Engage Fans with a Back to School Contest

Running a back to school contest or sweepstakes is a great way to engage your social media audience during a peak retail event. As students and parents rush to prepare for the new school year, they seek shopping guidance, suggestions, and offers that will help them make purchase decisions.  Give them a reason to engage with your brand or business and build a relationship that will last well beyond the fall.

Electronics, fashion, office supplies, and even home décor brands are all poised to take advantage of the spending frenzy that occurs during the late summer months and into the fall as students prepare for the new school year.

Would a back to school contest or sweepstakes be a good fit for your brand? Here are some questions to consider:

1)      Who is your target market? Back to school season affects a wide range of ages and demographics, from young parents sending their children to school for the first time, to college students buying their dorm room accessories with a limited budget. Decide if your target is involved in back to school purchase decisions, and if so – where do your products fit in and what role do they play during this retail season?

2)      What products is your audience most interested in during back to school season? Maybe you sell a wide range of bags – including backpacks. For back to school season, backpacks are going to be most relevant. Think about how you could build a promotion around your most relevant products.

3)      What are your goals? If you sell computers and your goal is to build lifelong relationships with first time computer buyers – an innovative contest geared towards college-aged students would surely help you achieve your goals. Maybe you are a clothing-company who wants to build awareness of your affordable and stylish clothes. A viral sweepstakes would help you expand your reach and build awareness during back to school season.

4)      What channels should you run your promotion on? Consider where your target market is already hanging out. Facebook contests are a great way to reach a wide range of customers, while YouTube or Instagram will each reach a different demographic. Maybe you want to capture customers who are already visiting your site – in which case a contest widget or microsite would be more relevant.

Running a back to school promotion is a great way to make the most of the last summer and fall seasons. With a little bit of planning and a great technology partner you can engage your fans, grow your audience and generate buzz during a peak retail event that only happens once a year. So, what are you waiting for? Now is the time to run a back to school contest. Contact Votigo to find out how you can run a great social media promotion.

 

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Shayna

About Shayna

Shayna has a love of social media and community building. She has spoken at national conferences and panels on social media marketing and social promotions.She is the Marketing Manager at Votigo, a social marketing platform powering social for some of the world's biggest brands.

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