Tips for Running a Successful Ballot Live Event

by Julie Foley Second Street

One way to spice up your promotions and interactive content strategy is to run ballots. Ballots have incredible potential to grow your database and drive revenue, and ballots featuring local merchants offer even more opportunities to make money and expand advertiser relationships.

To capitalize on your ballot, create a live event celebrating the winners. This is an additional way to bring the experience to life for your audience once the voting is over.

Depending on the size of your team and your budget, you can scale your event up or down. Your live event could be anything from a Tuesday lunch hosted in your company offices to a full red carpet event with an actual awards ceremony.

Inviting your winning merchants to an event makes the award seem even more special and has the added benefit of being an opportunity to start a future business partnership.

The Post and Courier in Charleston, SC hosted an event featuring the winners of their ballot. Many of the businesses participated by sponsoring the food, drinks, and entertainment for the evening.

Paper's Live Event Honored Winners of the Ballot

If you’re ready to step-up your next ballot, here are a few tips to help you put together your Voters’ Choice event:

  • Hand-deliver embossed invitations to the winning merchants.
  • Sell tickets to the public.
  • Set up a step & repeat banner and bring in a photographer.
  • Ask winning restaurants and bars to donate food or bartenders for the event.
  • Announce all of your winners at the event.
  • Stream the event on your website and sell ads both during the broadcast and later when the recording stays up on your site.

Adding on an event – large or small – will be a great step to expanding the life of your ballot and increasing the value of your company to the businesses in your community.

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