The 4 P's: Promotion

Promotion is the act of increasing the perceived value of your product(s) or service(s). You promote your product by advertising (print, TV, radio, billboards, banner ads, emails, etc.), but also by personal selling (door-to-door salesmen, trained retail staff (such as specialists who work make-up counters at department stores, car salesmen, etc.)).

Online promotion is about the same. A merchant must SELL his product or service. Your banner ads, search engine placement, links to promote your Web site and/or your Web site's products/services will bring potential buyers to your site. You can even use testimonials (such as those found at Amazon.com) to help promote your items. You can advertise in traditional media (as many Web sites do on TV or in magazines) or you can identify cost-effective ways to get the word to specific (targeted) audiences.

For example, if you want to sell horse bridles, you might distribute flyers to individual attending horse shows (handing them out or putting flyers on windshields or buying ad space on the show's glossy program).