You’re right to ask this question. That’s because a lot of people run contests because they hear these contests bring in crazy amounts of traffic. Many times that’s true. But the problem is, the traffic isn’t necessarily high-quality traffic. It’s easy to end up with a lot of tire-kicking freebie seekers.
Just think about it for a second…
Have you ever entered a business-sponsored contest, even though you had NO interest in the business or products themselves?
There’s a good chance you have, as most people do at one time or another. And if you run a contest, you’re likely to attract a somewhat untargeted crowd too… but only IF you run the wrong kind of contest!
So here’s what I propose to you: run two kinds of contests.
- Customer contest. Create something that will not only get you viral traffic, but also attracts high-quality leads.
- Affiliate contest. You can’t go wrong by getting your affiliates competing with each other and promoting like crazy! To make this strategy even more effective, you can pair your affiliate contest with a good customer sale.
Now elsewhere I’ve talked about some of the keys of running an affiliate contest, so I’m not going to delve into that again here. Instead, let’s focus on creating a customer contest.
Check out these keys for creating a successful customer contest…
Check the Legalities
Certain types of contests aren’t legal everywhere, so have an attorney look over your contest idea to be sure you meet local laws and regulations.
Offer Products As Prizes
A lot of marketers offer cash because it’s so enticing. And it’s true, if you do that you’re going to get a lot of people rushing to enter your contest. But the problem is, a good chunk of those folks won’t have any interest in your business.
The solution? Offer your products as prizes. That way you attract targeted leads who have a genuine interest in your business.
Get People Excited About Your Business
A lot of business owners simply create random-draw contests. People enter, you pick a winner, and the contest is over.
However, you should seek to use this contest as a way to get people genuinely excited about your business. Here are some examples of way to do this:
- You sell dog grooming kits. Ask people to send pics of their shaggy dogs to “prove” that the dog needs to be groomed. You can have other people vote on the pics.
- You sell weight loss information. You can hold a transformation contest for six to twelve weeks.
- Get people to create a 15-30 second video commercial showcasing why your product rocks. The person with the best video wins the top prize.
Next…
Create a Viral Effect
As mentioned above, one way to get people involved is by voting on contest pics or other entries. Generally, those who enter a voting contest will naturally tell their friends to vote.
Here’s another way: reward people for telling their friends. For example, you can use an app like RaffleCopter.com, which gives your contest entrants an extra entry in the contest for sharing your content on social media. It’s a great way to spread the word effortlessly through your niche!
Reward Those Who Didn’t Win
As soon as your contest ends, promptly announce the winners and distribute the prizes. But be sure to capitalize on all the buzz and excitement by offering “runners up” (that would be everyone else) a prize too. In this case, the prize should be a limited-time discount coupon for the product.
Parting Thoughts
So as you can see, a random-draw contest with a cash prize isn’t the best way to attract targeted leads. If you use the tips above, however, you’ll get targeted leads joining your list, getting excited about your business, and buying your stuff. Win win!
So what are you going to do once you have this list of targeted leads? You’re going to follow up with them and close the sale, of course.