It’s A Good Time To Host A Contest!

We’re embarking on a pretty exciting time of year! In two weeks time, it will be the day after Halloween. November 1st is unofficially the beginning of the holiday shopping season. It’s a time when retailers from all over Canada will be competing for all of those extra bucks that Canadians plan on spending on holiday gifts.

There are, of course, numerous ways to promote your brand in order to be considered a top destination for holiday shopping. And hosting a contest just happens to be one of the best! As you know, there are so many different types of contests you can run. Selecting one that makes the most sense for your target audience is important. There are few necessary steps to take to pull it off the right way.

Make it easy to enter.

The easier it is to enter your contest, the more contestants you’re bound to have. Consider having both an in-store and an online version of your contest. Entry can be as simple has filling out a form and entering it into a box (for your in-store contest) or liking your Facebook page and commenting on a post (for your online contest).

As you think through different campaign types, you must think in terms of your customers,” says Josh Ledgard on KickoffLabs.com, “How much work should they put in to enter the contest? We’ve seen that the best performing ‘contests’ tend to have less steps to enter. The lower barrier to entry, the more people will likely sign up. So weigh out the pros and cons of each before moving any further.”

Focus on your current customers.

Naturally, you will want to attract new customers to your brand by running a contest. But it’s important to never forget the individuals who have already supported your brand. Repeat business is a key to success and running a contest that rewards the people who have already made purchases from you is a great way to garner long-term loyalty.

“Contests are a great way to draw the attention of an established customer base, and remind them of why they were initially interested in shopping for your company’s products or services,” reports Shopify.ca, “When thinking of marketing contest ideas, choose prizes that can appeal to both current and new customers to get across that you appreciate your existing customer base.”

Offer a worthwhile prize related to your business.

Who wants to enter a contest that offers lame prizes? Be sure that the reward for entering is a great one. It’s also wise to offer prizes that are relevant to your business. If you own an auto body shop, a free oil change may be a good idea. If you own a restaurant, a free dinner for two should do the trick!

“Our advice is to resist giving away prizes that are irrelevant to your business — looking at you free iPad and gift card giveaways!” writes Ledgard, “Sure you’ll probably get a ton of signups, but are they going to be the best leads for your business? Not likely. Offering a prize that is related to your industry and generates real enthusiasm is proven to increase targeted contest entries.”

Launching a new contest is a great way to advertise your business. But every advertising campaign requires a budget. Contact Synergy Merchants to find out how our unique merchant cash advance program can help you get the money you need! Call us at 1-877-718-2026 or email us at info@synergymerchants.com.