Ch. 18: Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

     Starbucks may be pricey but they don't have the need to always be on an aggressive promotional campaign. They have amped up their campaigns but not on a level to which you will feel like they are promoting their products everywhere. They give coupons or 50% off here and there throughout the year but most people when talked about Starbucks know what price to expect and that most likely you can’t go online for a coupon.

     Starbucks offers some promotion as was their “happy hour” a few months back which offered frappuccinos half off and custom made to your liking. The purpose of this promotion is to get people in the store during their less traffic hours from 3-5pm and it showed to be a great way to get customers in. The also ran a nationwide “Free pastry day” promotion which offered free pastry with the purchase of a coffee drink from when the store opened until 10:30 a.m. or until all the pastries ran out. Another offer they had was the purchase a drink in the morning and bring in your receipt after 2pm for $2 off any cold drinks. But most of Starbucks promotion is done in store displays and has greatly paid off especially during the holidays when they may add a few drinks to their menu and promote that drink even more like the “pumpkin spice latte” now during this fall season. They have spread the word about their products now through TV commercials , social networks like Facebook, twitter and even text. One of their new selling features is partnering up with apple and providing a list of free downloads at any Starbucks store nation wide with free wifi. there is also an app for that customers with a Starbucks card will be able to pay from their smartphone instead of using cash, credit or debit cards.

     "One of the things we're consistently hearing in this day and age (is), even though budgets are tight, they still don't want to give up life's little luxuries," said Brad Stevens, vice president of customer relationship management at Starbucks. "They consider Starbucks one of those luxuries." Plus with barristas like the ones at Starbucks are in itself a way of promoting Starbucks. They treat individuals like human beings from getting their names on a paper cup even though sometimes not spelled correctly like in my case spelling my name “erica” but still they make you feel like your going into more than just a store its a caffe were they know what you normally drink and recognize you when you walk in if your a loyal customer. Having such a welcoming environment and good personal selling tactics is what makes Starbucks have such loyal customers.

     Starbucks does not only market for a profit for themselves but also for the help of others. They are very into giving back to the community as is their new campaign "beginning October 4, purchase a specially-marked bag of Gold Coast Blend® – Morning Joe Edition that features a $5 donation sticker to DonorsChoose.org. You will be able to direct the $5 to a public school project that inspires you."