A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF MONETARY AND NON-MONETARY SALES PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY: A CASE STUDY ON HEINEKEN BREWERIES S.C.

Abstract

The study of sales promotional tools and consumer behavior is paramount to any successful business aiming to understand and layout it’s marketing and sales strategy. The purpose of this study to provide a qualitative analysis on the difference between Monetary and Non- monetary sales promotion strategies in the Ethiopian Beer industry by taking different tools used by Heineken breweries to promote its brand and demonstrate customers’ perception towards these strategies. For this study, data was collected through questionnaire from 90 end consumers and 30 outlet owners and a structured interview with the sales representatives to validate theoretical and empirical research questions. Results reveal that the sampled brewery (Heineken) uses both Monetary and Non-monetary sales promotional tools based on the intended End goal, The Target Channels and the Short Vs. Long term Objectives. The tools used are; Corporate Sponsorship, Discounted Price, Mystery shopper, Extra Product, Free Samples, Under the Cork Prizes, Vouchers/Coupons and Lottery and Gifts and Goody bag. Finding of the study also shows that there several events can trigger higher sales but majority of the respondents agreed that; the type of sales promotion tool used and timing of sales promotion were the biggest influencers to buying Heineken brewery product and the highest sales is recorded during “Under the Cork” promotional season (Prizes hidden under the cork of Walia Beer).