How To Use Contests To Build Your Direct Sales Business

I really like to use a variety of marketing strategies to build my direct sales business. Contests have proven to be successful for me over the years.

I’d like to share some contest strategies with you.

Offer a product that a wide variety of people will want and can use. I try very hard to offer products that can be used by both men and women and also by both young and old. Right now, as of this writing, I’m actually offering a collector’s item that was from a previous holiday collection.

Stay away from contests asking people to subscribe to something. I personally almost never enter those types of contests, or if I do, I’ll offer a throw away email address, or I’ll unsubscribe just as soon as the winner is announced. People want to win, they don’t want to sign up. Now, having said that, do make sure that a form to sign up for your newsletter is on the same page as your contest so that if someone does want to sign up they can.

The purpose of a contest is to share your products with others. Make your contest fun. Ask people to visit your site and tell you their favorite product. Or ask people to visit your site and tell you one thing that they learned from your site. While this first visit will not usually result in an immediate sale, you’ll find that people will browse and will bookmark your site. I look at contests as a way to introduce others to the products, not as a way to create immediate sales.

Offer people a way to contact you for more information. Often my contests ask if someone wants a catalog or party information. I use no as my default answer so that if someone does want something, they’ll have to click for it. I never make yes my default answer.

Engage with those who enter. I read every single comment that people leave me, whether on my blog contests, or on contests offered on my website via a form. I respond to everything asking for a response. I’ve read some of the most wonderful stories via these comments and have responded to each of them.

Contests are very inexpensive to run. You only pay the cost of a product and postage to mail the product. If I get one or two orders, I’ve more than made my money back and I’ve introduced the products to a thousand new people.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka