Whether it's a product, event, organization or idea you are promoting, you need something fresh and original to promote the thing with. Anyone could think of fliers or giveaway pens, but if you want to create a lasting impression in the people that you are promoting to, you need to do something that they haven't seen before or that they haven't seen done as well.
Events
Events are good as promotions as they draw crowds, and if the event is big enough, news coverage. This is a great promotional technique for stores looking to draw people in and raise their local profile.
For example, movie theaters looking to draw in crowds can host parties and contests prior to big movie openings to draw customers to their theater instead of the other theaters in town. Such theaters can even charge more for admittance to the pre-show event, complete with refreshments and even alcohol. Movie theater owners can take advantage of the fan base for "Harry Potter" by throwing a Harry Potter costume party and contest prior to the film or take advantage of the love for the "Sex and the City" franchise with a pre-show cocktail party complete with cosmos or virgin cosmos. Music stores can host a music competition such as a battle of the bands or a solo guitarist competition complete with big prizes for the top finishers. This concept can be adapted to most any store.
Unusual but Useful Freebies
Everybody has a few branded pens shoved in their desk drawer somewhere. Instead, provide freebies that are more unique or are very useful. If you are a doctor's office, a pharmacy or a daycare center, try branded bottles of hand sanitizer, an item not usually given away as a promotional freebie and that will be carried around with people during the day. If you are a retail store, give customers a canvas bag imprinted with your logo and tell customers that they get a discount if they bring in the bag when they shop.
Secret Gift Card Mailing
Instead of the typical mass mailing, send out the mass mailing with a special code entitling the person who receives the card to a certain, and secret, amount of in-store credit in varying amounts. Tell customers that they can only come in during a certain period of time, such as a month, to discover their credit amount and redeem it for store items. Make the credit amounts in tiers, with few credit prizes high and the most mailings having a low amount, such as five dollars. This idea will bring people to your store or website.
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