Contests: Not a fan.
Well, once again we had a “no show” when it came to our colouring contest. Not one entry. We were literally giving away an AdMaki Brainface ballcap just for entering! And you know what else, like they do on Wheel of Fortune, there was a bonus surprise. The hat was stuffed full of enough $$$$$ to allow you to comfortably retire to a warm sunny place on this planet. Alas, the dough goes back into the bank account, and I can continue on with my golf addiction. Phew.
So what’s the point of having a contest if no one enters? That’s one of the cons of using this marketing tactic. In this blurb, I will speak to other negatives of using contests to build brand awareness to attract a target audience that is relative to your business.
I know what you’re thinking. Contests seem like a great idea. Give away something shiny and people will love your brand forever. Not so fast. Before you dive into your giveaway dreams, here are three (of about a million) reasons why contests might just be a popularity stunt rather than a justified means to grow customers.
First, you’re attracting people who want free stuff and not necessarily what your business offers. In my experience, when clients have directed creatives to use a contest, 99% of the time, I’ve found that contests didn’t pull in loyal customers. They attract professional contest players who’d enter a giveaway for gluten-free sushi even if they didn’t eat fish. The second the contest ends, they disappear like New Year’s resolutions. You want lifelong fans, not freeloaders. So don’t have a contest online to win a Play Station to play the latest Assassin’s Creed: Shadows video game (featuring me as Masatoyo Sanada) when your target audience are baby boomers.
Next. Make sure you lay down the law. Say you’re having an Easter egg colouring contest. You’re going to have to set rules for your contest and lay them out precisely. Rules such as: must be 18+, no purchase necessary, residents of Earth only, etc. By the time you’re done figuring out the contest rules, you might as well have gone to university and got your law degree. The only way to avoid this scenario, if you’re lucky enough, is to not have anyone enter your contest. Hmmm. Sound familiar?
Finally. Is your competition using contests to attract and build their brand or grow their customer base? If so, let them do it. It’s a sign of desperation on their part. And not only that, contests devalue the perception of your business and those of your competitors and the entire industry as well. Everyone loses when the value of what you do is devalued.
These are but a few of the negatives when choosing to hold a contest. Find a professional agency to help you fish in the right waters using the correct bait if you want to build brand loyalty and grow your customer base. Contests are fun until they aren’t.
We’ll chat AI next month.
Cheers, mark.
