Articles
10 Ways to Promote Your Sweepstakes or Giveaway
Here are 10 ways to promote your sweepstakes, giveaway or contest. It’s up to you, and your budget, to find the best way to reach your current and future customers. When you use any of these methods, please remember to use the correct disclaimer language and include a way to access the full rules, either in print or online. 1. Posting to your social channels FREE Posting about your sweepstakes on your company or brand’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and even LinkedIn and Pinterest, is a no-brainer way to reach your current customers. Try to be creative with your post and be sure to … Continue reading
Sweepstakes Email Opt-in Best Practices
The primary purpose of many sweepstakes is to build a brand’s mailing list; having a valid email opt-in on the sweepstakes registration page is imperative to the success of the promotion. If you fail to use best practices when setting up your opt-in, then your ability to email users for the purposes you had in mind may be at risk. Here are 3 things to keep in mind when crafting an email opt-in for your next sweepstakes or contest. 1. Provide full disclosure. Providing clear disclosure of everything you will be using a consumer’s email address, or phone number, … Continue reading
20 Things Small Business Customers Want Out of a Rewards or Loyalty Program
If you are creating a loyalty program for your best customers, here are 20 things that customers frequently ask for to get them to come back for more: A welcome kit – customized to your business The option to get updates via text, email — or push notifications on an app if you have an app Rewards bucks/points to spend on items in your store Exclusive discounts Exclusive offers Free product Upgrades in service or products for being a member Exclusive event invites Chances to win big ticket items thru sweepstakes and giveaways The opportunity to enter exclusive contests … Continue reading
Paying for Votes Doesn’t Pay Off
If you are lucky enough to be a finalist in a contest you might think about going to extraordinary lengths to win — like paying for votes. But what really works and what is a bad idea? Before you get yourself into trouble and get disqualified, you should consult the official rules of the contest. The rules outline all the ways you could get disqualified for cheating, and some things that you think are harmless could end up hurting your chances. Here is a partial list of some things that you should never do, or at least do thorough … Continue reading
A Day in the Life of a Promotional Marketer (or in this case, “Promotional Barketer”)
We frequently get asked what exactly a promotional marketer does every day. Well, here is Zoey, our Director of Content Barketing, to show us what her typical day looks like as a Promotional Barketer. 8:55 AM: I know the day may get a little chaotic so I get in a bit early to power up my laptop and start the day with a little coffee in my favorite mug. 9:05 AM: I do a quick check in on a live promotion to make sure it’s running as it should, and then I write daily reports and emails. We generally send … Continue reading
3 New Year’s Resolutions for a Better Promotional Marketing Plan
As the year winds down, it’s that time again when people start thinking about setting resolutions to make the coming year better than the last one. And while it’s usually personal resolutions that make the headlines, like joining a gym or eating less takeout, it’s also a good time to make some resolutions for your business. This year, why not think about incorporating some simple actions to take your brand awareness and engagement up a notch by making some resolutions for a better promotional marketing plan? Some of you may be asking what exactly that means – and what … Continue reading
Top 5 Marketing Posts 2018
Here they are! They yearly top 5 marketing posts on the Marden-Kane blog from 2018. If you haven’t read them all, what are you waiting for? 2018 #1: Contest Laws by State Before you run a promotion in the United States, you might want to check sweepstakes or contest laws by state. Some states have more vigorous laws regulating sweepstakes and contests and you can’t claim you didn’t know what you didn’t know after the fact – there may be big fines for non-compliance. Continue reading → 2018 #2: A Message to Our Clients About GDPR Compliance On … Continue reading
The Horror Of It All
By Fae Savignano, EVP, Marden-Kane Digital Promotions – October 17, 2018 Every now and then everyone can appreciate a good horror story; but when it comes to promotions…there is no such thing as a Good Horror Story and Never Ever is when marketers want them to occur. “They know what you did last summer!” Promotions are heavily regulated by Government Agencies (FTC, FCC, FDA, and State’s AGs); Self-Regulatory Bodies (NAD, DAA, CARU, DMA); Competitors and Consumers alike. Everyone is watching, so take heed of the promotion guidelines available to avoid the nightmares that can unfold. You can find the complete … Continue reading
Trick or Treat with These Halloween Contest Ideas
Fall is almost here and we have heard rumblings about Halloween decorations and pumpkin spice already being in stores! Don’t get left behind; it’s time to start your Halloween contest planning. Here are a few Halloween contest and prize ideas to help celebrate the new season: Pumpkin Carving Contest: Fall is the time to head to the farm for pumpkin picking, hay rides and fresh apple cider donuts – yum! You can challenge your customers to take their freshly picked pumpkins and carve them into something unique and fun. Then ask them to upload a photo of their creation to Instagram or … Continue reading
A Tribute to Rosemary
Rosemary Stein, our much loved and respected Vice President will be retiring from Marden-Kane, Inc. on August 31st, 2018. From our offices in Chicago, she has for the past 17 years bestowed us with her grace, peaceful demeanor, knowledge, proficiency and expertise in the promotional realm. In tribute to all of the wonderful things she has done, the successful promotions that she has worked on, all of the people that she has made an everlasting impression on, and all that is Rosemary, we say Thank You. Since she is an avid journal writer we know that she will truly appreciate … Continue reading
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Recent Articles
- You Don’t Have To Reinvent the Wheel to Run a Digital Scratch-Off Game
- Facebook Custom Application Changes for Brands
- Avoid Clickbait Tactics to Make Your Social Sweepstakes a Success
- 5 Reasons to Use Electronic Gift Codes as Prizes
- How to Create Sweepstakes and Contests So Easy Anyone Can Enter
