What do you want in business? Let me guess...
Grow a sizable email list. Build brand awareness. Lead more people through the doors of your local shop.
Reality check: It's hard to get people to take notice these days. Whatever your goal is, you can't create something and just expect them to come.
But if there's one thing that you should use to your advantage, that's FOMO.
Use FOMO by Running a Contest or Giveaway
In case you didn't know, FOMO stands for The Fear of Missing Out. FOMO is a psychological phenomenon in which people participate in something because they don't want to feel alienated.
FOMO happens in many ways, even more frequently nowadays that people share almost everything on social media.
For example, being constantly reminded of the latest Star Wars movie Solo, (thanks to News Feed posts), entices you to check it out for yourself.
Contests and giveaways are a great way to capitalize on FOMO. People have the desire to win something, especially things that come for free.
What Should Your Prize Be?
One of the most important steps to running a contest or giveaway is deciding what prize to give. A good prize drives more engagement while a bad prize leads to poor results.
Good prizes have these attributes:
- Solves a problem
- Relevant
- Exclusive
- Immediately usable
- Proper format
There are so many simple, affordable, yet great prizes to offer regardless of the industry you're in. What follows is a list of ideas to get people pumped about your contest.
Creative and Small Prize Ideas [7 Industries]
General E-commerce
1. Wooden sunglasses - More people embrace the eco-friendly lifestyle these days, which is why a pair of bamboo sunglasses works as a prize.
2. Unicorn shirt - Unicorns are all over social media... unicorn-themed makeup, unicorn toasts, unicorn floaties, and more. Who doesn't want a unicorn shirt?
3. 6 months of free shipping - Delight your fans, boost your sales, and keep them coming back by shouldering their shipping fees.
4. Aromatherapy candles - Fragrance from herbs can have an uplifting effect on a person's mind and body, especially after a stressful day of work.
5. Cute socks - Maybe your fans love rollerskating, have teenage kids, or want something to keep them comfortable on rainy days. A pair of printed socks sure rocks.
6. "Mr. and Mrs." Aprons - Anyone who has newlywed friends or plans to get married will want your matching aprons. You could also use these prizes for a contest or giveaway on Valentine's Day.
7. Custom design phone cases - While checking the results of "phone cases" on Google Trends, there were breakouts for search terms like best phone cases for iphone 8 and moto e4 phone cases.
8. Discount coupons - Take advantage of the fact that people prefer buying things on sale. You create a sense of urgency by stating that your coupons are good for a limited time.
Health and Fitness
9. BPA-free food storage containers - Meal prepping is a popular practice in health and fitness since it helps individuals stay on top of their goals.
10. Yogamat - Teach online yoga classes? Inspire regular yoga practice with multi-color yoga mats that your students can carry anywhere.
11. Protein bars - These convenience foods dominate the market as athletes and non-athletes with hectic schedules look for alternatives to meet their nutritional needs.
12. Workout headbands - Eliminate what most women working out at the gym struggle with. Sweat and hair getting in their face.
13. Meal planning ebook - Whether your audience cooks for a family or themselves, a digital guide to meal planning ensures variety and a better commitment to health.
14. Resistance bands - Have audiences who are always on the go? The demand for these bands has risen since 2013. Market growth will increase at nearly 12% until 2022.
15. 365-day access to premium fitness plans - By offering an excellent product or service of yours as a reward, you're sparking curiosity and making people feel special.
Travel and Tourism
15. Waterproof shoe bag - I found this idea on Amazon. Shoe bags eliminate the hassles of having to mix clothing with shoes when traveling.
16. Neck pillow - On long trips, neck pillows are the best solutions to help them sleep comfortably while sitting upright.
17. Travel backpack - For people who love backpack traveling, this would be a great prize. Pick a backpack that goes with many pockets and features.
18. Two round-trip tickets - Grant winner free tickets to select destinations. After Googling "best affordable travel destinations," results included China, Thailand, and Indonesia.
19. Passport holder - Have an audience that travels a lot? A passport holder for a giveaway will be of perfect use.
20. A small kit of travel essentials - Traveling isn't always a stress-free experience for women. Happy travelers keep a kit that includes necessities like sunblock, lip balm with SPF, and hydrating wipes.
21. Mini travel game - Whether it's Bingo or Chess, mini-games come in handy while waiting for the next flight or spending downtime in a cabin.
Restaurant
22. 10 free lunches/dinners - Attract new customers to your local restaurant with time-saving, money-saving, and delicious meals. Who knows, winners could turn into loyal customers.
23. Full day function room usage - Let your audience hold their next meeting or birthday party in one of your restaurant's function rooms.
24. 30 days of vegan snacks - Let's say you run a vegan restaurant. Promoting awareness for your healthy menu has never been more creative with this reward.
25. Branded merchandise - If your restaurant has its own merchandise such as shirts and mugs, use them as giveaways. This is also a way to spread word-of-mouth when winners use your products.
26. Cooking classes - If you have an audience that loves your out-of-this-world recipes, offer exclusive cooking classes on select dishes.
Baby Products
27. Changing pads - When searching through Amazon's bestsellers in the "Baby" category, changing pads are the most sought-after by moms.
28. Printed cloth diapers - Entice millennial moms who want to save money and the environment with cool printed cloth diapers.
29. Stylish diaper bags - Just because women become mothers, doesn't mean they can't be fashionable. When it comes to diaper bags, style is a top consideration among modern moms.
30. Convertible nursing scarf - These scarves are real lifesavers to moms who carry their babies wherever they go. A piece will cost you as little as $11.
31. Swaddle blankets - If there are certain items that will always be in demand, they include swaddle blankets. No further research is needed.
32. Custom baby onesies - The demand for baby clothing has increased over the past 5 years. Partner up with a t-shirt store to give out custom baby onesies that read, "I'm mom's/dad's little cutie!"
33. Infant care kit - I found the nursery care kit as one of the most wished for items on Amazon. For less than $20, a kit can contain a pacifier, hairbrush, rattle, and more.
34. "First 100 Words" or "My First ABC" board book - Soon enough, babies are going to learn the alphabet and how to read.
35. Multi-colored puzzle play mat - Colorful puzzle mats help with babies' physical and cognitive development while at play.
Digital Marketing
36. Your premium tool - Offer your audience exclusive access to your paid tool. Doing this increases brand loyalty and helps you get feedback on your product.
37. Ebooks - Whether it's an ultimate guide to SEO or another digital marketing topic, an ebook as a prize has many benefits. Use it not just to teach but also create awareness for your services.
38. 1-month use of your service - A startup digital marketing agency or consultant can use this as a contest prize to encourage word-of-mouth and gather feedback.
39. Your masterclass - Make your contest participants feel extra special by granting them access to your masterclass that will increase their likelihood of marketing success.
40. 50% discount on your services - Rather than giving away your entire service for free, offer 50% discounts for yearly plans. Discounts attract new customers and retain existing ones.
41. Branded products - Have your brand logo printed on mugs, sports bottles, pens, and notepads for giveaways.42. Live webinar access - Get 10 people to attend your live webinar for free. Webinars position your product, help build business relationships and allow you to conduct a Q&A.
Personal Development
43. Life coaching sessions - If you're an expert at life coaching, pick out a winner who you can help in many areas like happiness and productivity.44. Ebook - An ebook ranked as the bestseller when I typed "self-development" into Amazon. Wrote an ebook? Give a few ones as a prize or buy your winners some under $10 from Amazon.45. Journal with your winner's name - Encourage the daily habit of journaling with custom journals as giveaways. Order a few from an affordable journal printing service.
46. Inspirational wall decals - It's no secret that reading inspirational sayings repeatedly boosts motivation. Inspiring wall stickers give your audience that opportunity in a creative way.
47. Access to your course - Got a new course about mindfulness, neuro-linguistic programming, or another topic? Use it as a prize and take the opportunity to collect reviews.
48. Productivity tool - Help people maximize their time and get better results by granting access to your paid tool.
49. Desk organizer - Being clutter-free at work reduces stress. A desktop organizer would be a simple way to achieve that.
50. Inspirational bracelets/wristbands - These giveaways are attractive and encouraging to male and female participants. You'll find sets of 3 with engraved sayings on Amazon for just $10.
Final Thoughts
Use contests and giveaways to create buzz around your business. Deciding on a good prize can be tough for starters. Go back to this list whenever you need low-cost but great ideas.
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Try running your first contest or giveaway today. If you have more prize ideas, share them below.
