Posted On: Jan 12, 2016
Posted By: John Duff
Contest Marketing Tips

Starting your business gives a lot to think about and delay is expected with countless issues to be taken care of, creating an exclusive brand lurks somewhere in your hindsight but takes helluva of time to get implemented. Contest Marketing is a term that has emerged in the recent era of social media and has then able to draw maximum attention.

Contest Marketing – The New Theory

Contests are the most talked about thing, after all they give marketers what they want- Brand Buzz. Even the most successful business owners are craving for attention, they want to be talked about. You want your customers to be thinking about you all day long, drooling in your brand thoughts, so that the next time they meet their friends all they want is to talk about you. Possible!!

All is in the power of contest marketing. One utmost reason as to why company’s today are crazy about contest marketing is that it puts them in control of the terms. You have the power band and you decide when does it starts and when shall it end and you get to command the attention until they get what they want Prize. Make sure that the prize is juicy enough to have them stick around all the way.

    • Increased brand awareness?
    • Email addresses?
    • RSS subscribers?
    • UGC content for your site?
    • More media content like photos, video and sound?

Once you know what you want start brainstorming ideas for fun stuffs that you can create around it to capture visitor’s attention. In such a situation make sure that you know your target audience in and out.

Getting Sponsors:

If you are on a tight budget and still want to offer something dreamy, try and find some sponsors. If your contest have any angle of humanitarian or charity angle they may offer to help you in free. If not, try and work another arrangement like barter services or special mention of sponsor’s name each time you conduct the contest.

Running time:

What is the time you require to create, maintain and take advantage of the buzz, keeping in mind that you will have to to promote your contest for the entire length its running? How long can you handle it? How long will people put up with it?

Creating the Buzz:

Think and decide which outlets you shall use to promote your contest and get people excited about. Writing a press release or blogspot, what, next? Finalizing the panel of judges for the contest, preferably they should be eminent members of your industry getting more attention. Do you want to take your promotion to Twitter, mention in local IRL groups or creating high energy videos.

Utilize Attention:

No when you have everyone’s attention, unleash your best content. Have them subscribe to your blog and utilize the space within content rules. Ultimately think beyond content and use the attention you’re getting right now to build the brand of the future.

Announcing Winner:

Are the judges picking the winner or are they narrowing to small group of finalists and then letting the audience to pick. Will you use something like Random.org to pick a random number or maybe do it via Twiveaway? Your options are endless. And the questions never stop.

Make it interesting, make it useful, and make it connected. Get your brand buzz on roll with Contest marketing!!

The Concept:

Decide what you want to get out of your contest?