Actual for You - Sweepstakes Making B2B Marketers Winners

Software marketers tend to stay away from sweepstakes. There is a good reason for this. Last year, 1,900 B2B marketers surveyed by “MarketingSherpa” rated sweepstakes as one of the least effective means of generating high quality leads.

But because the use of sweepstakes is a powerful tactic to convert prospects into customers, I tracked down which sweepstakes B2B marketers are using to make their jobs easier.

Before I reveal the specific type, let me tell you why sweepstakes are such a powerful tactic, and why you need to consider them.

3 Reasons Why Sweepstakes Pack the Power to Convert Prospects into Customers Quickly

First, sweepstakes take advantage of our culture’s trance with games of chance. For the past 20 years or so, we’ve been seeing a marked increase in people gambling, playing the lottery, 50-50 raffles, sweepstakes, and many other games of chance.

Second, in a complex sales pitch, sweepstakes can draw your prospect to spend time with your direct response letter or website. When they do this, they will initiate a set of small commitments that will make them psychologically uncomfortable.

This psychological discomfort will force your prospect to be consistent. They must reconcile their beliefs about you or your product and their behavior -- spending time with your direct response letter or playing a game in your website.

This psychological discomfort can become more pronounced, especially if they receive a small gift when they participate in your sweepstakes.

Using this tactic is a natural means “to stop your prospect -- or bring to a momentary halt all the diverse activities of their mind -- or focus their attention (at least for a moment) on a single thought” – what your offering them.

The success of the tactic depends of course on how the salesperson handles the prospect during the sales cycle. And it assumes you have a product that is “right” for the prospect.

Finally, if done well even in a B2B environment, sweepstakes have the potential to build good rapport. They can allow you to share a common interest or a “fun” moment. You will bond with your prospects and convert them more quickly into customers.

How Can Sweepstakes Work in a B2B Environment?

I found some B2B marketers capitalizing on the power of sweepstakes by using a combination of creativity, improvements in online technology and a keen knowledge of their prospect. For them, the key to their successful sweepstakes was a well-planned, well-executed advertising campaign.

If you consider sweepstakes a way to build rapport with your prospect, it’s important that you design them around something your prospect enjoys outside of the work environment.

For instance, although we tend to think that smartphones, headset systems, earphones and PDA’s are work-related (and help people improve productivity), it’s obvious that behind their work-related use, these gadgets are simply catering to the consumer desire for technological toys.

To this audience, offering the latest technological toy is a desirable and tasteful reason to participate in a sweepstakes. Research confirms this type of promotion works well if the prospects are primarily middle managers or small C-level businesses.

Research also shows this group is very interested in targeted and practical white papers that will help them get ahead -- especially if the reports are from a reputable research house like the Gartner Group.

For larger organization’s C-level prospects, research suggests that offering sports-related items as prizes is the best way to maximize participation. Make the prizes something worth displaying around the office. Perhaps sports memorabilia or a collector’s item would work best.

Also consider awarding items someone might never shop around for, but wouldn’t mind winning for fun. For instance, for those who are culturally refined, you can use a vintage bottle of wine, high quality art prints, or a remote-controlled robot.

Computer Associates, for example, is currently running a sweepstakes in BusinessWeeek. They’re offering their prospects who are history buffs, a chance to win a copy of David McCullough’s 1776.

Which Sweepstakes Are Making Marketers Winners?

John Jantsch is currently using this sweepstakes to fill his session with prospects at the Sage Summit scheduled for October 2006.

Business owners are invited to enter to win the $25,000 Business Marketing Makeover from John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing—The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide.

Join John Jantsch for Session BB15: How to Create Loyal Customers to Grow your Business. When you register for the session, you are Business Accounting Programs: What's the Right Choice for Your Business
There was a time when small businesses could run their operations with little to no book keeping or accounting practices. But with more and more people leaving their 9 - 5 job and opting to take their chances running their own small business either from home or an office is driving the demand for accounting programs. Countries all over the world are reporting an increase in small business and these small business help make up a countries GDP thus helping fuel their economies. The need for accounting programs for small business has never been greater as it is today, in fact most businesses can not get away with not having some sort of accounting program in place, to help run the day to day finances of their businesses.Each business is different in regards to accounting needs. Some businesses choose to outsource most of its accounting duties during tax season while others have accounting programs ran50-50 raffles, sweepstakes, and many other games of chance.

Second, in a complex sales pitch, sweepstakes can draw your prospect to spend time with your direct response letter or website. When they do this, they will initiate a set of small commitments that will make them psychologically uncomfortable.

This psychological discomfort will force your prospect to be consistent. They must reconcile their beliefs about you or your product and their behavior -- spending time with your direct response letter or playing a game in your website.

This psychological discomfort can become more pronounced, especially if they receive a small gift when they participate in your sweepstakes.

Using this tactic is a natural means “to stop your prospect -- or bring to a momentary halt all the diverse activities of their mind -- or focus their attention (at least for a moment) on a single thought” – what your offering them.

The success of the tactic depends of course on how the salesperson handles the prospect during the sales cycle. And it assumes you have a product that is “right” for the prospect.

Finally, if done well even in a B2B environment, sweepstakes have the potential to build good rapport. They can allow you to share a common interest or a “fun” moment. You will bond with your prospects and convert them more quickly into customers.

How Can Sweepstakes Work in a B2B Environment?

I found some B2B marketers capitalizing on the power of sweepstakes by using a combination of creativity, improvements in online technology and a keen knowledge of their prospect. For them, the key to their successful sweepstakes was a well-planned, well-executed advertising campaign.

If you consider sweepstakes a way to build rapport with your prospect, it’s important that you design them around something your prospect enjoys outside of the work environment.

For instance, although we tend to think that smartphones, headset systems, earphones and PDA’s are work-related (and help people improve productivity), it’s obvious that behind their work-related use, these gadgets are simply catering to the consumer desire for technological toys.

To this audience, offering the latest technological toy is a desirable and tasteful reason to participate in a sweepstakes. Research confirms this type of promotion works well if the prospects are primarily middle managers or small C-level businesses.

Research also shows this group is very interested in targeted and practical white papers that will help them get ahead -- especially if the reports are from a reputable research house like the Gartner Group.

For larger organization’s C-level prospects, research suggests that offering sports-related items as prizes is the best way to maximize participation. Make the prizes something worth displaying around the office. Perhaps sports memorabilia or a collector’s item would work best.

Also consider awarding items someone might never shop around for, but wouldn’t mind winning for fun. For instance, for those who are culturally refined, you can use a vintage bottle of wine, high quality art prints, or a remote-controlled robot.

Computer Associates, for example, is currently running a sweepstakes in BusinessWeeek. They’re offering their prospects who are history buffs, a chance to win a copy of David McCullough’s 1776.

Which Sweepstakes Are Making Marketers Winners?

John Jantsch is currently using this sweepstakes to fill his session with prospects at the Sage Summit scheduled for October 2006.

Business owners are invited to enter to win the $25,000 Business Marketing Makeover from John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing—The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide.

Join John Jantsch for Session BB15: How to Create Loyal Customers to Grow your Business. When you register for the session, you are Products, Like People, Have Lifecycles
You know the routine. Birth. Growth. Maturity. And, ultimately, death. Some we knew have already gone through it. All of us will – eventually. We mortals experience it every day. But did you know that the same applies to businesses. More specifically to the “Stuff” they sell, their products and services.“Stuff,” if you’ll grant me a moment to explain, long ago became my shorthand for the awkward phrase “product(s) and/or service(s).” Teaching college marketing and management courses, I wanted a single word to cover both items. “Stuff,” with a cap “S” seems to work quite nicely for everyone.Anyway, whatever Stuff you or your company happen to sell, it’s not likely to sell well forever. There was a time when it was introduced – birth – when sales began to soar – growth – when they plateaued – maturity – and when sales of your Stuff began to steady decline – death.Want know somethesperson handles the prospect during the sales cycle. And it assumes you have a product that is “right” for the prospect.

Finally, if done well even in a B2B environment, sweepstakes have the potential to build good rapport. They can allow you to share a common interest or a “fun” moment. You will bond with your prospects and convert them more quickly into customers.

How Can Sweepstakes Work in a B2B Environment?

I found some B2B marketers capitalizing on the power of sweepstakes by using a combination of creativity, improvements in online technology and a keen knowledge of their prospect. For them, the key to their successful sweepstakes was a well-planned, well-executed advertising campaign.

If you consider sweepstakes a way to build rapport with your prospect, it’s important that you design them around something your prospect enjoys outside of the work environment.

For instance, although we tend to think that smartphones, headset systems, earphones and PDA’s are work-related (and help people improve productivity), it’s obvious that behind their work-related use, these gadgets are simply catering to the consumer desire for technological toys.

To this audience, offering the latest technological toy is a desirable and tasteful reason to participate in a sweepstakes. Research confirms this type of promotion works well if the prospects are primarily middle managers or small C-level businesses.

Research also shows this group is very interested in targeted and practical white papers that will help them get ahead -- especially if the reports are from a reputable research house like the Gartner Group.

For larger organization’s C-level prospects, research suggests that offering sports-related items as prizes is the best way to maximize participation. Make the prizes something worth displaying around the office. Perhaps sports memorabilia or a collector’s item would work best.

Also consider awarding items someone might never shop around for, but wouldn’t mind winning for fun. For instance, for those who are culturally refined, you can use a vintage bottle of wine, high quality art prints, or a remote-controlled robot.

Computer Associates, for example, is currently running a sweepstakes in BusinessWeeek. They’re offering their prospects who are history buffs, a chance to win a copy of David McCullough’s 1776.

Which Sweepstakes Are Making Marketers Winners?

John Jantsch is currently using this sweepstakes to fill his session with prospects at the Sage Summit scheduled for October 2006.

Business owners are invited to enter to win the $25,000 Business Marketing Makeover from John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing—The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide.

Join John Jantsch for Session BB15: How to Create Loyal Customers to Grow your Business. When you register for the session, you are Stuck With A Zero Marketing Budget For Client Gifts?
Would you really dare to give each client a gift of $500 this Christmas? What about something worth $2000? Or maybe $5000?You think I’m joking right? I mean, here you are struggling with your 50 cent marketing budget and I’m giving you the key to your bankruptcy. At Christmas time, too!Step up to the roller coaster and you’ll find out how Marie beat the system with some simple, yet smart marketing tactics and how you can too. Yeah, just like that…Marie Ain’t No Santa Claus!Nope! She’s just like you and me.She can do the Ho! Ho! Ho bit, until she’s faced with the prospect of expensive client gifts. Oh sure she wants to revel in the spirit of giving, but her bank balance is screaming for some mouth to mouth resuscitation. And that’s something she can’t ignore.What’s Worse Is Marie’s Clients Probably Won’t Even Like The Gifts!Look at yourself. Did you really like t earphones and PDA’s are work-related (and help people improve productivity), it’s obvious that behind their work-related use, these gadgets are simply catering to the consumer desire for technological toys.

To this audience, offering the latest technological toy is a desirable and tasteful reason to participate in a sweepstakes. Research confirms this type of promotion works well if the prospects are primarily middle managers or small C-level businesses.

Research also shows this group is very interested in targeted and practical white papers that will help them get ahead -- especially if the reports are from a reputable research house like the Gartner Group.

For larger organization’s C-level prospects, research suggests that offering sports-related items as prizes is the best way to maximize participation. Make the prizes something worth displaying around the office. Perhaps sports memorabilia or a collector’s item would work best.

Also consider awarding items someone might never shop around for, but wouldn’t mind winning for fun. For instance, for those who are culturally refined, you can use a vintage bottle of wine, high quality art prints, or a remote-controlled robot.

Computer Associates, for example, is currently running a sweepstakes in BusinessWeeek. They’re offering their prospects who are history buffs, a chance to win a copy of David McCullough’s 1776.

Which Sweepstakes Are Making Marketers Winners?

John Jantsch is currently using this sweepstakes to fill his session with prospects at the Sage Summit scheduled for October 2006.

Business owners are invited to enter to win the $25,000 Business Marketing Makeover from John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing—The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide.

Join John Jantsch for Session BB15: How to Create Loyal Customers to Grow your Business. When you register for the session, you are Bill Gates, Virtual Reality, and Six Flags
Does bill Gates know something we do not know about Six Flags amusement parks? No probably not, but anyone as smart as he, certainly understands the future of Virtual Reality. Look at the new X-Box 360-degree system? Obviously Microsoft gets it and their research teams may have entered the Virtual Reality Realm a little late, but they certainly understand gaming. Mr. Gate’s increased his holding in the company from 8% to 10%. There can only be one reason in my opinion, Virtual Reality is coming to a theme park near you. This probably makes a bit of sense and also a rebounding economy tends to really bolster Theme Parks. In GA actually in Six Flags over Georgia, where actually they are still arguing over one particular flag some interesting things are happening;http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/1998/06/01/story1.htmlLots of spending and upgrading, however I believe that Bill is smaeone might never shop around for, but wouldn’t mind winning for fun. For instance, for those who are culturally refined, you can use a vintage bottle of wine, high quality art prints, or a remote-controlled robot.

Computer Associates, for example, is currently running a sweepstakes in BusinessWeeek. They’re offering their prospects who are history buffs, a chance to win a copy of David McCullough’s 1776.

Which Sweepstakes Are Making Marketers Winners?

John Jantsch is currently using this sweepstakes to fill his session with prospects at the Sage Summit scheduled for October 2006.

Business owners are invited to enter to win the $25,000 Business Marketing Makeover from John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing—The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide.

Join John Jantsch for Session BB15: How to Create Loyal Customers to Grow your Business. When you register for the session, you are automatically entered to win a prize valued at US $25,000!

In our current culture, people of all levels are playing games of chance. The trick is to make the sweepstakes fit your prospect. In a B2B environment, you also need to make the sweepstakes refined and sophisticated. They must enhance your brand and not leave any bad taste with those who participate.

The Type of Sweepstakes That Might Work For You

I found a few online marketing companies who are using the power of technology to make sweepstakes highly sophisticated. For instance I found Cariocas.comdesigning sweepstakes that use game theory to gain useful information from those who participate.

It’s a real advantage to have truthful information about customers and the criterion that motivates their buying decisions. It’s also very difficult to get.

A second company that’s creating innovative sweepstakes is eprize.com. Prospects enjoy playing polished “advergames,” and will keep coming back to the website.

The prospects are not only impressed by the quality of the game, but feel compelled to check out the rest of the website.

Six Reasons Why Marketers Use Sweepstakes

1. Capture names and addresses in a database to increase the pool of prospects
2. Shorten sales cycle by building greater rapport with prospects
3. Contribute to positive relationships between the brand and the consumer
4. Reveal the customer’s preferences
5. Build buzz around a new product
6. Leverage a sponsoring program

1. Sweepstakes pack a lot of power. The key to successful sweepstakes is good planning, and a well-executed advertising plan.
2. Your prospects, even if they’re C-level will participate in sweepstakes if you can make it tasteful and find the right prize.
3. When prospects participate in sweepstakes, they’ll tend to give you more time to explain your product and even give you the benefit of the doubt. Psychologically, they’ll think they “owe you,” but will also need to reconcile their behavior of playing in your sweepstakes and taking a prize, with their belief in what you’re selling.
4. Sweepstakes can build strong rapport.
5. With creativity, B2B marketers can use the power of sweepstakes and come out winners.

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