Sometime ago I wrote about the idea of engaging customers in contests and not just collecting names at a trade show. I was thinking about it more and thought it was worth a second look. Contests are a good way to get a bunch of names of people who aren't really interested in your product, so ask people to do something more then just dump their name in a draw.
Once you've figured out what great prize you can hand out send an invitation to your customers to participate. First they would need to submit a video of them (or friends) using your product in a unique way. They would need to answer the question, why buy your product?.
If you have a good website developer that could enable videos to be uploaded to your site, utilize him. If not, use youtube to upload videos for your consideration that way others could vote for their favorites. Think about it, your customers would be providing testimonials and free commercials of your product to be viewed on a popular video hosting site. So far it's cost you the prize and some time inviting them to participate.
Second, encourage them to invite others to join in their video and to ask family and friends to vote for their favorite videos. Open the contest up to non customers by uploading a video of your own explaining the rules and the prize. Remember, be interesting, energetic and have fun with it.
After a set amount of time choose one of the top 5 videos as the winner.
Even if you think your product can only be used in one way, you'll be surprised what people will come up with. If you take the product I work for, CanPages, its a phonebook, nothing special right? Well search - uses for a phone book - on google and you'll find lots of people coming up with different ideas. People are very creative and imaginative, use it to your products benefit.
For this to be successful you'd need to allow enough time to elapse, the prize would have to be very significant, and you have to have enough of a customer base to invite to participate. You could add other categories for other prizes like the best photo of your product, or the best photo of someone using your product in a unique way. You could utilize flicker as the host for this type of contest.
Whether or not you utilize video or photos the important thing is to find a way to engage people in the products experience. If you have a booth at a trade show, have the prospect use the product or write how he would use the product in his life before he can enter your draw. Use these ideas in your marketing. Get together with other people that sell your product and host a contest together.
Have your clients participate in a photo scavenger hunt, the person who submits the most pictures of your product being used in the world to flicker wins. Have other prizes for the most unique place, or the weirdest way your product has been used.
What other ways can you engage people to use your product and create interest?
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