discount shoppers First time customers - single purchase shoppers At risk customers - haven't purchased in 6 months (adjust time frame to your average repurchase rate time period) Now build a strategy accordingly: Loyal customers - exclusive first to know when new product drops (don't scream sale to them) Discount customers - first to know when you go on sale First time customers - serve them the products second time customers purchase At risk customers - send them a really hot offer to see if you can entice them back, maybe even ask them why they haven't shopped again with you? How does a retailer "one up this", look at patterns in what your customer groups buy. A great example of this is a strategy we rolled out with a footwear brand which I shared with the Klaviyo team in Sydney this week... Before going on sale, segment your slow moving or end of season products into sizes. Build custom landing pages (this can be down using search filters as well) showing the styles and products in that customer groups size. You may just be blown away too that you end up selling through all your slow moving or end of season products at full price. A simple strategy targeting niche customer size groups with styles in their size will not just drive revenue and profit, but loyalty too. These customers likely struggle to find their size more often than not! How often have you gone to a store and found what you wanted was not available in your size... 🙄 What's your top tip for tackling personalisation?

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠  Marketers may use the human need to collect as a powerful tool to reinforce a good brand experience by capitalizing on the psychological gratification that comes with completing or owning a set. 📌Create a Collectible Series – Limited Edition: Starbucks Holiday Cups – Starbucks releases a series of limited-edition holiday cups, each with a unique design. Customers often collect these cups – Themed Collections: Create items with distinct themes (e.g., seasonal, character-based) Collectors often seek to complete an entire theme or series, For example, LEGO’s “Star Wars” series 📌Gamification and Rewards – Digital Badges/Points: Rewards system in which clients receive points or badges for each item they acquire NikePlus Rewards, offers digital badges and rewards for achieving fitness milestones. – Tiered benefits: Sephora Beauty Insider, Sephora’s tiered loyalty program offers escalating rewards, from birthday gifts to exclusive product access 📌Community Building – Encourage Sharing Example – LEGO fans share their creations and collections online, where others can vote and comment. – Unique Access: Example: Royal Enfield organizes exclusive events like Rider Mania, where enthusiasts can access limited-edition gear and bikes 📌Storytelling and Personalisation – Narrative Integration: Example – Paper Boat tells nostalgic stories of Indian childhood – Personalised Experience: Enable consumers to personalise their collections, Example – M&M’s offers personalized candies where customers can choose colours, and messages, and even add images 📌Scarcity and urgency Limited Time Offers: Example – The McDonald’s McRib Sandwich – Exclusivity: Make certain things available in fewer numbers Example – Tanishq launches limited-edition jewellery collections for festivals like Diwali 📌Cross-promotions – Collaborations: Example – Supreme x Louis Vuitton – This collaboration resulted in highly sought-after collectible items, blending streetwear and luxury fashion – Bundle Offers: Example – BookMyShow often bundles movie tickets with exclusive merchandise 📌Customer Engagement – Feedback Loop: Involve clients in the development of future collectables via surveys or social media participation Example – Paper Boat’s Flavor Polls – Paper Boat engages customers by asking for their input on new flavours via social media polls – Interactive Experiences: Example – Pokémon GO uses augmented reality to allow players to collect Pokémon in the real world. FOR MORE, VISIT BLOG, LINK IN COMMENTS

Your audience will forget 70% of what you say. Here’s how to make the other 30% unforgettable. The truth is, most presentations are forgotten not because the content is weak, but because the delivery fails to connect. After coaching 100+ professionals, I’ve seen exactly what separates the forgettable presenters from the impactful ones. 👇 🟢 How to Make Your Message Stick 1️⃣ Prepare Beyond Slides Research your audience’s needs, pain points, and priorities Know your content inside out (don’t rely on text-heavy slides) Time yourself & practice transitions 2️⃣ Hook Them Early Start with a statistic, a story, or a provocative question Skip the generic “Good morning, my name is…” 3️⃣ Simplify the Structure Stick to 3 big ideas only Support with 1–2 examples or data points each End with a clear action item 4️⃣ Deliver with Presence Stand tall, slow your pace by 20% Pause after key points, silence amplifies impact Make eye contact with 3–5 people in the room 5️⃣ Engage Actively Ask a question every 5 minutes Use real workplace examples Encourage quick audience interactions 6️⃣ Finish Strong End on time (respect the room’s energy) Close with a memorable takeaway phrase Leave them with next steps or reflection Here’s what happens when you do this: ✨ People stop looking at their phones. ✨ They write down your points. ✨ They quote you after the meeting. ✨ Your message sticks long after you’ve left the room. Because confidence doesn’t come from flashy slides. It comes from preparation, clarity, and delivery that connects. 👉 What’s your biggest challenge when giving presentations, content, confidence, or engagement? Share below. P.S. Presentation skills aren’t just about speaking, they’re about building visibility, influence, and leadership. For more updated insights, practical strategies, and step-by-step frameworks to stand out at work. 👉 Join my Career Spotlight Group - https://lnkd.in/gB22r3_b #speaking #presentation #office #careertips

There are three clear cannabis customer archetypes, but most stores don’t see them this way. I’ve analyzed millions of cannabis retail transactions and these consumers emerged over and over. With Green Wednesday behind us, it’s the perfect time to assess your promo strategy in 2025. Your customers fall into one of these categories:
 LOYAL REGULARS → Choose 2-3 favorite stores and stick to them 
 → Value relationships with specific budtenders 
 → Want consistent product selection 
 → Don't chase deals - they value reliability DEAL SEEKERS → Will drive 40 minutes to save 30% 
 → Hunt specific products at lowest prices
 → Compare deals across multiple stores 
 → Price sensitive but brand loyal DAILY BUYERS → Clock-like reliability
 → Grab a few pre-rolls every couple days 
 → Value convenience over savings 
 → Smaller baskets but frequent visits 
 All three to have a thriving store. Most stores spray 30% discounts at everyone, regardless of how they shop. Your Loyal Regulars already trust you - they don't need a deal to return. Daily Buyers want quick service and predictable menu offering, not another promotion in their inbox. Save the deep discounts for Deal Seekers - on the specific products they actually want. So few stores are segmenting their customer lists properly. They’re giving discounts to people who aren’t asking for them. Understanding what each group wants isn't complicated. Segmenting your audience into these buckets isn’t either. Do both and you’ll be ahead of most of your peers. — Retail operators - how are you minimizing deal spray and maximizing margin?

I came across this menu today at a hotel (apologies for the quality of the picture!), and I thought it was a good case of F&B Revenue Management and Menu Engineering. This isn't just a list of dishes; it’s psychological pricing: 1. Price Anchoring: The Beluga Caviar at 300 serves as a powerful anchor. It makes the Holstein Beef Burger at 29 feel incredibly reasonable and drives sales toward those profitable middle-tier items. 2. Visual Guidance: Notice the icons (like the 'V') and illustrations. These are deliberate ‘eye magnets’ used to guide customers toward high-margin selections, often increasing profitability without them even realizing it. 3. Value-Driven Language: Specific descriptions ("with its classic garnish") boost the perceived quality and justify the price point. It often surprises me how many hoteliers and Revenue Managers completely neglect this critical revenue stream. True Total Revenue Management includes F&B, and if RMs aren't actively collaborating on and quantifying the effects of Menu Engineering, they are leaving significant profit on the table.

"That 40% food cost steak needs to go." Stop. You're about to make a $200K mistake. I watched a restaurant cut their $68 ribeye because the food cost was "too high." 6 months later they were nearly out of business. Here's what they didn't calculate: That ribeye with 40% food cost: • Sold for $68 • Cost $27.20 to make • Profit per plate: $40.80 But that's not the whole story. Every ribeye table also ordered: • 2.3 cocktails (avg): $32 profit • 1 bottle of wine (30% of time): $45 profit • Dessert (65% attach rate): $8 profit Total profit per ribeye table: $94 They replaced it with a "better" 28% chicken dish: • Sold for $24 • Cost $6.72 to make • Profit per plate: $17.28 Chicken table behavior: • 1.2 drinks: $12 profit • Wine (5% of time): $2 profit • Dessert (20% attach): $1.60 profit Total profit per chicken table: $31 The math that killed them: Before: 40 ribeyes × $94 = $3,760 profit After: 55 chicken × $31 = $1,705 profit A short term loss of: $2,055 Annual loss: $750,075 But they "fixed" their food cost percentage. Here's what actually drives profit: High-cost items often: → Attract bigger spenders → Drive beverage sales → Increase check averages → Create perception of quality Low-cost items often: → Attract price shoppers → Kill beverage sales → Lower check averages → Scream "cheap" I've analyzed 500+ restaurant failures. The pattern is clear: They cut high-contribution items. They add low-cost alternatives. They celebrate the "improved" percentages. They wonder why revenue tanks. The items you should actually cut: • High labor/low velocity items • Complex prep/low margin items • Items that slow kitchen flow • Items with high waste rates NOT items that: • Drive your beverage program • Create your reputation • Bring in big spenders • Have high dollar contribution One client learned this lesson: Their $45 tomahawk (42% cost) drove: → $2.8M in annual beverage sales → 400% higher check averages → Their entire brand identity Almost cut it. I showed them the math. They doubled down instead. Result: 23% increase in profit. Stop managing to percentages. Start managing to dollars. Your P&L doesn't care about your food cost percentage. It cares about total profit. And sometimes the "worst" food cost items are your biggest profit drivers. Want my Menu Profit Analyzer that shows true item profitability including beverage attach rates? Comment "DOLLARS" below. Because the item you're about to cut might be the one keeping you in business. 👊🏻 #restaurants #menuengineering #restaurantprofitability #restaurantowner