For businesses looking for a way to bring a sudden surge of appeal to their business, you may be considering holding some type of contest or giveaway. While this can be a great way to showcase your business to people who may have otherwise overlooked you, it can also be an opportunity for you to make some big mistakes that could come back to haunt you. So to ensure that this experience goes off without a hitch, here are three tips for doing a successful giveaway from your business.
Have Something Worth Giving Away
Before you start taking the first steps toward organizing a giveaway, you first need to be willing to give something away that’s going to be of value to those you’re hoping to participate. According to Tucker Schreiber, a contributor to Shopify.com, some things you might consider using for your giveaway could include a limited edition product, an entire line of product, a rare opportunity, or something related to travel. If you don’t give something away that people are going to be excited about and want to actually win, your giveaway won’t be very successful. And not only could an unsuccessful giveaway not help your business, but it could also actually hurt your business in the long run if you’re not careful.
Create Clear Rules
Once you’ve decided what you’re going to be using for your giveaway, it’s now time to create rules for participation and winning. Before people choose to play a part in your giveaway, they’re likely going to want to know all the details regarding signing up and winning the contest. According to Jim Belosic, a contributor to Social Media Examiner, the rules should include explaining how the winner will be chosen, who’s eligible to participate, what qualifies a valid entry, how long the contest will last, and what will happen if you suspect fraud of any kind. By thinking through all the rules for any potential outcome before you even start the giveaway, you can be prepared for whatever happens between the participants.
Keep The Energy Up
If the prize you’re giving away is larger, you may want to make the length of the giveaway also be longer to encourage more people to participate and to take advantage of this marketing tactic to give your business the maximum exposure. However, when giveaways go on for an extended period of time, you also run the risk of losing steam. To combat this, Steve Cooper, a contributor to Forbes.com, recommends that you keep the energy up surrounding your giveaway through posting on social media, reminding those within your sphere of influence about the event, and giving reminders about how much time is left.
If you’re considering offering a giveaway through your business, use the tips mentioned above to help you do so successfully.