Promotions – when done well and marketed properly – can provide a large bang for your buck. But the key is to hit the right people at the right time in the right way. So how do you do that?

• Determine your target audience. This audience can be broad (everyone on Twitter), or very targeted (people driving down College road in Wilmington, NC who like free cookies). Once you know who you are selling to, it will be infinitely easier to find the right time/place and method to grab their attention.

•  Map out their routines. Stalk your audience (not in a creepy way, of course) to determine their habits. Find out when they are on Twitter or how often they drive down College Rd. to understand when your message will be most effective.

• Learn what they want. Research online, hold focus groups or conduct a survey to better understand their likes and dislikes. Even an informal interview with employees, family and friends can tell you a lot about what people pay attention to.

If you’re looking boost your company’s visibility, take a page from these successful promotion playbooks:

Squarespace – This software company targeted Twitterers with a free offer of 30 iPhones in 30 Days. All you had to do to enter was send a daily tweet about the company using the hashtag #squarespace. Halfway through they had to change the rules to one tweet total to enter because they were inundated with so many entries.

Priddyboy’s Sandwich Grill – This local Wilmington Sandwich shop gives away a free cookie with every meal purchased all day long on Fridays. After a few weeks of mediocre sales, they posted a sign announcing Free Cookie Friday by the road and within fifteen minutes received one order for more than $75.