Shawarma anyone?

Who doesn’t like free stuff? I love it. I am the type of guy who takes everything at showrooms and will always jump on a competition if I think I may have a chance to win something. Just last week I was engaged by Yukono’s Facebook page in a competition, which resulted in two free shawarma combos from a restaurant in town. I can’t help myself. The idea of gaining something for what we would consider almost nothing has always appealed to me.

So what makes a good incentive to engage your audience? Do you remember back when the banks would offer you a free toaster to open up a new account? How about the ever-classic McDonalds Monopoly contest? Or for us in Canada, I will skip my regular non-chain coffee joint for Tim Horton’s when “Roll up the Rim” is on.

Some incentives are to just get your audience in the door and others are to gain customer loyalty. When developing or choosing incentives, the needs and wishes of your audience are very important to take into consideration. Timing is also important. Positioning incentives during slow seasons or when releasing a new product can be a very useful tactic. Incentives can also be very effective when trying to get your audience to engage in a specific survey. When done appropriately the data you receive will be priceless compared to the expense of your carrot of choice.

Do you remember any old incentive programs that hooked you in? I know I will definitely be enjoying my shawarma this week.