20 Creative Limited-Time Offers

Limited-time offers make for such successful direct marketing because they force a consumer to quickly respond to a call to action. This technique has been accelerated in recent years with the rise in pop-up shops, coupons that disappear just as quickly as a sale period and campaigns that are dependent on external factors like the weather.

Playing off of the ephemeral nature of many social media sites, campaigns are making use of platforms like Snapchat to announce flash sales and limited-time promotions. While one-day-only offers wouldn't have worked years ago, today, the only people who miss out are those who choose not to be socially connected. Extremely short special promotions have been helpful for announcing the launch of everything from new films to customer loyalty programs.