Promotional marketing is the use of any special offer intended to raise a customer's interest and influence a purchase, and to make a particular product or company stand out among its competitors.Promotional materials can exist as a part of direct marketing, like mail or email materials that include coupons . They can also include contests that encourage participation with a company, or product samples that offer something free to customers to generate their interest in the product. Promotions are also common during live interactions between customers and salespeople, encouraging the purchase of additional products.Ultimately, the goal of any promotional marketing campaign is to raise awareness about a product or increase its appeal. Promotional marketing has the advantage of being valuable to both new customers and existing customers -- it offers new customers a reason to try the product for the first time, while building loyalty in existing customers.