Social Media: Transformation Contests can Increase Sales

An online transformation contest can help generate new business, increase both membership and personal training sales and build relationships with other companies. Of course you know social media is a great way to get exposure for your business. What you may not realize, however, is that social media is also a great way to increase direct sales. It is also less expensive than traditional marketing methods.

The immediate, conversational nature of social media makes it ideally suited for promoting your business and increasing sales. In particular, hosting social media contests can increase your sales, not only in the short-term, but also promote relationships with customers and generate leads. The more valuable the prize, the more people will enter and the more leads you will get.

Of course, once you get the leads you need to close them. Make sure you have a strategy for lead marketing that includes developing an ongoing relationship and encouraging interaction with your social media sites.

Here’s how you start:

Establish the criteria for the contest. Start? End? How will it be judged? Who will judge it?
Establish who will be in charge of monitoring the contest on your web platforms.
Establish a budget for the cash prizes. Make them valuable enough to generate excitement. Get other companies to donate prizes and special offers for the contest. You can choose to have one or two big rewards. On the other hand, having numerous awards such as gift certificates makes the customer realize they have a fair chance of winning.
Create the advertising pieces.
Learn how to coordinate all the companies’ social media and website platforms to advertise the contest.
Listen closely to the postings on the site and update the participants frequently.
Offer exclusive offers from your sponsors as the contest progresses. It creates excitement and promotes your sponsors.

Key components for a successful contest:

Don’t make the contest too difficult. The rules should be simple and realistic. Never change the rules once it is underway.
Promote the contest at least 30 days in advance and keep the buzz going throughout the contest.
A contest is a great way to help you build long-term brand loyalty and sales by helping you to generate leads. The key is to create multiple methods of entry that work for you.

Rich Drengberg, the VP of sales and marketing for Gold’s Gyms agrees, “We have had a fitness contest every year. It is not only a great way to get new members who will also buy personal training, but it is also a great way to keep your existing members engaged in an annual event that brings a lot of excitement to your club.”

Social media is constantly evolving. It takes time and effort to stay abreast of the best practices on how to keep people engaged. Hiring a consultant is a good idea.

I’ve had great success with Barrett LeMieux Business Consulting. Here is a good example of a sample contest at https://www.facebook.com/NCCPT.

Don’t forget to “Like it!”

John Platero has been in the fitness industry for 37 years. John previously owned a 20,00-square-foot gym and was the National Director for Personal Training for LA Fitness and Bodies and Motion. You may contact him at www.johnplatero.com.