I read a lot of trades.  CPG and grocery trades as well as most advertising and promotion-related industry trades.  That’s how I learn about some great sweepstakes by brands.  I’ve even contemplated entering a few.  The problem is, that’s the ONLY place I hear about them.  What about the non-industry people, a.k.a. the majority of a brand’s prospective consumers?  How are they hearing about it? 

If there are no blatant displays at retail, or if it’s a product one doesn’t use (or use often), how will the rest of us be enticed to buy the product or enter the sweepstakes?

Enter the world of audio, and all that it encompasses today.  In addition to (or instead of) traditional spots on AM/FM stations, consider radio promotions that embed your brand and the sweepstakes into the programming of a listener’s favorite station.  Voiced by their favorite personality, it sounds that much bigger.  Add in homepage takeovers on the same station’s website, driving listeners to click a banner taking them to the sweepstakes page and find a local retailer to purchase the product.  Go one step further by having the face of the brand or a favorite radio personality do a “walk on video” on the station website where they are using the product and directing listeners to the sweepstakes page.

All of these are cost-effective ways to get your sweepstakes (which took a great deal of time and money to assemble) noticed by the right audience.

Don’t count radio out.  Carve out just 5% of your marketing budget to test its effectiveness in key markets using measurable radio platforms.  And, as always, use specialists who live and breathe these platforms for brands both big and small (shameless plug alert).

Barbra Tabnick is a Senior Marketing Strategist at The Radio Agency. Please follow The Radio Agency’s Blog “Sounding Board” by subscribing to the RSS link above. Visit our website TheRadioAgency.com