Analyzing McDonald's Promotional Strategy

McDonald’s is by far the world’s biggest restaurant chain with more than 40,000 outlets in 100 countries. The first of their restaurants in Australia was opened in Yagoona, NSW back in 1971 and currently, it has 1000 restaurants in the country that serves 2 million people daily. Just like any other business, McDonald’s employs different techniques and strategies to engage customers to sell their products. Having a marketing strategy is extremely important for any business, new or old because, without it, you cannot entice new customers or inform people to try your product.

Creating Awareness

McDonald’s uses a different platform, and advertising practices to create awareness about the new products they introduce. The most prominent of them is the video advert, and anyone who watches television or uses YouTube gets to know about anything new McDonald’s brings in the market. They also use outdoor advertising frequently, and when you roam around Sydney you can quickly become aware of their products and offers. But that’s not it, other options such as social media ads, newspaper and magazine adverts, direct emails and even radio and podcast segments are used by McDonald’s so that every person, from all backgrounds and age groups can be covered.

Trying the product

The best example of getting consumers to try their product is the famous Quarter Pounder burger, recently McDonald’s introduced a spicier version of it, known as the Quarter Pounder Chilli; the only difference being a sauce called Sriracha. They informed the customer about the product through advertisement and mentioned these burgers are here for a limited time, and it ended up being a success because people wanted to try something new, even though the only difference was addition of a spicy sauce.

Informing about the product

McDonald’s does not have to do something different, like product placement or even marketing, to make people try their product. They are an established brand, and once people see anything new or different, which is introduced by them, they will be more than willing to go and buy the product. Therefore, usually sources such as television adverts and promotional banners at prominent locations throughout the cities are usually more than enough for them to let people know of what is new at their outlets.

Retaining Loyal Customers

McDonald’s uses a simple yet effective way of maintaining their customers who frequently buy their products. While online delivery through Uber Eats is available, mostly you have to order your products through the mobile application in Australia. If you purchase through their online platform often, McDonald’s offer discounted rates on different products that you have been eating. In my case, I frequently order their Quarter Pounder Burger and more often than not, I will get a dollar or two off on the product. Such actions make the customer feel valued, and they keep on buying the products.

Enticing Customers to buy frequently

Every week McDonald’s sends two deals for people who have been trying their products. These offers include buying one Big Mac and getting the other for free, 15% off on any order that is more than $10, getting free French fries on a specific burger such as McChicken burger. The offer expires within six days, so most people by nature want to try their products and avail the offers.

Use of Promotions

The best example of McDonald’s promotions is the Monopoly which will run from September to November in 2019. This is the biggest promotion of McDonald’s where if you purchase selected products, and the price of order is more than $10 you will be given different tickets that include Instant Win, Collect to Win and Chance whereby you can win different prizes. These prizes include European holidays, Can-am Ryker, Sea-doo Spark, $5000 prepaid Visa gift cards among other things. Overall there are 50,000,000 prizes to be won in different categories which for sure will grab the attention of its current and new customers.