Case Study Highlights
- 2,614 email opt-ins were collected between 12 advertisers
- The sweeps generated a record high number of opt-ins for the paper
- The North Platte Telegraph generated $6,000 in revenue
The Idea
The North Platte Telegraph, part of BH Media Group, is a small market newspaper in North Platte, Nebraska. When selling our products, we conduct a needs analysis conversation with our advertisers. Then, we then use this information to fulfill their marketing goals with our products.
We wanted to run a holiday promotion that would attract a variety of local businesses. We knew that offering a sweepstakes that included survey questions would provide our advertiser with data and leads – which is exactly what they wanted. In addition to valuable data, a sweepstakes would encourage lots of engagement from our audience and drive revenue for us.
A sister paper in the BH Media Group had previously run a series of holiday-themed sweepstakes with lots of success. We were inspired to do something similar.
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The Execution
We created a series of 12 sweepstakes which we called the 12 Days of Giving. Each day, for 12 consecutive days, a different local business was featured in a holiday sweepstakes. Each business paid $500 to be participate and included a prize (with a minimum value of $100) to be given away.
| Sponsor | Prize |
|---|---|
| Hampton Inn | $165 night stay |
| River's Edge Cuisine | $100 gift card |
| Golf Course | $100 gift card pro shop |
| Nebraskaland Days (event) | $100 gift card |
| Lumber Center | $100 gift card |
| Chinese Restaurant | $100 gift card |
| Hardware Store | $100 gift card |
| Flower Shop | $100 gift card |
| Lawn & Garden Center | $100 gift card |
| Salon & Spa | 60 min. massage |
| Tire & Auto Center | $130 in services |
| Home Appliance | $100 gift card |
Each of these 12 sweepstakes were accessed through a single landing page. This holiday themed page – a calendar overview of the 12 sweepstakes – was a key component to the promotion. The page previewed the upcoming prizes and had links to each individual sweepstakes.
The day of each sweepstakes, a particular sponsor’s ad was highlighted at the top of the landing page with the prize they were giving away. This button linked to sweepstakes registration page.
Registration for each of the 12 sweepstakes featured an email opt-in, social media follow button, and survey questions for each business. They were able to select up to three survey questions to include on their sweepstakes. For example, the Hampton Inn asked three questions related to the amenities offered at the hotel.
To market this promotion, we created an ad package that gave each advertiser optimal exposure to our audience. The package included each advertiser’s logo on the 12 Days of Giving landing page, promotional emails, online banner ads, and in print ads, which ran every day for 12 days. Additionally, we posted regular updates to our social media – including social posts announcing the winner of each of the 12 sweepstakes.
The Results
We had a 12 day total of 4,372 entries – the most of any promotion that year! Additionally, 2,614 email opt-ins were collected for our advertisers. Of these entries, most came from people with young families, ages 33 to 42, which was a demographic our advertisers wanted to target.
Each of the advertisers felt the contest was an incredible value. Between the print and banner ads, along with the ability to ask up to three survey questions, they were pleased with everything the promotion offered.
At the Telegraph, we generated $6,000 in revenue and added 900 email addresses to our database – a record for us!
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Lesli is the Digital Coordinator for the North Platte Telegraph. She has extensive background in both marketing and graphic design. In her current position, she works with the Telegraph’s digital products – both advertising and editorial.