How to Drive Revenue & Audience with Basketball Promotions
•
2 recomendaciones•2,378 vistas
To learn best practices and discover tips for planning and selling basketball promotions, as well as find inspiration in past success stories, flip through the How to Drive Revenue & Audience with Basketball Promotions webinar slide deck.
Recomendados
Más contenido relacionado
La actualidad más candente
Destacado
Destacado (20)
Similar a How to Drive Revenue & Audience with Basketball Promotions
Similar a How to Drive Revenue & Audience with Basketball Promotions (20)
Más de Upland Second Street
Más de Upland Second Street (20)
Último
Último (20)
How to Drive Revenue & Audience with Basketball Promotions
- 1. Drive Revenue & Audience with Basketball Promotions
- 2. SPEAKERS Julie Foley Director of Affiliate Success @julie_foley Emily Thousand Affiliate Success Manager @emilythousand
- 3. WHO WE ARE
- 4. HOW TO INTERACT WITH US
- 6. AGENDA • • • • Contest Overview How to Sell How to Promote Q&A
- 13. UPFRONT VS. ROUND BY ROUND
- 14. WELCOME PAGE 1. Countdown Clock 2. Welcome Text 3. VIPs 4. Local Leaders 5. Local Prizes 6. Fan Gallery 7. Mobile 8. Latest Talk
- 17. NEW! AUTO-FILL BRACKET BUILDER
- 18. NEW! AUTO-FILL BRACKET BUILDER
- 19. NEW! SOCIAL BOOST SWEEPS
- 20. NEW! VIEW YOUR VIP BRACKETS
- 21. REMINDER EMAIL SCHEDULE 17 Round 1 12 am EST Upfront & Round 24 22 Round 2 12 am EST Round only 29 Round 3 Round 4 12 am EST 12 am EST Round only Round only 31 Round 5 12 am EST Round only
- 22. 6 Round 6 12 am EST Round only
- 23. PLAY ANYWHERE
- 24. PRIZES
- 26. CUSTOM BRACKETS
- 28. THE BENEFITS OF CONTESTS
- 30. CASE STUDY: WEEI - FM • • • • $25,000 in revenue Exclusive Sponsor Attracted 4,100 players 80,000+ pageviews
- 31. SPONSOR EXPOSURE
- 33. SAMPLE RADIO SALES PACKAGE Promotion Internet Radio: (25) :30 commercials per week, M-F 6a-7p, for 4 weeks (100x’s Total) Inclusion in (30) :30 promotional announcements over 1 week, name mention and :05 tag Inclusion in (60) :30 promotional announcements over 1 week, name mention and :05 tag Inclusion in (10) :10 sports flash tags, name mention only Fixed logo in header of all Bracket Challenge pages Display Advertising Campaign: Fixed position banner on Bracket Challenge entry page (and all interior pages of the game) Homepage Double Play Campaign – 125,000 impressions over 4 weeks (300x250 & 234x60) ROS Campaign – 125,000 impressions over 4 weeks (300x250, 728x90, 234x60) Fantasy Newsletter: Ownership of Fantasy Newsletters sent weekly to 685 members (1x total) Logo inclusion in email to entire database promoting the Bracket Challenge contest (130,000 members) Name mention and link in (2) Daily Newsletter Promo Inclusions (70,000 members) Logo inclusion in Homepage slider Promo Display: Logo inclusion in all promotional display ad units running throughout weei.com Logo inclusion on all station show pages Logo inclusion on station contest page Name mention in social networking inclusions (Station Facebook and twitter accounts) at least twice NCAA Mobile Text Updates: Ownership of all text updates throughout tournament (name mention) Name inclusion in station bounceback for 1 week Logo inclusion in mobile game header 1 Contest Text Alert with name mention Cost $2,000 $18,000 $6,000 $1000 Email opt-in on registration page $2,000 Sponsor can designate up to 35 VIP pickers $1,000 Total Cost $30,000
- 34. THE IMPACT OF RADIO
- 35. BEST PRACTICES FOR RADIO • • • • • Internet Radio Promos Live Top-of-the-Hour mentions On-Site broadcast Mention the URL Talent = VIP pickers
- 36. CASE STUDY: WKYT • • • • Earned $40,000 Four sponsors Attracted 10,500 players Promoted both upfront and round by round challenge
- 37. CASE STUDY: WKYT
- 38. SAMPLE TV SALES PACKAGE Promotion Sponsorship of upfront & round-by-round brackets Sportscaster to mention brackets and sponsor every night of the tournament during sports segment (logo on screen) 50,000 300 250 ROS impressions on website Cost $1,000 $4,000 $1,000 Expanding pencil ad on your homepage (up for the entire week before the start of the tournament) $1,000 Feature on homepage carousel promoting contest with logo $1,000 Email opt-in on the bracket registration page $1,000 Email campaign, all including the sponsor’s logo and coupon/offer: • Invitation email encouraging entries to entire promotion database of 40,000 people: 1 week before the tournament begins • Follow up invitation email: Day tournament begins • Thank you for playing email: All registered users • 4 reminder emails before the start of each round in round-by-round bracket: All registered users • Winner announcement email at end of season with a coupon offer $4,000 Sponsor can designate up to five VIP pickers Mobile site ads linking to the bracket pages $1,000 $1,000 Total Cost $15,000
- 39. THE IMPACT OF BROADCAST
- 40. BEST PRACTICES FOR BROADCAST • • • • • On-Air promo spots Show and mention the URL Mentions by talent Talent = VIP pickers Announce winners on air after each round
- 41. CASE STUDY: THE LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
- 42. CASE STUDY: THE LAWRENCE JOURNAL WORLD
- 43. PLAYER EXCLUSIVE
- 44. SAMPLE NEWSPAPER SALES PACKAGE Promotion VIP Sponsorship Package (Limit 4) • • • • • • • • Featured Picker– pick alongside Sports staff & a local sports celebrity each round 10 premium ads (2”x10”) 10 free pickups (excluding Sundays) Digital Campaign including: • Contest page 728×90 & 300×250 served together (1/4 share of voice) • Co-Branded Pencil Pushdown (twice during sign-up period) • 200,000 ROS impressions Ads in daily news email, breaking news, and promotional email lists Logo on all promotions Email Opt-In on registration page Social Media mentions with links back to the advertiser’s Facebook and Twitter pages15*4 Cost $15,000 Supporting Sponsorship Package (10+) • • • • 10 premium ads (2”x4”) 10 free pickups (excluding Sundays) Digital ads (300×125) on the contest page and various emails Logo on all promotions Total Revenue $4,000 $100,000
- 45. THE IMPACT OF PRINT
- 46. BEST PRACTICES FOR PRINT • • • • • Secure multiple sponsors Give your sponsors VIP treatment Integrate print and online promotion Promote the contest heavily Keep it fun!
- 50. WEBSITE
- 51. ONLINE ADS
- 52. MOBILE
- 53. SOCIAL MEDIA
- 54. SOCIAL MEDIA
- 55. SOCIAL MEDIA
- 56. THE IMPACT OF EMAIL Quad City Times Registrations by Day 400 350 300 Represents 70% of registrations 250 200 150 100 50 0 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Email Sent Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
- 57. SAMPLE EMAIL
- 58. PRINT
- 61. 3 Almost here! Email, ROS banner ads, social media 16 17 18 19 Bracket blitz! Brackets released - Email, sliding billboard, banner ads, social media, legacy media 24 Reminder emails to make picks 20 Tournament begins! Facebook Cover Photo
- 65. CONTEST OVERVIEW
- 67. RUN BOTH GAMES • Expand your reach • Increase site traffic • Continue brand awareness for sponsors • Attract more players
- 71. SAMPLE TV SALES PACKAGE Promotion Sponsorship of upfront & round-by-round brackets Sportscaster to mention brackets and sponsor every night of the tournament during sports segment (logo on screen) 50,000 300 250 ROS impressions on website Cost $1,000 $4,000 $1,000 Expanding pencil ad on your homepage (up for the entire week before the start of the tournament) $1,000 Feature on homepage carousel promoting contest with logo $1,000 Email opt-in on the bracket registration page $1,000 Email campaign, all including the sponsor’s logo and coupon/offer: • Invitation email encouraging entries to entire promotion database of 40,000 people: 1 week before the tournament begins • Follow up invitation email: Day tournament begins • Thank you for playing email: All registered users • 4 reminder emails before the start of each round in round-by-round bracket: All registered users • Winner announcement email at end of season with a coupon offer $4,000 Sponsor can designate up to five VIP pickers Mobile site ads linking to the bracket pages $1,000 $1,000 Total Cost $15,000
- 73. VIP
- 75. PRIZE RESONATES WITH TARGET AUDIENCE
- 76. IDENTIFY PRIZE PARTNERS • Offer advertising and VIP pick in exchange for each round and grand prizes • Announce weekly winners online, through email, on-air or in print
- 78. CUSTOM BRACKETS
- 80. THE IMPACT OF EMAIL Quad City Times Registrations by Day 400 350 300 Represents 70% of submissions 250 200 150 100 50 0 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Email Sent Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
- 84. RESOURCES • • • • • Basketball Playbook SecondStreetLab.com Print & web ad templates Advertisers to target Sales Pitch PPT
- 85. QUESTIONS? Julie Foley Director of Affiliate Success julie@secondstreet.com @julie_foley Emily Thousand Affiliate Success Manager emily@secondstreet.com @emilythousand
Notas del editor
- ChaneyComment & questions on TwitterQuestions RecordingSurvey at the end – your feedback is welcomed
- Contest OverviewPlanningSeason Long Fantasy GameUGCSweepstakesHow to Sell ProspectPackageOvercoming ObjectionsSales Case StudiesHow to PromoteQ&A
- college basketball is a fantastic demographic - you can maximize on the excitement. Primary Audience of Men 18 - 34In March 2012, 2 out of 5 internet users visited sports websitesThe NCAA estimates there are 14.3 million working people who consider themselves avid basketball fans. These fans spend 90 minutes a week (or roughly 13 minutes a day) looking at basketball websites. Ad sales across all media “were up 2.6% in the first quarter of 2012Sports TV programming was “the prime mover behind year-over-year gainsTwo-thirds of the rise “came from TV spending on the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the NFL post-season games.” The auto category “continued to be the largest with well over" $3.5B in spending (ADAGE.com, 6/17).
- Alternate title?
- Dates to remember!Contest ready to add to your site: January 10, 2014Brackets Released: Sunday, March 16, 2014The brackets will be populated with teams and be open for picks no later than 8 pm EDT on March 16, 201464 Team Tournament begins: March 20, 2014The entire UPFRONT bracket will close for picks 20 minutes before the start of the first game.Round One of the ROUND BY ROUND bracket will close for picks 20 minutes before the start of the first game.Championship Game: April 7, 2014 at 9 pm EST
- WATCH out for trademarks! Trademark infringement can quickly turn into a serious headache, and trademarked words and phrases are more common than you might expect. - okay to use the idea of “March Madness” — using plays-on-words and the concept of brackets — just don’t use the actual trademarked term itself: “March Madness.”
- UPFRONT only
- Upfront: Pick entire bracket upfront before the start of the first gameRound by Round: Choose winners before each round beginshttp://kfan.collegehoops.upickem.net/collegebasketball/registration/login.aspExpand your reach Increase site trafficContinue brand awareness for sponsorsAttract more players
- The Welcome Tab now has 8 modules that you can arrange in any order you like. You can also disable any of the modules you don't wish to use.1) Countdown clock - this will countdown to the start of the contest. 2) The Welcome Text - This is a freeform HTML field where you can insert text, images, videos, etc to promote your contest and your sponsors, by default the social networking icons are enabled.3) VIPs - clicking on any VIP will present the viewer with that VIP's picks for the current round.4) Local Leaders - displays the top scorers from your local pool of players5) Local Prizes - if you are offering local prizes they can be displayed on the welcome tab. 6) Fan Gallery - the latest images submitted by users from around the nation7) Mobile - a link you can send to a mobile device either via email or SMS message so one can play on a smartphone8) Latest Talk - the most recent post on the message boards
- Also working on making the printable bracket look even better
- Printable bracket. Put advertiser logos here!
- UPFRONT Only. Not round by round.
- Looking for ways to increase your social presence? To spread the contest viraly for your advertisers? To put a LOCAL spin on your bracket game? A new feature for 2014 is the ability to link a social boost sweeps to your bracket! Forupickem complete customers. You have the option of turning on a social boost sweeps contest as well! Here’s how it works: This will enter each registered user into the selected sweepstakes contest and allow them extra entries for referrals based on that contest's social boost settings.Create a sweepsconfigure it's social boost settingslink it on the options pageLook at these GREAT examples of sweeps with LOCAL prizes!! ACC, BIG TEN, SEC, Enter to win tickets to a great game! You probably already have access to tickets like this! Use this new feature to enter all your bball players in a sweeps that they can share with their friends for more chances to win. This gets more ppl interested in the game – and your sponsors! That Buffalo Wild Wings sweeps had 14k entries!!
- Now you can see full bracket all at once! Vs just their weekly point totals! Use it to help inform or how they stack up!
- Its all in the live tool at this point. Reminder Schedule is on the first pageReminder Email Schedule FYI, reminder emails will go out for each Round on these dates/times. If you plan toedit your email templates for each Round, please do so before these deadlines.
- Almost Here! March 3, 2014EmailROS banner adsSocial media“Matchups” i.e. mascot vs mascotBracket Blitz! (3/16-3/18) Brackets will be loaded by 8 pm on 3/16 – traffic all ads after that timeEmailSliding billboardDisplay adsSocial Media Facebook cover photo Engaging Facebook posts TweetsPrint adsDuring the tournament (3/17-4/7)Email to players reminding to make picksROS ads encouraging round by round playSocial Media Keep basketball as cover photo during tournament if possible Tweet before/after each round Engaging posts on FacebookPrint ads
- Don’t forget to make sure your facebook contest is MOBILE FRIENDLY!
- In both the Upfront and Round by Round Games:Perfect Bracket (Upfront and Round by Round)$1,000,000!$10K for 1 or 2 wrong picks$1K for 3 wrong picksThe Overall National Prize for highest score in both upfront and round by roundTablet The National Prize for each Round (in both games)NCAA Fathead of winner's choice
- Alternate title?
- Pick a pizza Best Band Burger WarsBar WarsBattle of the BreweriesBBQ MadnessThe Papa Gino’s Pizza Topping Bracket Challenge (WEEI)
- Increase customer acquisition for your advertisers.One of the best ways to drive foot traffic to your advertiser’s location is toinclude a coupon or offer on the thank you page or in reminder emails.Increase awareness & engagement.By including your advertiser’s logo on all contest branding and promotionalelements, you have the power to expose them to a wide – and activelyengaged – audience.Increase the size of your email database.91% of US Internet users check their email at least once a day. If you helpyour advertiser grow their email list by including an opt-in on theregistration pages, they will be able to generate more revenue with theiremail marketing campaigns.Increase social engagement.On Facebook, it’s all about engaging with your current fans and attractingnew fans. Running promotions is one of the best ways to achieve both ofthese objectives. In fact, the top reason that people Like companyFacebook pages is because of a discount or promotion taking place.
- The opportunity around basketball is immense, and any promotions you run will appeal to a wide variety of advertisers in your market. This is a really similar pool of advertisers to other sports promotions, especially football. This is why it’s a good idea to bundle all of your sports promotions together and sell them to your advertisers at the same time.Below you’ll find a list to help you start prospecting. Feel free to think beyond this list and discover what works best in your market. Advertisers have been arranged into categories for your convenience.Community ServicesBanks & Financial Services ProvidersInsurance ProvidersLocal UtilitiesAutomotiveDealershipsAudio & Window Tinting ServicesMechanicsDetailing & Car WashesOil Change & MaintenanceFood & BeverageLocal Pubs & BarsChain Sports BarsFast Food ChainsLiquor StoresGrocery StoresBeer & Liquor DistributorsRecreationSports & Recreational CentersGolf Courses & Pro ShopsGyms & Fitness CentersRetailClothing Stores & HaberdasheriesUniversity BookstoresOutdoor StoresPawn ShopsBig Box RetailersHardware StoresSports StoresAward & Trophy StoresHome Audio StoresBike Shops & Cycling StoresEntertainmentMovie TheatersEvent VenuesService ProvidersPest ControlDoctors & DentistsChiropractorsPlumbers
- WEEI is a gold standard in sports contesting! This is a contest WEEI listeners look forward to each and every year, so take this opportunity to align your company with this amazing contest!
- As the Presenting Sponsor Papa Gino’s received unparalleled exposure with this contest, including a on-air commercials and promotional announcements, custom web page, display ads, emails, social media posts, text bouncebacks, and an on-site broadcast!
- Extended Bracket Mania with a custom ultimate pizza topping bracket! What a SMART and CREATIVE way to engage the sponsor’s brand with the audience! Talk about awareness and engagement!
- Exclusive sponsor at a major market sports stationCould scale up or down depending on market sizeCategory exclusive sponsorship model could also work wellBest Practice: Sponsor to provide $1000 prize
- Ability to capolizte with on air talent and INTEGRATE WITH your On Air programmingFor example: WEEI Bracket Party with your TalentLive Broadcast at an on-premise account with the midday show will include:Audio:WEEI-AM Promos: inclusion in 12x’s :30 promotional announcements over 1 weekInternet Radio Promos: inclusion in 20x’s :30 promotional announcements over 1 weekLive Top-of-the-Hour mentions during broadcast (minimum of 4x’s during 10a-2p broadcast)Visual:Fixed Logo placement on Mut and Merloni page promoting Live BroadcastLogo inclusion on WEEI.com events pagePromotional inclusion in (1) Daily Mashup Newsletter (70,000 members)Promotional inclusion in (1) Mut and Merloni Newsletter (1,310 members)On-Site:(1) 4-hour Mut and Merloni broadcast with WEEI Waterboys and Girls at on-premise account – at sponsor’s location.
- Bring your Rock Girls, plenty of free swag and your talent for an on site broadcast the first day of the tournament!
- Keys to success:Integrated campaignMultiple sponsorsHeavy promotion Offered multiple local prizesBy using all of the tools(Television, in-news mentions, website, social media, text and email) we are able to get a lot of players participating giving the sponsors a lot of exposure. Social Media is the newest tool in our arsenal and it was instrumental in making the 2012 basketball tournament contest a success. having five different sponsors enabled me to generate over $40,000 in revenue from a contest that lasts only three and a half weeks. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to work with new advertisers and create relationships that will last beyond the tournament.The better the prize, the more contest entries you will receive. The first year we gave all of them to the first place winner. The second year we split them up into first, second and third place winners. We found that worked better because it gave more players chances to win and kept them playing longer. Since the college basketball tournament is short, heavy promotion is key. Promote your contest heavily both on air and online, and include both the upfront and round-by-round challengesWhile I have found that adhering to these principles leads to college basketball bracket success, you could also apply this blueprint to other sports contests, such as Auto Racing or Football.
- Category exclusive – total of 4 sponsors. = $60k! Could scale up or down depending on market size
- We produced an up-beat thirty second spot that spoke to viewers. We went from 54,786 to 125k.But the single most important thing we did was…we placed the commercial in three Chiefs games. In Kansas City, it is not uncommon for a Chief’s game to get nearly Super Bowl level ratings. This year I’ve seen as high as 78 share. That means that nearly 80 percent of the television in use at that time were watching KCTV5 and saw our promo. When you do this for three weeks straight you are really getting strong reach and frequency.
- Mention the URL – have on the screen (if TV) and mention the URL at least 2x!
- College Basketball is HUGE in Lawrence, KS, home of the Kansas University Jayhawks (Rock Chalk!). The Lawrence Journal-World maintains the fan website KUsports.com, the #1 Jayhawks website in the world. Each year the Journal-World and KUsports.com capitalizes on the excitement of college basketball and the Jayhawks with promotions and contests including an annual bracket contest. We’ve run bracket contests for a long time, first in print only and then gradually that’s moved to web only starting in 2010. Which advertisers did you target?Car Dealerships, Banks, the Chamber of Commerce, RestaurantsSponsors like the prestige of having their brands associated with KU Basketball especially around tournament time. Some years we’ve had up to 5 sponsors, however in 2013 we sold an exclusive sponsorship to the CVB.In 2013 we had a unique situation. We had recently established a strong advertising partnership with the LawrenceConvention & Visitor’s Bureau, who seized upon the idea of becoming the exclusive sponsorship of the brackets. We gave the previous year’s sponsor the right of first refusal and when they hesitated on the opportunity the LCVB swept it up. They saw the contest as an excellent way to promote tourism to Lawrence and reach the national audience that KUsports.com enjoys.
- For $3,000 plus contribution of the grand prize, the Lawrence Convention & Visitor’s Bureau secured the exclusive Title Sponsorship of the Bracket Contest. This included their name and logo prominently featured in all of our promotion efforts - at the top of the Contest page, in all of the print advertising (ranging from, ½ page to full page sizes), in all online banner ad promotions on our websites and name dropped in our social media posts about the contest. Additionally, we sent an email marketing campaign to our KU Fan list that prominently featured the sponsors logo and highlighted some of the great atmosphere of Downtown Lawrence.The grand prize was a weekend stay at the luxurious Oread Hotel located by the campus and the heart of downtown PLUS a $200 Downtown Lawrence gift certificate. Second Place was a beautiful framed photo of Mario Chalmers “The Shot” from the 2008 championship season. We also offered a round-by-round prize of a KU Sports commemorative book and umbrella.
- RESULTSOur goal was to sell $3,000 in sponsorships and increase participation in the contest. We made our $3,000 goal with one sponsor and received 3,880 entries in the contest, which was up 5% from the previous year. In addition to the revenue, the email addresses collected from the entries is invaluable. This year we leveraged those email addresses and took advantage of another partnership KUsports.com has with a local sports retailer (Jock’s Nitch) that sells specifically KU and Jayhawk related merchandise. We directed traffic to the retailers online store and we kept 20% of the sales generated. We promoted the online store in print and online and then leveraged the email addresses we collected from the Bracket contest and emailed contestants an exclusive discount code for use in the online store. This increased engagement and drove sales in the online store, which was a win/win/win between our contestants, our retail store partner and us! Think about using this model with your DEALS program! The opporutnities to drive sales from local retailers, and sports bars, pizza, sandwhich shops and even ticket sales for your local teams! What we learned: I definitely think we can double the sponsorship revenue this year, if I could do again I’d sold the exclusive spot for at least $5,000 and contributing a prize.
- Multiple sponsors
- UNLIMITED SPACE! You have the ability to grab ENDLESS SPONSORS!!! In the case of journal world: #1 KU site! the best writers the best COVERAGE in your market of local sports!!!! The destination for local sports coverage!
- While there is value in exclusive sponsorships, media companies can maximize their sponsorship revenue by opening up their pro football contest to multiple advertisers. It is not unusual to have as many as 30 contest sponsors, and this strategy is what enabled me to drive more than $100K in revenue with a single football contest. Successful football contests represent a great opportunity to bring new sponsors into the fold and to create relationships that you can continue to build on for years to come. The picks of VIP Pickers are published each week in a highly visible area of the contest page, as well as in an equally prominent place in print, along with a photo and credential with their business information. Giving your sponsors VIP treatment brings them to life for your audience, as contest users will want to compare their picks and scores to those of the VIPs. – When preparing for the contest, engage your sales staff. Break your sales staff into 2-4 teams that then compete to sell sponsorships and offer monetary awards to really spur the competition. –Why it works:
- Julie: Why each of these case studies workedThe Advertising, News (Sports), and Circulation/Promotion departments all worked together on the contest.The contest was promoted heavily online and in traditional media.The media company provided valuable multimedia sponsorship packages to entice advertisers to get on board.Local weekly and national prizes encouraged more people to sign up for the pick’em.
- Base plans on Events, Advertisers and Special Sections calendarProvide promotions specific pitch decks to help sales reps explain how your media company will be promoting the contests
- Quad City Times Advertiser Facebook Sweepstakes “Win Dinner for 10 at Red Lantern”July 1-9 collected submissions517 total submissions355 came the day the email was sent70% of contest entries came from the email
- Don’t forget the URLMention prizes
- Alternate title?
- Coming Soon! February 20, 2014 Announcement emailROS banner ads
- Almost Here! March 3, 2014EmailROS banner adsSocial media“Matchups” i.e. mascot vs mascotBracket Blitz! (3/16-3/18) Brackets will be loaded by 8 pm on 3/16 – traffic all ads after that timeEmailSliding billboardDisplay adsSocial Media Facebook cover photo Engaging Facebook posts TweetsPrint adsDuring the tournament (3/17-4/7)Email to players reminding to make picksROS ads encouraging round by round playSocial Media Keep basketball as cover photo during tournament if possible Tweet before/after each round Engaging posts on FacebookPrint ads
- Almost Here! March 3, 2014EmailROS banner adsSocial media“Matchups” i.e. mascot vs mascotBracket Blitz! (3/16-3/18) Brackets will be loaded by 8 pm on 3/16 – traffic all ads after that timeEmailSliding billboardDisplay adsSocial Media Facebook cover photo Engaging Facebook posts TweetsPrint adsDuring the tournament (3/17-4/7)Email to players reminding to make picksROS ads encouraging round by round playSocial Media Keep basketball as cover photo during tournament if possible Tweet before/after each round Engaging posts on FacebookPrint ads
- Run an Integrated CampaignI sell my college basketball contest as an integrated on-air and online campaign, and I also take advantage of Facebook. The goal for each campaign is to provide maximum exposure for the sponsors. By using all of the tools at our disposal (television, in-news mentions, website, social media, text and email) we are able to get a lot of players to participate, which gives the sponsors a lot of exposure. Social media is the newest tool in our arsenal and it was instrumental in making the 2012 basketball tournament contest a success.Secure Multiple SponsorsWhen running a college basketball bracket contest, don’t limit yourself to just one exclusive sponsor. Instead, maximize your sponsorship revenue potential by securing multiple contest sponsors. In 2011, having five different sponsors enabled me to generate over $40,000 in revenue from a contest that lasts only three and a half weeks. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to work with new advertisers and create relationships that will last beyond the tournament.Have Awesome PrizesThe better the prize, the more contest entries you will receive. This is why I always strive to include an awesome local grand prize. In 2011, we took 15% of the revenue generated from the contest and used it to purchase an entertainment prize package valued at $6,200. The package included a 60” Flat Screen TV, a 13” MacBook Pro, a 16GB iPad, and Apple TV, and a Playstation 3 Move, along with the EA Sports NCAA Basketball game for Playstation. We have given this set of prizes away for two years. The first year we gave all of them to the first place winner. The second year we split them up into first, second and third place winners. We found that worked better because it gave more players chances to win and kept them playing longer.Of course, if you are working with sponsors who are in a position to donate awesome prizes, feel free to go with that option. Just make sure the prizes you are offering are the best they can be and will make your users want to return to your site again and again over the course of the tournament. When thinking about prizes, always look for luxury items that a viewer would like to have but wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves.Promote HeavilySince the college basketball tournament is short, heavy promotion is key. Promote your contest heavily both on air and online, and include both the upfront and round-by-round challenges. On-air promotion is especially valuable because it creates more awareness and keeps your contest fresh in the minds of your users. Plus, all of the promotion around the contest adds even more value to your contest sponsors.While I have found that adhering to these principles leads to college basketball bracket success, you could also apply this blueprint to other sports contests, such as Auto Racing or Football. No matter what you use it for, this blueprint for success will help engage your audience and keep them coming back for more.- See more at: http://secondstreetlab.com/2013/01/blueprint-for-college-basketball-success/#sthash.EK3NbYBe.dpuf
- Alternate title?
- college basketball is a fantastic demographic - you can maximize on the excitement. Primary Audience of Men 18 - 34In March 2012, 2 out of 5 internet users visited sports websitesThe NCAA estimates there are 14.3 million working people who consider themselves avid basketball fans. These fans spend 90 minutes a week (or roughly 13 minutes a day) looking at basketball websites. Ad sales across all media “were up 2.6% in the first quarter of 2012Sports TV programming was “the prime mover behind year-over-year gainsTwo-thirds of the rise “came from TV spending on the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the NFL post-season games.” The auto category “continued to be the largest with well over" $3.5B in spending (ADAGE.com, 6/17).
- Alternate title?
- Alternate title?
- Increase customer acquisition for your advertisers.One of the best ways to drive foot traffic to your advertiser’s location is toinclude a coupon or offer on the thank you page or in reminder emails.Increase awareness & engagement.By including your advertiser’s logo on all contest branding and promotionalelements, you have the power to expose them to a wide – and activelyengaged – audience.Increase the size of your email database.91% of US Internet users check their email at least once a day. If you helpyour advertiser grow their email list by including an opt-in on theregistration pages, they will be able to generate more revenue with theiremail marketing campaigns.Increase social engagement.On Facebook, it’s all about engaging with your current fans and attractingnew fans. Running promotions is one of the best ways to achieve both ofthese objectives. In fact, the top reason that people Like companyFacebook pages is because of a discount or promotion taking place.
- Alternate title?
- Category exclusive – total of 4 sponsors. = $60k! Could scale up or down depending on market size
- Now you can see full bracket all at once! Vs just their weekly point totals! Use it to help inform or how they stack up!
- Alternate title?
- Keys to success:Integrated campaignMultiple sponsorsHeavy promotion Offered multiple local prizesBy using all of the tools(Television, in-news mentions, website, social media, text and email) we are able to get a lot of players participating giving the sponsors a lot of exposure. Social Media is the newest tool in our arsenal and it was instrumental in making the 2012 basketball tournament contest a success. having five different sponsors enabled me to generate over $40,000 in revenue from a contest that lasts only three and a half weeks. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to work with new advertisers and create relationships that will last beyond the tournament.The better the prize, the more contest entries you will receive. The first year we gave all of them to the first place winner. The second year we split them up into first, second and third place winners. We found that worked better because it gave more players chances to win and kept them playing longer. Since the college basketball tournament is short, heavy promotion is key. Promote your contest heavily both on air and online, and include both the upfront and round-by-round challengesWhile I have found that adhering to these principles leads to college basketball bracket success, you could also apply this blueprint to other sports contests, such as Auto Racing or Football.
- Alternate title?
- Pick a pizza Best Band Burger WarsBar WarsBattle of the BreweriesBBQ MadnessThe Papa Gino’s Pizza Topping Bracket Challenge (WEEI)
- Alternate title?
- Quad City Times Advertiser Facebook Sweepstakes “Win Dinner for 10 at Red Lantern”July 1-9 collected submissions517 total submissions355 came the day the email was sent70% of contest entries came from the email
- Remember to check out the LAB!
- Alternate title?
- Julie