{"id":31077,"date":"2016-09-19T08:01:49","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T08:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revolutionparts.com\/how-to-run-an-amazing-and-effective-contest-or-sweepstakes-on-your-parts-website\/"},"modified":"2020-10-14T17:23:05","modified_gmt":"2020-10-14T17:23:05","slug":"run-contest-or-sweepstakes-on-your-parts-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionparts.com\/blog\/run-contest-or-sweepstakes-on-your-parts-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Run an Amazing (and Effective) Contest or Sweepstakes on your Parts Website"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We\u2019ve said it before, and we\u2019ll say it again: customers LOVE sales and free stuff. So it makes sense that running a contest or sweepstakes is a great marketing trick to draw in shoppers.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not incredibly difficult, and the payoff can be massive. If you want to expand the reach of your brand, draw in sales, and build customer loyalty, then perhaps it\u2019s time to try your hand at running a contest or sweepstakes on your parts website.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never done it before, don\u2019t worry\u2014that\u2019s what we\u2019re here for. We\u2019ll walk you through the steps of figuring out if a contest or sweepstakes event is right for you, how to set one up, and the best ideas to draw in the most customers.<\/p>\n

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Preparing for a contest or sweepstakes event:<\/strong><\/h1>\n

If this is your first time, a little forward thinking and preparation will improve results. This includes figuring out the terms of your contest, what prizes you\u2019re offering, and how, exactly, your parts website will benefit from the event.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Decide how this event will help your bottom line.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What are you hoping to get out of the event? A boost in sales? Increased awareness of your parts store? More contacts on your email list to help\u00a0your future promotional emails<\/a>\u00a0reach more people?<\/p>\n

If your parts website is associated with your brick and mortar dealership, your end goal might be increased cross-platform sales and awareness. You can use this as a chance to encourage online customers to visit the dealership, or train dealership customers to buy from your online inventory if they need a special order or have a DIY project in mind.<\/p>\n

You can have more than one end goal, but it helps to focus your efforts on one or two things. The focus will help you decide what kind of contest to run, how customers can participate, and what prizes to offer.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Decide how customers will be able to enter the contest\/sweepstakes.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Depending on the end goal you chose for step #1, decide what you want from your customers to best reach that goal.<\/p>\n

For example, if you want to use this as a chance to build your emailing list, then it makes sense that gathering new email addresses will be part of the equation. Perhaps customers can enter the sweepstakes simply by giving you their email address (and a winner will be chosen from the new contacts at random), or you plan to contact winning customers via email address.<\/p>\n

If you want to improve awareness of your parts website, then having customers interact with you on Facebook, Twitter, and\/or Instagram is a better way to go.<\/p>\n

And, of course, if you\u2019re aiming for a general sales boost, then contest of sweepstakes entries can depend on your customer spending money.<\/p>\n

Step 3:\u00a0Decide what kind of contest\/sweepstakes you will run.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Knowing what you need will help you decide how, exactly, you want to run your contest or sweepstakes. Check the list of ideas below and see which one is the best fit for your goals.<\/p>\n

You can also choose to run a specific “theme,” if there’s nearby holiday.\u00a0Your Father’s Day promotions<\/a>\u00a0can be DIY-themed, for example.<\/p>\n

Step 4:\u00a0Decide on the prize, and how many winners there will be.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What your customers are excited for: the prize. It needs to be enticing enough to have shoppers participate, but not so expensive that you spend more on the prize than you gain during the event.<\/p>\n

Again, the prize can be related to your end goal. A \u201csales boost\u201d goal is a great chance to give away a gift card or high percent discount for your parts website. Tickets to a car show, expo, or other exciting event works excellently for brand promotion, since the customer will mentally associate your dealership with their wonderful experience.<\/p>\n

Do you want a grand prize, followed by 2nd and 3rd\u00a0<\/span>place runner ups? Or five winners of the same prize? It\u2019s up to you to decide. Something like a basic coupon code makes for a good consolation prize.<\/p>\n

There are a thousand possibilities for prize, but here are a few ideas:<\/p>\n