| "Knowing your target audience
is key to all DM initiatives but so is understanding
their dreams if you want to include a prize incentive"
says Andrew Cook.
The fundamental principle of any DM activity is to
acquire, retain or reactivate customers, but with
the development of new and innovative routes to market
consumers are being inundated at every turn with promotional
offers, so to ensure your campaign is a success it
needs to have standout and talkability.
With any promotion that offers a prize or incentive,
the actual prize on offer is critical to the overall
success of the campaign, so understanding the consumer
and what motivates them is crucial, it is this element
that is at the core of the consumer’s motivational
psyche i.e. is that prize on offer stimulating me
enough to test drive a new car, apply for a credit
card or try a new brand of beer?
Today’s consumers are far more savvy to the
prize promotions sector and the prize experiences
available, and as such, have far greater expectations.
They are no longer impressed with regurgitated off-the-shelf
prizes, which can be found on every high street, they
want to be wooed by new and innovative products. However,
budget needs to come into the equation, it’s
easy to be creative when you have pots of cash to
spend, and the real challenge is creating a prize,
which has standout regardless of the budget. It’s
all about the perceived value, combined with the ability
to think laterally and buy effectively that is paramount
to a DM based prize incentive.
Five Key Steps
- Who’s Your Target Audience?
Know your target market. Then you can develop an
imaginative and tailor-made prize experience that
is of inherent interest to that specific audience.
Also know what your competitors have done recently,
you don’t want to do the same.
- What Does The Brand Stand For?
Ensure the prize or incentive reflects the brand
personality, underlines core brand credentials and
works with the theme of the campaign. Each brand
has its own identity and characteristics, which
can only be truly reflected when a prize promotion
is built specifically for that brand.
- How Do You Avoid Pitfalls?
Use an experienced prize promotions specialist.
It helps to bring them in at the early planning/pitching
stage to take care of research and come up with
the innovative ideas, this will save time and problems
later on by providing accurate costings enabling
the budget for campaign to be accurately planned.
Also, not to be underestimated, is peace of mind
knowing that ideas put forward can be delivered.
- What About Handling and Fulfilment?
When setting up the logistics don’t forget
the small detail as they really do count. Be clear
about the mechanics of the prize promotion, if the
DM activity is part of a larger campaign this should
also be taken into consideration. Allow for an amount
of flexibility in case the prize needs to be changed
or modified e.g. room upgrade, date change, include
the kids – an experienced prize promotions
specialists will handle this on behalf of the client.
- What About The Prize-Winners?
Remember for the prize-winners it is a ‘brand
experience’ from the moment they win to the
time their experience has finished and as such they
must be given the VIP treatment throughout.
In this market there are two rules. Never underestimate
the importance of dreams when motivating consumers
and never limit your imagination on what can be achieved.
Case Study Volkswagen Polo DM Campaign
Volkswagen commissioned Proximity London to create
a DM mailer that was sent out to a database of consumers
encouraging them to test drive the new Polo. The DM
initiative was part of the VW Your Guardian Angel
campaign, which underlined the car’s numerous
safety features - so many in fact that your guardian
angel can relax and put his feet up while you drive
it!
The mailer took the form of a personalised letter
and offered anyone who booked a test drive or ordered
a brochure the chance to enter a free prize draw to
win a fantastic VIP weekend of pampering in London.
The incentive involved staying at the ultra hip Sanderson
Hotel, before hitting Selfridges armed with £500
and a personal shopper. Afterwards, it’s of
to Charles Worthington for a makeover before spending
the evening enjoying dinner for two at The Oxo Tower,
while taking in the fabulous views of the City and
St Paul’s Cathedral.
Commenting Andrew Cook said, “We worked alongside
Proximity London to come up with a prize incentive
that reflected the key DM message that new Polo had
so many extra features your Guardian Angels could
afford to take time off and pamper himself. The pamper
weekend was an effective route to do this but, importantly,
also a highly aspirational prize for the target audience.”
- ENDS -
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