Sales promotion This refers to a set of short-term incentives a seller offers to encourage product trial or purchase. The objective is to attract buyers or potential customers to purchase a company's goods or services. Some common examples of sales promotional activities are free samples, gifts and premiums, rebates, trade-in allowances, discount coupons, contests, trade shows, exhibitions and the like. A sales promotion usually does not last very long or carried out too frequently. A product that is perpetually on a sales promotional drive ends up with a negative image.