The internet is a beautiful thing, it really is. I mean, did you know that radio stations aren’t the only way that you can win cool contests anymore?! Okay, you probably knew that. If you’re active on social media, you’ve probably seen your friends commenting on, reposting or retweeting, desperately trying to win some kind of contest. Those kind of posts used to drive me INSANE. I always thought, “What’s the point of that?! There’s NO way you’re going to win, a million people are trying to enter!” As soon as I started working for a social media agency, I changed my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I have the worst luck in the world and I STILL haven’t won anything (coughChooseChicagocough), but I decided to let my free flag fly and enter contests out the wazoo. Is it because my friends and coworkers seem to win all of the social media contests ever and I’m jealous? Maybe it is.
I think a lot of companies truly overlook what kind of positive impact running a contest can have for their business. People LOVE free stuff. No one actually knows that they want a Segway tour of Chicago until there’s one at the tip of your fingers, for free! Coffee from iHOP for a year? Didn’t know I wanted it until I could potentially have it, for free! Whether you’re trying to get your audience excited about an upcoming event or just spread general awareness of your product and/or services, contests are the perfect way to do it. Not only do they keep your current fan base engaged but they give you the potential to expand your reach and ultimately grow your fan base. Check out two of my favorite companies who run killer contests in the Chicagoland area (and beyond!):
Choose Chicago: Choose Chicago works hard to show people visiting Chicago the economic benefit of the city and the community. Not only do they help you plan your trip and get around town, but they provide you with maps of the city and show you special deals and events going on around the time of your visit. If you’re wondering, no, I’m not incredibly jealous of the night my friend spent “Sippin’ in the City” courtesy of Choose Chicago, City Winery and Seadog Navy Pier. Keep an eye on their Twitter and Facebook pages for some awesome contests featuring some of the hottest companies in Chicago.
Oberweis/That Burger Joint: Raise your hand if you don’t like ice cream or juicy burgers stacked with cheese, bacon and every other tasty thing you can imagine. Yeah, that’s what I thought. Oberweis and That Burger Joint (TBJ) are both brain children of the Oberweis family and although Oberweis has standalone stores, TBJ only exists in cohabitation with Oberweis stores. Oberweis frequently runs ice cream, milk and other delicious dairy giveaways on their Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram. Most of the time all you have to do is comment with your favorite flavor of ice cream or milk, it’s genius. The same goes for TBJ, sometimes winning a free burger is as easy as clicking retweet.
If you’re feeling lucky, I suggest checking out the Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts of your favorite companies to see if they’re running any cool contests. Who knows, maybe your good fortune is better than mine!
