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Interactive promotions, those that contain sweepstakes, games, and contests, are one of the most powerful ways to motive behavior by connecting with an unidentified person and converting them into a registered prospect. This enables the start of a dialog for a permission-based, data-driven relationship.
Marketing is always asking their audience to take some sort of action. Whether attempting to persuade consumers to try a new product, retailers and distributors to promote and merchandise a product, or internal audiences to understand the product benefits, the core process to prompt the right behavior remains the same. The key benefits to the audience are usually made up of both emotional and self-defining elements. By putting the right incentive in front of the right audience you can achieve the desired results and get them to act.
A 2002 Jupiter Consumer Survey found that 82% of online consumers were willing to provide various forms of personal information to online retailers in exchange for a chance to win as little as a $100 in a sweepstakes. By providing the right prize incentive for your target audience you can get people to convert to a data-driven relationship and then grow that relationship by utilizing many different tactics. The data then allows you to deliver personalized and relevant offers instead of a mass marketing approach.
However, marketers must be careful not to ask for too much information at first. The amount of personal data requested during the initial contact should be minimal to avoid turning people away. One or two closed-ended questions together with the personal data collection are all the first stage should include. It is better to learn more about your new prospects over time than all at once. The strategy is to at first just get that little bit of information along with their permission. Then you can invite them to tell you more about themselves by further offering value and new incentives.
If done correctly, interactive promotions are the most powerful way to
- connect with key customers and grow those relationships for success
- Initiate a one-to-one dialog with permission-based programs that open a direct line of communication with customers.
- Engage customers through online experiences that build the brand and the product/service features and benefits
- Connect online and offline messages into an integrated campaign.
- Motivate customers to take action: register, visit a retail location, demo/try a new product, refer a friend/associate, complete a survey, train and educate, build brand loyalty and increase purchases
PROMO Magazine’s 2007 Study on Interactive Marketing revealed that of the 263 marketers that they polled it's not surprising that nearly half of them, 49%, said that their online marketing budgets were growing this year. Here's the top five tactics they listed based on their spending vs. what they're using:
- Email Marketing - 55.5% budget vs. 72.6% Media of Choice
- E-Mail Newsletters - 44.9% budget vs. 60.8% Media of Choice
- Banner Ad - 37.6% budget vs. 36.5% Media of Choice
- Online Promotions - 25.5% budget vs. 36.9% Media of Choice
- Blogs - 9.9% budget vs. 22.8% Media of Choice
The rest included SEO, viral campaigns, podcasts and promotions on shared video web sites
and social networking web sites as well as some mobile marketing.
Of course the other 50% of marketers are not increasing their budgets, in fact 35% said they weren't and the rest wasn't sure. Of those that are increasing their budgets they're taking the money from traditional media and sales promotion.
What is interesting is that 64.6% said that interactive promotions are now developed as part of their overall marketing strategy. Almost all of them, 59%, said that their objective for developing online promotions is to build brand, a number that is up from 2006.
Donna DeClemente operates her own marketing communications business, DDC Marketing Group, which provides services to brands, organizations and agencies. These services include the administration and development of interactive promotions such as sweepstakes, games and contests. Some recent promotions Donna has been involved with have been for Continental Airlines, Wendy’s, Heineken, Office Furniture USA and Newton Learning.
Email: ddeclemente@ddcmarketing.com
Company Profile: DDC Marketing Group
Blog: Donna’s Promo Talk
Company URL:
http://www.ddcmarketing.com
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