· Issue 23 · August 2013
on a Shoestring Budget by Corey Post
W
Corey Post
Running Your Contest
hether you’re an affiliate or a merchant, con-
Find someone, for example, with a large Twitter follow-
tests are a great way to engage your users and
ing in your space and ask them to share your contest with
promote your brand. By following the steps be-
their followers.
low, you’ll be able to quickly launch your contest and keep your costs manageable.
Promotion
Define Contest Goals
Rather, make a list of press, industry-relevant bloggers, fo-
If you’re trying to keep costs low, avoid paid media. Goals can include user data, traffic, sales and content
rums, social channels and contest directories for outreach
submission. I prefer content submission, which is a great
and promotion after contest launch. Of course, leverage
way to engage readers.
your company blog and email list, if available, as well.
For example, if you’re selling camera lenses, you might ask readers to upload an original nature panoramic for the chance to win camera gear.
Budget Figure out the cost of an average contest and use these numbers to guide you. Here are some figures to get
Entry Qualifiers
you started.
Your entry qualifiers will often mirror your goals. If you
» Prize - You can go as inexpensive as a t-shirt (~$10)
have a need for user-generated content, you might require us-
or as high as a tech gadget like a tablet (~$300); or
ers to submit original photos or essays to enter the contest.
you might simply offer your product to the winner.
If you need user data, consider asking the entrant’s name and email address.
» Press release - Release written in-house (free) or by a freelance writer (~$40); distribution on a PR service (~$350 for one release) or save with a
Prizes
subscription plan.
Next are the prizes, which will affect submission quan-
» Blog article announcing the contest - Written in-
tity and budget. For example, if you offer a product in high
house (free) or by a freelance content writer (~$30).
demand, like a tablet, you’ll most likely see a lot of entries.
» Facebook page for the contest - Developed in-
A good rule is to offer prizes related to your business
house (free).
so users more closely associate the contest with your
» Contest administration (reviewing submissions,
company. If you’re selling an app, you could offer an iPad
contacting winner, etc.) - Managed in-house (free).
with your app pre-installed.
» Celebrity judges - Barter for services or hourly for their time.
Choosing a Winner
By planning your steps in advance and managing your
You could use votes, random drawing, or handpick the
expenses, you’ll be able to launch a contest that will not
winner yourself. Or use “celebrity” judges, which can serve
only drive awareness for your company, but also provide
as a promotional mechanism.
an exciting experience for your users.
Corey is the VP of Marketing for Shoeboxed.com.
29