Table of Contents
*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Surrender, but don’t give yourself away. Here’s a twist to the lyrics of a popular rock song, developing a creative sweepstakes prize structure vs. giving your product away will have prospects surrendering to the appeal of your message. Creatively differentiating your brand by extending a tangible or intangible benefit through a sweepstakes prize structure, will connect with prospects, create an emotional connection and get your message across with greater impact.
Why Buy It When I Could Win It
It’s human nature, the sub-conscience thought process we all have when we see an offer to win a company’s product is that “I will definitely win”. Although the chances of actually winning the product being featured may be greater than winning the multi-million dollar lottery, this line of wishful thinking draws us all in.
Chose to Connect with the Customer
When you give consumers a choice, such as call a toll free number or visit us online, response rates drop significantly. People have things to do. Rather that take the time to make a choice of actions to take when reading ad copy, they tend to move on and take no action. The same principle applies when you offer your product as the prize. Consumers do as they are instructed and enter to win the product, freeing them of actually ever making a purchase decision. Here are some better ways to get consumers to take notice, and become emotionally involved with your product’s positioning.
Feature Your Unique Selling Proposition
The Unique Selling Proposition (USP), or positioning statement, is a feature that significantly differentiates your product or brand from your competitors. Identify your products tangible and intangible benefits and pick one that separates you from others to create an emotional connection. For example Folgers Coffee famously stated that their coffee was Mountain Grown, which was a tangible benefit. The Folgers campaign positioned the brand as “The best part of wakin’up” as an intangible benefit. Both of these USP’s would be a great starting place for a sweepstakes’ theme that would create an emotional connection with the consumer. If you were in the brainstorming session developing the a Folgers ‘ sweepstakes prize structure, would you offer a year of free coffee coupons or explore the things in life that would support “the best part of wakin’ up” concept? While winning free coffee is nice, the creative opportunity to build a lasting impression is greater with the latter option. How can you apply this process to your product, brand and business?
Extend an Ad Campaign
Ad campaigns should be created around the Unique Selling Proposition. Sales promotions, such as sweepstakes, are generally designed to compliment and reinforce other promotional campaigns.Taking the abovementioned Folgers example a step further; the Folgers TV ad featured a woman wakin’up to cup of coffee at an early morning, high-energy dance class. My mind’s emotional receptors go to the invigorating dance performances I witnessed when visiting Europe. Others may mentally place themselves into the campaign and experience the energy of being part of the high-energy dance session. Different segments identify differently with an advertising message. Knowing who your target customer is, and extending the energy created by the campaign into a sweepstakes execution, extends the message and gets noticed, In addition, the concept or using the word WIN activities the minds pleasure center, adding to the sweepstakes ad reader’s emotional experience.
Click to Download a Printable Version
Copy to Embed on Your Site
Win With Creative Prize Structures
When customers are drawn into a sweepstakes prize structure that reinforces your Unique Selling Proposition, extends your advertising message, stimulates pleasure receptors and creates an emotional connection. your competitors will be surrendering their customers to your brand. Give consumers experiences and they will remember your product when they are ready to purchase.
