Joint Promotions

Clive Taylor

Joint Promotions

 

Do you ever partner up and offer joint promotions? No!  Why not?

 

One way of reducing some of your marketing costs is to share them!  To successfully offer a joint promotion certain rules have to be applied but if the two (minimum) parties can agree these it can be a rewarding and profitable experience for both.?

 

The idea of a joint promotion is to share both the costs and the rewards in a non-threatening offer. When I say non-threatening I mean that the promotion has to work for both parties and not jeopardise either parties normal sales activity.

 

I think the best way to highlight what I mean is by an example. In this example I partnered with a local stately home to try and boost sales for both them and us in the early Spring.

 

Like most businesses which have seasonal high and lows it always good to get the year off to a good start.   Tourism related businesses share common goals and objectives such as this. So could there be any benefit working with another local non threatening business to try and kick start the 'season' for both of us?

 

We approached the owners of a local stately home (tugging our forelock as we went!) and put the idea to them.  We suggested some type of joint promotion that involved sharing the costs and benefits and after some preliminary discussion we both went away to think about things.

 

We agreed the format, a postcard mailer, the photograph on the front, naturally enough a particularly picturesque shot of the stately home at sunset with a one eighth cut in of our premises in one corner. The sales copy for both of us was to be shown on the reverse.  We also agreed the number to be ordered and the division of the costs and went away to write our versions of the sales copy.

 

Without doubt writing sales copy is a science and on a promotion such as this the most difficult part was to arrive at something which did justice to both businesses and could be incorporated into a relatively few words.

 

We used the benefits to sell the features:

 

No crowds to contend with---- usually a quiet time to visit.

 

Each group receives our personal attention---We have the time to look after you

 

Be first to see this year's alterations--See the new additions 

Never to be repeated entrance fee---Early season special price

 

Warm and snug—Cosy comfortable bedrooms

 

I am sure you get the idea.

 

If there is going to be any issue surrounding a joint promotion it is usually connected with the sales copy and each party wanting their venue to appear either first or to command more of the actual wording.

 

I urge you sincerely to get over anything like this as soon as you can.  Rather ask yourself the question 'what are my visitors coming to see? If in your heart of hearts you truly believe it's you and your accommodation don't get involved with any joint effort and talk to your selling business agent now. You are in the wrong business.

 

If alternatively you think it's the area that your visitors are coming to see, or an event in your area you will be aware that you and your business are NOT the major reason for your guests visiting you, so realise where you are in the buying process and make your sales by piggy backing on the marketing that others do or by linking with them in a joint promotion.

 

I have run promotions jointly with stately houses, museums, steam railways and others, even with other accommodation providers if the local event was big enough. All have paid, some better than others its true, but none have left me out of pocket.

 

So whom could you partner with in selling your accommodation? If you can't do a mail shot can you exhibit each other's brochure? Is there a local restaurant to which you sent clients to who would display your sales literature? What about a card in your newsagent's window? Its not glamorous but it can be very effective.

 

Put on your thinking cap and start talking to people who you can partner with and reverse the trend of your marketing costs.

Chris Hayton