Promotional giveaways can increase traffic within your establishment. Branded gifts and small prizes can motivate consumers to visit your business and increase their patronage. You must advertise your giveaway if you want it to be successful.
Microsoft Business Hub states that you should dedicate as much of your marketing budget as possible to creating awareness for your event. Alternatively, you can use cost-effective platforms to generate interest without using all of your advertising funds. Social media and direct mail can be used to advertise your event without hurting your long-term finances.
Social media
Business 2 Community notes that social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are some of the most budget-friendly channels available. Small business owners can create their own profiles and interact with loyal customers through updates. The news source notes that entrepreneurs don’t have to pay for advertisements on the websites, which means that companies can frequently write posts about their giveaways.
The sooner you start promoting your event, the better. Don’t advertise too frequently, as your customers might ignore your updates if they feel badgered or overwhelmed. Maintain a regular schedule and gradually ramp up as the event’s date nears.
Consider posting pictures of the unique promotional products you’ll be distributing at your giveaway. Images of popular gifts like pens, tote bags and calendars can motivate clients to participate in your event.
Direct mail and email
Physical and web-based direct mail are extremely effective and budget-friendly marketing platforms. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) reported in 2012 that postal advertisements receive the more responses than digital messages, but email advertisements earn the highest returns on investment out of all direct marketing channels.
Owners can ask customers for their contact information to create highly targeted advertisements and avoid wasting resources on unlikely leads. Tom Foti, manager of Direct Mail and Periodicals at the United States Postal Service, recently said in a statement that mail creates personal connections between businesses and customers.
“Direct mail creates a one-on-one connection that’s hard for other media channels to match,” Foti said.
Offer your customers a preview of your giveaway by including small gifts like promotional magnets in your mailers. You can’t include promotional items in your emails, but advertising your giveaway to regular customers may be enough to create interest. Business 2 Community reports that loyal patrons are more likely to respond to advertisements with exclusive offerings instead of generic content.