If you’re looking to fill any gaps in your Q4 planning, there is still time to launch a chance-to-win promotion for the holidays that will help you do the following:

• Engage, delight, and motivate consumers in a brand moment while driving awareness, purchase, and excitement
• Utilize any extra or leftover budget you might still have #useitorloseit
• Collect zero- and first-party data to learn more about your customers and build a relationship with them (don’t forget that third-party cookie deprecation is right around the corner)

Here are some holiday promotion ideas that you still have time to build and launch:

Days of Giving Sweepstakes

In this advent calendar-inspired solution, a new prize is given away each day of the campaign. Upon daily visits, participants are registered for this mystery prize as well as the grand prize at the end.

Use this solution to gather identity data and build your database for remarketing purposes. The lure of the daily mystery prize will bring new consumers to your brand, giving you an opportunity to learn more about them and collect data in the process. These daily visits also keep your brand top of mind throughout this most critical revenue-driving period.

Over 40% of chance-to-win registrants opt in for future engagement, allowing you to remarket to them and get to know them better (via zero- and first-party data collection) each time they interact with your brand.

Merkle Benchmarks

Hashtag Sweepstakes

Our simple hashtag sweepstakes encourages consumers to post about your brand in the social space for the chance to win a prize. These "hashtag to win" campaigns on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok can be built quickly and are a great way to grow your follower base, engage fans, build buzz, and showcase user-generated content.

Use this solution to get something up and running quickly and engage both current and potential customers in the social space. Social media activity is really ramped up during the holidays. People post about wish list ideas, presents and packaging, celebratory food items, home and yard décor, family gatherings, and parties with friends, so capitalize on one of these holiday moments by building a hashtag sweepstakes that relates to your brand. 

81% of people use Instagram to help research products and services, and two in three people say Instagram helps foster interactions with brands.

Hootsuite, 44 Instagram Stats That Matter to Marketers in 2021

Promotional Overlay for Loyalty Program

Our chance-to-win campaigns can be stand-alone experiences or integrated with existing marketing and loyalty programs. For the holidays, let’s add a chance-to-win reward to your loyalty program’s point redemption options. Members are encouraged to spend their accrued loyalty points to play an instant win for a chance at a reward. The game can be as simple as clicking to virtually unwrap a gift and reveal if the participant has won a prize.

Use this solution to decrease financial liability within your loyalty program. Adding the chance to win an aspirational reward to your existing loyalty program gives members a quick and easy way to redeem points, along with a compelling reason to re-engage with your brand, leading to a reduction of the points liability on your books.

48% of consumers say they like chances to win as part of a loyalty program rewards mix.

Merkle, Loyalty Barometer Report, 2022

Rebates & Gift with Purchase

A vast majority of retailers run sales for the holidays. Don’t want to join their race to the bottom? Build your brand equity through a strong mutual value proposition to become less reliant on discounting or coupon offers. Rebates and gift with purchase are consumer-facing cash-back incentives that allow consumers to submit proof of purchase online in exchange for a financial incentive or reward. Both tactics are better at maintaining product perceptions than are coupons and discount offers; plus, they are both a lower risk to margin. 

Use this solution to add value without discounting. A simple “do this to get that” rebate offer or gift with purchase drives increased purchase intent and conversion for your brand. It also allows you to market to consumers without offering deep discounts or coupons. 

Consumers will be looking for everyday savings during the holidays as 50% of them say rising costs of goods and services are making it hard to afford things.

EY Future Consumer Index, May 2022

Promotions ​create moments of value across the customer journey. Active consumer participation in holiday promotions allow you to find out who people are and what they like; educate them on your brand and products; obtain permission to have ongoing dialogue with them in the future; surprise, delight, and reward them; bring people into your social mission; and simply give consumers an extra reason to connect with your brand.

Our superpower is motivating specific consumer behavior though promotions, gamification, and loyalty programs, so reach out to discuss some last-minute holiday ideas for your brand! And if you’re looking for new ways to drive results and increase profits for H2 and into 2023, download our 7 Reasons CMOs Care About Promotions ebook today.