1. Advertise your prize & kick off date. It’s never too late to spread the word!
Something as simple as “Coming September X your chance to win X” is all you need!
Just get it to the street! Starting now, put your insured prize – be it cash or a car, on everything, everywhere. Marquees, newspaper ads, radio ads, social media sites, overhead messaging, press releases, on-hold messages, websites, etc.
2. TRAIN YOUR STAFF on the promotion you’re running, how it works, how & what customers can win. For bonus points, run a score prediction or football pool promotion for your staff.
3. Promote your promotion on-site! Have a kiosk promotion ? Put it in a visible high traffic location and decorate it! Spend a little dough for a banner, table tents, posters or showcards. A few days before the big kickoff and throughout the first week, decorate your location with helium-filled football shaped balloons & have staff wear football jerseys … If you’re running “pick the pros” promotion or a weekly promo that has a consolation prize winner, create a “Leader’s Brag Board” to post the name and prize amounts awarded to your winners.
4. Throw a ‘pre-season’ party. Don’t wait another minute! Call, mail, email, or message your top clients and invite them in for a “pre-season party”. You can even use business cards with a message on the back. At the “party” explain how your promotion works. Serve “game day food”. Bars, restaurants and casinos, see your local bev. distributor about crafting a special … and if they or another non-competing business can help provide football swag to give away. If you’re a casino and you want to pay for this sort of party …make the party a points based affair (i.e. earn X points to qualify for “pre-season football party”).
5. Incorporate Weekly Consolation Prizes & Recognize Your Winners!
Every week, someone should get a prize. A consolation prize need not be expensive, just meaningful. It could be very simple/inexpensive like a logo’d keychain of the person’s favorite team, a football, a beverage holder, apparel, or if you have the budget, free wings and a pitcher during the next game. One way to drive additional visits & reward winners is to announce or award your weekly consolation prize winners on the day or night of the week you most need business – if you opt for this, be sure your prize makes visiting your location worthwhile … otherwise recognize your winner on the Thursday, Sunday or Monday following their “winning” week -and make it fun affair!
6. Be Prepared! Make sure you understand your promotion and how it works. In addition, have a press release ready in the event you have a big winner.
Want more tips for running a great football promotion?
Stay tuned.
