7 uses for running a digital promotion

Running a digital promotion is key to getting your customers involved with your brand and loyalty program while also giving them the chance to earn something in return. You can utilize promotions for a number of different reasons whether it’s just to get them engaged, promote a new product or event, or highlight specific retailers. Integrating promotions within your loyalty program gives your brand the freedom to not only make members aware of certain brand news but also get them excited about what is being promoted. Take a look at the 7 different ways you can effectively run a digital promotion to boost your brand.

1. Attract and Engage Customers 

Promotions are fun! They are a great way to generate brand awareness, gather customer data in an authentic way, and you can get to know your customers better and learn what pushes them to be more engaged with your brand. Digital promotions are also extremely helpful for driving ongoing engagement with your customer base after you’ve passed that first interaction. When customers make their first purchase or sign up for your loyalty program, the work doesn’t stop there. You should be actively reminding them why they chose your brand and why they should continue to stick with you and promotions can do both of those things. If there are a variety of ways for them to earn points and rewards they will be excited to participate and will become more active members. There is a promotion for everyone so it's important to try out a number of different ones and see what works best for your audience. 

2. Collect First-Party Data

Collecting first-party data is key to knowing how to communicate with your customers. A loyalty program is a great way to capture customer’s data willingly and then create experiences that will end up building loyalty between your brand and its members. Creating a bond with your members that goes beyond the transactions and incentives helps nurture and build emotional loyalty. Personalized communication that is focused on what the customer wants and needs will be an incentive for customers to provide more first party data. People like to feel as though they aren’t just a number when it comes to large businesses and so it is crucial that communication is personalized to each person's interest to ensure that brand trust and loyalty continues to grow. 

3. Build Your Brand Community

Submitting an entry for a sweepstakes can only be so exciting to customers. However, promotions are a great way to bring everyone together and give them an outlet to show off their creativity and ideas. Photo and video contests allow your customers to get involved with the sweepstakes but also use their creativity. UGC promotions are a great way to give your customers a sense of authenticity regarding your brand because they are able to see what other members enjoy about your products and services. People like to be a part of a community that has shared interests and likes and promotions give members that platform. 

4. Generate Excitement

A digital promotion is also a great way to generate excitement around different brand events or holidays. If you promote something once and then don’t mention it again, people will forget about it or not think it’s very important. If customers see something continue to be promoted then they will want to learn more and see how they can get involved. This is especially useful when you are promoting an in-person event. For example, when a business is opening up a new location, they don’t only hang a sign on the door that says “Grand Opening” the day of and hope that people will get excited. You have to post on social media leading up to the opening, offer incentives to those who come in on the first day, and promote the business as a whole. People get a sense of pride when a heavily promoted event is taking place in their community so they will be more likely to not only attend but also do their own promotion themselves. 

Brandmovers teamed up with a popular cereal brand to create buzz around the brand’s new look. The brand hosted a series of launch events in major US cities, inviting fans to attend and participate in interactive experiences that gave them an opportunity to test their senses from taste to texture. Fans could RSVP in advance by visiting a custom microsite created by Brandmovers and selecting their chosen city, date, and time. Celebratory brand events like these can easily be promoted and amplified by combining them with additional incentive games like a sweepstakes, giveaway, or instant win. 

5. Promote New Product Launches or Trials  

While it is important to generate excitement around company events, promoting new products is also a great way to build momentum with customers. This gives you the chance to include an exclusive offer for loyalty members who are extremely involved, to try the new product before it launches to the public. A sweepstake is a great way to offer these product trials because it lets members burn points with little cost to your brand. 

6. Promote Education & Awareness 

It’s important that your members and potential customers are always aware of what’s coming up with the brand whether it is product launches, events, charitable/sustainable initiatives, or just monthly check-ins. 

Nespresso wanted to get the word out about their sustainability project and they were able to do that through a UGC promotion. They wanted to make sure that their customers were aware that their products were 100% endlessly recyclable and that they can be a part of the initiative Nespresso stands by. Customers were able to get involved by uploading pictures and stories of them recycling their coffee capsules. Once uploaded, photos were entered into a photo mosaic that was constantly updated on the website through the sweepstake duration. 

7. Drive Sales Among Specific Retailers 

When a brand partners with retailers, promotions that incorporate specific products or retailers are a great way to boost sales and strengthen that retailer relationship. If you find specific areas where there is an opportunity to boost store traffic or increase customer basket size, you can launch a promotion to help draw in new or existing customers. Receipt validation is a great way to drive sales towards a specific location and then reward members for not only purchasing a product at that location, but also uploading it to their account. If a brand is launching in a new location, they can use a promotion to get customers to their new retailer and be entered into a giveaway to win a prize after they make a purchase. 

Utilizing the diversity that digital promotions offer your loyalty program will elevate your brand above the competition. Keeping your customers excited about your program and the benefits it brings to their lives is key in retaining them in the long run. Promotions are able to do this seamlessly without causing any hassle to the brand or member. 

Have questions about which digital promotion your brand should run? Reach out to us today and see how we can help you put these promotions into action!