An online sales promotion is a project in itself. Like any project, it therefore needs a well - documented plan. The importance of a well - documented plan could not be discounted. It spells out what needs to be done, why it is done, and how you woul

Ideally, the plan contains eight elements: title, objectives, promotion period, deal, process, web communication strategy, and budget.

Here is a description of each element.

The Title. This part of the plan bears the name of the project. Most often, it captures what it is all about. It may bear a brand element such as the brand name and the nature of the promotion activity. It could be as simple as "iDrive Raffle Promo." However, it would be more effective if the title is trendy and distinctive.

The Objectives. Any business does not undertake any marketing activity for no reason. This is the portion of the plan where the question, "Why do we have to have an online sales promotion?" is answered. Essentially, it is done to improve some aspect of the business. This could be sales revenues, site visits, and product or service trials. It is also very important to express the objective in a specific, quantifiable, attainable, realistic and time - bound manner. This is crucial because this is going to be used in evaluating whether it is successful or not.

The Promotion Period. This part specifies the length of time the promotion will run. The entrepreneur must carefully decide the duration so as to allow maximum participation. However, this does not mean that it must be run too long because it would lose the urgency that a marketing project like this should have.

The Deal. The deal describes the nature of the web-based sales promotion and the elements included. For example, the business may offer a gift certificate for every dozen pieces purchased or a free e-book for the first 100 customers. The deal must be appealing to the prospective clients and must be reasonable enough to engage them.

The Process. This is basically a "how-to" section for both the business and the participant. It includes the step-by-step procedure by which the participant will have to follow to obtain the deal or offer. Meanwhile, this portion of the plan also describes specific implementation activities. The sales promotion terms and conditions is an integral element of this section.

The Web Communication Strategy. It is critical that the information about this sales and marketing project is spread to as many right people as possible. Hence, this segment identifies the various platforms to be used in disseminating the sales promotion. This could include social but not limited to media and search engine optimization strategies.

The Budget. The budget outlines the costs accompanying the sales promotion. This may include web design and development expenses for the landing page and related internet tools and the premium items to be given away.

Once all these information is clearly documented, the business will not have a hard time assessing the online sales promotion - whether it was a success or not.

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