Sweepstakes are a big thing in the United States, with about 140 ongoing sweepstakes promotions in the country. This number shows a wide interest of consumers for sweepstakes, and for an online merchant, such opportunities should be included as part of a marketing campaign for business growth.
Plus, there is nothing like the excitement and thrill of a win. Over the last years, this sense of thrill has penetrated the social media sphere. Consumer promotions, such as sweepstakes, are effective marketing strategies that allow businesses to build brand awareness, expand their target reach, and increase sales. When executed properly, they can benefit your company in ways more than what your other marketing efforts are able to achieve.
Sweepstakes Trends
Sweepstakes are a considerably low-cost marketing promotions strategy that can yield a positive outcome when it comes to expanding your business and growing an audience. When a sweepstakes promotion is done right, it can help you accomplish three goals:
- Expanding your email list – if your followers know that there is something in store for them, they will not hesitate to provide their information in exchange for a potential prize.
- Boosting online engagement – consumers are willing to take that first step to reach out and engage in your post because they are aware that there is a possibility that they will get something in return.
- Inspiring virality – joining a contest is a fun experience, and most people like to share their exciting experiences with their circle of friends or family, especially if sharing only requires the click of a button. With enough shares, chances of your sweepstakes going viral increases.
The following sweepstakes trends are also helpful factors when looking at this promotion for the growth of your business:
1. Reward Social Behaviors
Social media is growing rapidly, and you can take this opportunity to convert socially active consumers into becoming your brand ambassadors by encouraging them to tweet or share your content. Rewards can be as simple as additional points for activities, such as uploading a photo, watching a video, and answering a poll, among others.
2. Tiered Pricing
Another way to encourage more consumers to join your sweepstakes promotion is by linking the number of participants to the value/size of the rewards. It means that the more people who join the promotion, the bigger and better the winnings will become.
3. Partner with Experts
With the growing trend in sweepstakes promotions, it is also ideal for the rules of contests and sweepstakes to evolve. This is the reason more brands are choosing to partner with experts who specializes in promotional laws. They can help you plan, create, and audit your campaign to ensure that your guidelines comply with federal and state regulations, including the ever-evolving social media protocols and policies.
Planning when to host your sweepstakes promotions is always a good idea. Here are some notable dates to remember:
- Holidays
- Before upcoming events
- New service or product launch dates
- Beginning of a new brand awareness campaign
Final Words
When you run this promotion, always remember to have a follow-up drip campaign in place. You don’t want any of those efforts to go to waste, do you? After all, your goal is to turn these participants into customers.
If you are looking for professional sweepstakes administration services, get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your efforts!
