Your best seller, doubled
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Instagram or Facebook
- Concept
- Give away two of your best-selling item: one for the winner and one for a person they choose. It shows off the product you're proudest of. The second item puts it in front of someone new.
- How to enter
- Comment who you would give the second one to; a first name is enough. Draw one winner at random from the comments.
- Prize idea
- Two best sellers (about $30 to $120, depending on the item).
- Avoid
- Don't ask entrants to tag the person. A first name is enough and keeps you within Facebook's rules.
Store credit instead of a fixed item
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Instagram, Facebook or in store
- Concept
- Give store credit so the winner picks what they want. It costs you less than its face value, because you only pay your cost for what they choose. It also brings the winner back into your shop.
- How to enter
- Comment with the first thing you would buy with the credit. Draw one winner at random.
- Prize idea
- $25 to $50 in store credit, which costs you less than its face value.
- Avoid
- Don't give credit with a short expiry. Give the winner at least three months to use it.
An experience, not a thing
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Instagram
- Concept
- Offer an experience instead of a product: a class, a behind-the-scenes tour or a private tasting. Experiences give the winner a story to tell friends. They cost you mostly time.
- How to enter
- Comment which of two experiences you would choose. Draw one winner, then agree on a date together.
- Prize idea
- A private class or tour for two (about $80 to $150 in value).
- Avoid
- Don't leave the date open forever. Put a booking window, like the next 60 days, in the rules.
A year of something small
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Instagram or in store
- Concept
- Offer a subscription: a coffee a week, a monthly bunch of flowers or a year of free refills. It keeps the winner coming back. Other customers see them enjoying it all year.
- How to enter
- Comment how you would use it. Draw one winner at random and give them a card to show at each visit.
- Prize idea
- A coffee a week for a year (about $150 to $250 in retail value, spread over 12 months).
- Avoid
- Don't forget the conditions. Write the end date, the weekly limit and that it can't be transferred.
Mystery box
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Instagram
- Concept
- Pack a box of surprise items and show only the outside. People enter for the box, and the unboxing afterwards gives you a second post. Mix new products with best sellers.
- How to enter
- Comment a guess at one item in the box. Everyone who comments is entered; a right guess is just for fun.
- Prize idea
- A mystery box worth about $60 to $100 at retail.
- Avoid
- Don't fill the box with stock you can't sell. Winners post unboxings, and leftovers make your brand look cheap.
Naming rights
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Instagram or in store
- Concept
- Let the winner name a product, a menu item or a shop pet for a season. It costs almost nothing, and the winner tells everyone they know. Pick the winner by judging, not at random, so the name fits.
- How to enter
- Comment a name suggestion. Two staff members score the suggestions for fit and fun, and the top score wins.
- Prize idea
- Naming rights for one season plus a $25 gift card (about $25 plus the bragging rights).
- Avoid
- Don't promise to use any name no matter what. Say in the rules that you choose the winner and can reject names that don't fit.
A digital product
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Website and email
- Concept
- If you sell digital products, give one away: a course seat, a template pack or a year of a paid plan. It costs you nothing per copy. Pick a prize that leads naturally to a paid upgrade later.
- How to enter
- Join the email list through the giveaway form. Draw one winner from the list of new sign-ups.
- Prize idea
- A course seat or a year's plan (about $50 to $200 at list price).
- Avoid
- Don't list an inflated value. Use the real price the product sells for.
Ten small prizes instead of one big one
Difficulty: MediumBest on: Instagram or Facebook
- Concept
- Instead of one $200 prize, give away ten $20 prizes over two weeks. More winners means more people talking about you. Each day also gives you a new post.
- How to enter
- Comment on each day's post. Draw one winner per day and leave earlier winners out.
- Prize idea
- Ten $20 gift cards (about $200 in total).
- Avoid
- Don't let the winners pile up unannounced. Post each winner the next morning, so people see the prizes are real.
A big prize for a real milestone
Difficulty: HardBest on: Instagram and Facebook
- Concept
- Save a larger prize for a real milestone, like your fifth anniversary. A big prize gets attention, but it also attracts people who only want the prize. Pair it with a question about your shop to keep entrants relevant.
- How to enter
- Comment your answer to a question about the shop. Draw one winner at random from the comments.
- Prize idea
- A bundle or experience worth about $300 to $500.
- Avoid
- Don't announce a big prize without checking the tax and legal side. Larger prizes can mean tax forms for the winner and extra rules for you.
A donation in the winner's name
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Facebook or Instagram
- Concept
- Let the winner choose a local charity, then donate in their name. It suits businesses whose products don't ship well. It reads as generous rather than salesy.
- How to enter
- Comment the local charity you would pick and why. Draw one winner at random and donate to their choice.
- Prize idea
- A $100 donation to the winner's chosen charity (about $100).
- Avoid
- Don't open it to any cause at all if you want to stay neutral. Offer a short list of local charities to choose from.
A gift card from your neighbor
Difficulty: EasyBest on: Instagram
- Concept
- Buy a gift card from a business your customers also love, like the café next door. It supports a neighbor and shows you're part of the street. Ask the neighbor to mention it too.
- How to enter
- Comment your favorite order at that business. Draw one winner at random.
- Prize idea
- A $30 to $50 gift card from a neighboring business.
- Avoid
- Don't make it look like the neighbor is hosting. Ask first, and say clearly who runs the giveaway.
Questions and answers
How much should a giveaway prize be worth?
Enough to be worth a comment, but not so much that it attracts people who only want free things. For a small account, $25 to $100 of your own products is a good start. Raise the value for milestones, not every week.
Is cash a good giveaway prize?
Cash attracts everyone, including people who will never buy from you, and it invites scam accounts that copy your giveaway. A product or store credit is usually the better choice.
Does the winner pay tax on a prize?
Prizes can be taxable for the winner. Tell the winner the prize's value so they can check what applies to them.
What prizes should I avoid?
Skip alcohol, tobacco and anything age-restricted unless you can check ages, and anything you can't ship to everyone who can enter. Also skip anything you would be embarrassed to see unboxed on camera.
Should I let the winner choose cash instead of the prize?
Only if the rules say so before the giveaway starts. Changing the prize afterwards can upset entrants, and a cash option attracts people who only want money.