8 Key Elements In Promotion or Contest Planning

Wayne Clouten’s 8 Key Elements In Promotion or Contest Planning:

1. SET UP
The best promotions are those that involve the audience in their creation. Consider ways to involve or create the perception that listeners had an influence in the promotions idea, prizes or rules or even final judging.

2. TEASE
Don’t reveal everything at once. Have a plan to progressively release more detail and new ideas in the lead up to the promotions launch.

3. UNVEIL
Spare no effort in making a big noise and gaining as much exposure as possible for the launch of a promotion. Even an on-air contest like cash-call can have an event supporting its launch such as a publicity shoot of a bank manager and guards escorting the money to the radio station in “the cash call chest”.

4. EXPLAIN
Sometimes complex production techniques can confuse listeners. What a listener can’t understand quickly becomes a turn off. A good tip is to produce your promotional announcements then play them to some staff unconnected to the promotion to see if they understand.

5. SPIKE
Introduce an unexpected twist halfway through a promotion to spike awareness. This will renew interest in the promotion and freshen the sound of it on-air.

6. IMPACT
The culmination of a promotion should be designed for maximum impact. Too many promotions run by radio stations “fizzle” instead of “sizzle” at their conclusion. To ensure this does not happen plan a spectacular finale. Think about holding a staff meeting the night before the promotion finale to wind up staff energy and enthusiasm.

7. OWNERSHIP.
A promotion worth doing should be a promotion worth owning. Make the name and every element of the promotion as proprietary to the station as possible. Things to consider include registering the promotion’s name and any trademarks.

8. EXTENSION.
Having gone to all the effort and commitment involved in setting up and running a major promotion, consider what opportunities exist to keep the awareness momentum going in the form of a spin-off promotion, position claim or new feature.