You can’t have a competition without a prize. And not just any prize will do! That’s why we have found the most popular prizes for you to guarantee the success of your competitions.
The three main groups for prizes and rewards:
- Flash gifts for a first purchase
- Experience gifts to reward the most loyal customers
- Material rewards, but so much more!
Each winner and participant has their own prize
The data from numerous marketing studies managed by game developers on prize trends has helped us gain a little more insight into the best practices to adopt to guarantee the success of a competition campaign.
- In third place, we are unsurprised to see high-tech products (smartphones, computers, smart technology…) are very fashionable, which encourages participation and ensures conversion rates of 77%.
- In second place with 80% conversion are rewards concerning travel or invitations to an event (weekend away for two, subscription boxes, festival tickets, preview invitations…).
- Finally, it’s gift cards and vouchers or even discount codes which give purchasing power back to the consumer that finds itself in first place by persuading at least 82% of an audience to participate. For the winners, these prizes are useful whether they are redeemable on products/services from the organising company, their partners or sponsors.
Top 3 rewards and prizes for your competitions
Remember that to enhance their acquisition and retention strategy on various levels, the organising company must adapt their rewards programme according to consumer engagement and their reputation.
So let’s break down the three main prize groups:
1. Flash gifts for a first purchase
For a first competition, flash gifts (low value) will offer purchasing power to participants to create initial interest in the brand. So, the goal of this prize is to offer or make the brand’s products or services accessible, to create sales opportunities for casual sales to initiate first contact and a first purchasing relationship. Many brands also decide to continue increasing the value of prizes won, so the more points (or in some cases badges) the user has, the more access to prizes of a more significant value.
That is exactly what Microsoft is doing with their new limited-period programme, Microsoft Rewards, which lets you earn points with Bing searches by connecting it to your Microsoft account. The rules state that once you move up a level, you earn more quickly and it is also possible to accumulate points by shopping games, films and more on the Microsoft Store. These accumulated points can then be used to buy streaming content or even an Xbox One and other Microsoft devices at a lower price to encourage purchasing.
The famous American fast-food chain, Mcdonald’s, has also been using this technique for years by offering their customers prizes with their Meal menus such as Coca-Cola glasses, DVDs, toys…
The brand also organises promotions, offers discount codes and launches large competitions and prize draws where the winner will receive a scooter, a car or even a holiday, for example! These games are generally accessible through scratch stickers available on the food packaging. They are even sometimes 100% winners! The prize won is to be collected in store or by entering a code on the company’s website.
2. Experience gifts to reward the most loyal customers
So-called “experience” gifts bring together marketing strategies and gamification by adding more valuable gifts. The brand’s goal is to preserve their reputation by rewarding return-customers above all else for the recurrence and frequency of customer participation in their prize draws. This type of reward amplifies the impact of a competition by offering novelty and higher-quality prizes.
That is what Netflix did with its “Stranger Things” competition in the form of 6 cinematic questions and a prize draw, with invitations to the “Stranger Things — Season 3” premiere in Paris as the top prize. Logical and enticing rewards related to the activity and the identity of the organising brand
3. Material rewards, but so much more!
Gifts are not necessarily just material goods. In gamification, a reward must be a fond memory above all else. So, by transforming a reward into an experience, the competition inspires brands and the organising company to turn their customers into individual ambassadors. By detaching themselves from the material aspect of the prize, brands will get to meet their winners.
For example, it could be a competition to discover the most loyal customers through a casting process to be cast as the main character in your new brand advertisement! Anything is possible and imaginable as long as you explain the terms of participation and the rules to the public. Nothing is more frustrating for the user than wanting to take part in a competition but not understanding the rules or not knowing the exact arrangements!
That’s where Drimify comes in! As well as supporting their clients in the creation of elaborate competitions, such as maze games or even wheel of fortune games, they take care of everything from terms and conditions and a launch date for the game to closing the event to ensure the success of the operation.
Much more than a simple competition platform, Drimify supports its gamification offer with turnkey services to manage your prizes and guarantee satisfaction for not just the winners, but also the organising company in order to provide an unforgettable experience for all participants.
