Planning for a sale involves more than just setting up discounts—it’s about creating a cohesive strategy that maximizes impact and drives results. Every aspect of a sale, from advertising campaigns to point-of-purchase (POP) displays and staff training, needs to be carefully aligned to deliver a seamless customer experience. This strategic coordination not only boosts sales but also leaves a lasting impression on customers, encouraging repeat business. By dedicating time to plan effectively, you can transform a routine sale into a powerful opportunity for growth and customer engagement.
To help you achieve this, we’ve developed a comprehensive 30, 15, 7, 3-day, and day-of-sale preparation guide tailored to make any sale a success. This step-by-step roadmap is designed to simplify your planning process, ensuring that your marketing efforts, team readiness, and store setup are all primed for peak performance. From crafting pre-sale buzz to ensuring flawless execution on the day, this guide equips you with everything needed to maximize your sale’s potential and leave your customers impressed.
A Month-Long Plan
Our 30, 15, 7, 3-day, and day-of-sale plan is a well-researched and proven strategy, specifically designed to maximize the success of your promotional events. Developed through years of experience and refined by analyzing countless sales campaigns, this plan ensures that every critical stage of your sale is addressed in detail. Its effectiveness lies in its comprehensive approach—covering marketing, staffing, in-store displays, and customer communication—to create a seamless and engaging experience for shoppers. Bullfrog Spas provides all our dealers with a recommended 30, 15, 7, 3-day, and day-of-sale plan for every promotion scheduled throughout the year, an example of which is shown below. By following this structured framework, businesses can increase customer turnout, boost revenue, and enhance brand loyalty, all while minimizing the guesswork and stress associated with sale preparation.
30 Days Before the Sale
At 30 days out, it’s essential to finalize your sale offer and establish the dates for your promotion. Locking these details in early is crucial because it sets the foundation for all your advertising and planning efforts. With the sale offer and dates confirmed, you can move forward with purchasing media placements, scheduling digital campaigns, and creating promotional materials that align with the message and timeline. This proactive approach not only ensures your marketing is cohesive and effective but also gives your team ample time to prepare for the sale, maximizing its impact and success. Here is a full list of items we recommend doing at least one month before your sale begins:
- Set the Sale Offer: Define the promotion clearly, including the discount, product availability, and any special deals.
- Finalize the Advertising Plan: Determine which channels to use (TV, radio, social media, billboards, etc.) and decide on the messaging, budget, and timeline.
- Coordinate with Media Outlets: Work with TV, radio stations, and online platforms to ensure ad placement aligns with your campaign goals and sale timing.
- Purchase Media: Buy ad space across selected channels, securing spots at optimal times for the highest reach and engagement.
15 Days Before Sale
At 15 days out, it’s time to finalize your advertising content and messaging to ensure your sale campaign is cohesive and impactful. This stage is critical for creating a sense of urgency in your marketing materials, as they will run during the sale and drive customers to act quickly. Your messaging should highlight the unique features of Bullfrog Spas, from their innovative design to their premium water care options, ensuring potential customers understand the value your products offer. Consistent, polished content across all platforms—social media, email, and in-store displays—will strengthen your campaign and maximize its reach. We recommend completing the following checklist 15 days before your sale begins:
- Create Compelling Ad Content: Develop engaging and eye-catching ads that highlight the sale offer and speak directly to your target audience.
- Finalize TV Spots: Approve the visuals, voiceover, and messaging for your TV commercials. Ensure they align with the sale offer and brand guidelines.
- Complete Radio Scripts or Recordings: Review and finalize the scripts or recordings for radio ads. Ensure the messaging is clear, concise, and attention-grabbing.
- Finalize Digital Ad Materials: Approve social media graphics, videos, and ad copy for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads, and more.
- Sign Off on Print Ads: Finalize designs and messaging for any newspaper, magazine, or billboard advertisements.
- Review Email Marketing Content: Approve the content and layout of email campaigns that will promote the sale to your customer base.
- Plan the Ad Release Schedule: Finalize the schedule for when each ad will run, ensuring they all coincide with the start and end of the sale for maximum impact.
7 Days Before Sale
With just seven days left before your sale begins, it’s time to ensure your store is fully prepped and your team is ready to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Your in-store displays are just as critical as your online and digital presence in creating a cohesive experience for your customers. When someone sees your ads online and then walks into your showroom, consistent graphics, messaging, and branding instantly confirm they’re in the right place. This seamless alignment not only reassures customers but also builds trust and excitement about the sale.
Additionally, it’s essential for your team to be well-informed about the sale offers, dates, and product highlights so they can confidently answer customer questions and guide them to the best options. A knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff enhances the overall customer experience and increases the likelihood of making a sale. Combining a well-prepped showroom with a well-trained team sets the stage for a highly successful event. Here is our full recommended day seven checklist:
- Print Posters and Window Displays: Design and print posters or banners to advertise the sale and place them in key areas like windows, doors, and high-traffic zones in the showroom.
- Set Up Sale-Specific Displays: Rearrange products and create featured displays that focus on sale items to attract customer attention.
- Meet with Staff for Sale Overview: Hold a meeting with the sales team to go over the promotional details, ensure they understand the offers, and address any questions they have.
- Role-Playing Sales Scenarios: Practice handling customer interactions, objections, and upselling techniques to prepare the staff for engaging with sale shoppers.
- Check Inventory and Stock Levels: Make sure the team is aware of the products in stock and ready to highlight the best deals to customers.
- Coordinate with Customer Service and Support: Ensure the entire team is aligned on sale policies, warranties, or any special terms for the sale to provide a smooth customer experience.
3 Days Before Sale
Three days before your sale is the perfect time to launch your campaigns and generate excitement within your community. This window strikes the right balance—close enough to the sale that anticipation stays fresh, but with enough lead time for your audience to plan their visit. Launching too early risks losing momentum, but starting three days out ensures your message creates buzz that carries into the event. Keep your campaigns active throughout the sale to maintain visibility and remind customers of the limited-time offers. With this strategy, you’ll build excitement and drive traffic at just the right moment. You can find our full recommended day three checklist below.
- Launch Digital Ads: Activate online ads across social media platforms, search engines, and display networks to start building awareness.
- Schedule Email Campaigns: Send out a “Sale Starts Soon” email blast to your customer list, highlighting key offers and sale details.
- Finalize and Air TV and Radio Spots: Ensure your TV and radio ads are finalized, scheduled, and set to air during prime-time slots leading up to the sale.
- Activate Paid Social Media Ads: Boost posts and run targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to reach your audience.
- Update Website and Landing Pages: Ensure your website’s homepage and sale landing pages reflect the sale offers with clear calls to action.
- Push SMS/Text Marketing: Send text messages to your subscriber list, reminding them of the upcoming sale and any exclusive offers.
- Monitor and Adjust: Track the performance of your ads throughout the campaign and make adjustments if needed to maximize reach and effectiveness.
- Coordinate In-Store Signage with Ads: Make sure that in-store signage and point-of-purchase displays are consistent with the advertisements to create a cohesive customer experience.
Day of Sale
The day of your sale is a critical moment to set the stage for success. It’s time to ensure your in-store displays are fully set up and align seamlessly with your digital campaigns, creating a consistent customer experience. Notify your leads list and community that the sale has officially begun through email blasts, social media posts, and other channels. Generating excitement on the first day is essential to drive traffic and build momentum that carries throughout the event. Remember, creating a sense of urgency and enthusiasm today can make all the difference in the success of your sale. Here are just a few tasks we recommend doing the day your sale begins:
- Display Posters in Windows: Ensure sale posters and promotional materials are prominently displayed in all storefront windows to catch the attention of passersby.
- Position In-Store Banners and Signage: Place banners, floor mats, and other POP displays in high-traffic areas of the store to direct customers toward key promotions and products.
- Post Sale Announcement on Social Media: Announce the start of the sale with a post across all social media platforms, using eye-catching visuals and a call to action.
- Send “Sale Starts Today” Email Blast: Email your customer list, announcing the official start of the sale and highlighting key discounts and offers.
- Ensure Staff Are Prepped and Ready: Meet with your sales team again to go over final details of the sale, answer any last-minute questions, and review key talking points and promotions.
- Update Website: Ensure your website displays reflect the sale offers, allowing customers to browse promotions online or through kiosks.
- Push SMS/Text Notifications: Send out a quick text alert to your subscriber list, reminding them the sale has started and inviting them to visit the store.
Strategic Tools for Bullfrog Spas Dealers
Executing a successful sale plan requires the right tools to streamline your efforts and maximize results. From creating cohesive marketing campaigns to ensuring your team is motivated and prepared, having access to proven resources can make all the difference. Below is a list of essential tools and guides available exclusively to Bullfrog Spas dealers, designed to help implement each phase of this 30, 15, 7, 3, and day-of-sale strategy effectively.
- Marketing Toolkits: Access premade assets tailored for each sale, including digital graphics, ready to print posters, radio scripts and more to create cohesive and professional campaigns.
- Power Per Square Foot Guide: Gain valuable insights into optimizing your advertising and marketing efforts with this detailed guide, helping you craft impactful campaigns and attract more customers.
- Power Per Square Foot Article: Closing Your Sales Gap: Explore strategies to prepare and motivate your sales team for the big day, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and enthusiasm to close deals and provide exceptional customer experiences.
By following these steps and utilizing the tools we’ve recommended, you can create cohesive campaigns, motivate your team, and set your showroom up for success. Whether it’s leveraging our marketing toolkits, optimizing strategies from the Power Per Square Foot guide, or ensuring your staff is fully prepared, every detail contributes to the overall success of your sale. With the right planning and resources, you’ll be well-positioned to boost sales, delight customers, and achieve your business goals.
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