If you’re used to relying on discounts to drum up business and customer interest, we’ve got good news — you don’t have to use discounts! While discounts can be useful, there are different tactics that you can build into your strategy that are effective at building sales and loyalty. Even better, these methods don’t force you to cut profit margins in order to make the sale.

To get started, we’ve put together four advertising ideas to help you reach and engage your audience without offering a discount.

Radio Jingles

This simple tactic has existed for almost as long as radio has. It’s cost-effective, and all it takes is a straightforward message and a catchy tune to help you build brand awareness. Just consider these questions when considering the value of radio jingles:

• Do you know bologna’s first name?
• What is the fabric of our lives?
• What are you stuck on because it stuck on you?
• What goes “plop plop, fizz fizz”?

Did you know any of the answers? If so, it’s because jingles are effective at grabbing audience’s attention and helping them recall ads long after they’ve been heard.

According to a study by the University of Vienna, 89% of listeners agree that jingles work. And of those, 63% said it’s due to their ability to create memories, while others felt that jingles work because they attract attention (23%) and generate a positive atmosphere once heard (15%).

Contests

There are few better ways to generate buzz than running a contest. Whether you run a contest to increase awareness or to promote new products or services, contests provide a great opportunity to integrate marketing channels. Sharing information about your contest across multiple channels can help you reach more people and build real excitement about your brand, offering, and prize.

Speaking of prizes, they don’t necessarily have to come out of your pocket; you may work with a partner that chooses to donate the prize. For instance, a radio partner could  provide free concert tickets or access to an exclusive station event as a prize.

When leveraged correctly, contests should do more than just raise awareness. They’re also a powerful lead generation tool since you’ll need to collect some kind of information for contest entry. They can also drive conversions (e.g., offering an entry in exchange for downloading an ebook), foot traffic, and ultimately, sales.

Fun Radio Personalities

We can’t emphasize the power of on-air personalities enough. (In fact, we mentioned it recently in two posts: one listing the top ten reasons to use radio, and the other detailing what your competition may be doing with their marketing and hopes you won’t.)

You see, listeners spend most of their time with radio tuned into their favorite station, especially when their favorite show or DJ is on the air. This establishes a powerful relationship between listeners and the radio personality, one that relies on trust and positions the personality as an opinion leader. Getting their endorsement will carry a lot of weight with their audience, transferring some of that trust to your brand.

If you missed it, we recently shared how to make radio endorsements work for your brand. Be sure to check it out for more insights into leveraging this tactic effectively.

Engaging Message

No matter what advertising channel you choose or what the advertisement is promoting, your message is vital to ensuring your audience understands who your brand is, what your ad is about, and what you want them to do next. You’ll need to understand your audience to make sure your message resonates with them.

Your message also needs to be transparent, trustworthy, unique, and clear. Consumers expect transparency from brands and deserve trustworthy communication. Doing otherwise can damage how they perceive your brand. A unique message not only improves recall, but it also helps your brand stand out from competitors. And using a clear message is the best way to ensure your audience understands what you’re saying.

There are a number of simple - and engaging - ways to advertise effectively without offering discounts. Incorporate these tactics into your advertising strategy to increase awareness and drive sales without affecting your bottom line.