Skip to content

Consultor de Marketing Digital

Book a call (opens in a new tab)

Menu

Book a call (opens in a new tab)

Grow · Offers

Offer and promotion planning that protects your margin

I help you decide which promotions to run, when and with which mechanic, starting from the margin on each product. Each one is judged afterwards on the profit it left, not just the sales it drove.

Book a call (opens in a new tab)

In short

Offer and promotion planning sets the calendar, mechanics and limits of every commercial push based on the store’s margin and goals. I do it for WooCommerce stores that rely on discounts to sell or arrive at peak trading dates unprepared. It includes an annual calendar, WooCommerce coupon rules and post-promotion analysis.

Promotions that cost more than they earn

  • The same discount across the catalogue

    One flat discount applied to products with very different margins. The low-margin lines end up selling at a loss.

  • Customers who only buy on sale

    With frequent discounts, customers hold off until the next campaign and full-price sales decline.

  • Nobody measures the real effect

    The weekend’s sales get celebrated, but nobody measures the dip in the weeks after or how many buyers would have purchased anyway.

How I plan promotions

I start with contribution margin by category and product, after cost of goods, delivery, payment fees and returns. That tells me how much discount each line can bear, and I choose mechanics that protect margin, such as bundles, free delivery above a threshold or gift with purchase.

  • A discount ceiling per category, calculated from margin
  • Alternatives to straight discounts: bundles, gifts, delivery thresholds
  • Early access for loyal customers instead of deeper discounts for everyone
  • Price communication in line with EU rules on announcing reductions

What you receive

  • Margin map

    Contribution margin by category and for key products, with the maximum discount each can support.

  • Annual promotional calendar

    The dates that matter in your markets, such as January sales, Mother’s Day, back to school, Black Friday and Christmas, each with a goal and mechanic.

  • Mechanics library

    Offer types suited to your store, with guidance on when to use each and what to avoid.

  • WooCommerce coupon rules

    Restrictions set by product, category, minimum spend and single use, plus exclusion of items already on sale.

  • Post-promotion analysis

    A template to assess each push on margin, new customers, pulled-forward demand and repeat purchase from customers acquired.

Stages

  1. Costs and margins

    I gather product costs, delivery, payment fees and return rates and calculate real margin by category.

  2. Promotion history

    I analyse past promotions to see what worked and what merely pulled sales forward.

  3. Calendar and mechanics

    I agree the year’s calendar with you, the mechanic for each push and the discount limits.

  4. Execution and review

    I set up or check coupons and messaging before each promotion and analyse the results afterwards.

Tools I use

  • WooCommerce
  • Google Sheets
  • GA4
  • Klaviyo
  • Metorik
Should I do Black Friday?

It depends on your margin, audience and brand positioning. Some stores do better with early access for customers, gift with purchase or bundles than with straight discounts. The decision should start from the numbers, not the calendar.

What rules apply when advertising discounts?

In the European Union, when you announce a price reduction you must show the prior reference price in line with the applicable rules. I help prepare clear price communication, but legal sign-off should come from your lawyer.

Is free delivery better than a discount?

It often works well, especially with a minimum order value that lifts average basket size. The right threshold is calculated from average shipping cost, margin and the current spread of order values.

How do I know whether a promotion worked?

I compare total margin generated against a reference period, check whether sales dipped in the weeks that followed and track repeat purchase among the new customers acquired. A promotion with lots of sales but thin margin and customers who never return rarely pays off.

Related tools

Some links are affiliate links: if you sign up, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes my assessment. How this works

Related articles

Want promotions that leave a profit?

On a discovery call I review your recent promotions with you and the margin they actually left.

Book a call (opens in a new tab)

Newsletter

Practical notes for WooCommerce stores