Wednesday Wisdom: Creative Contests

Wednesday Wisdom, Hump Day, Inspiration for Women Entrepreneurs, Female Business Owners, Small Businesses

Contests are a bit thrilling to enter, wouldn’t you agree? The idea that a business offers a cool prize for something simple from you gets the mind dreaming. I’m sure there are professional contest entrants who only spend time entering and winning a chance for something of monetary value or an experience to brighten up their lives.

I’ve entered contests before and won like this past February’s trip to the NHL Allstar Game in Las Vegas through a company called Global Citizen which was a random draw winning. Back in Junior High School, I won a poetry contest and had my poem entered into a national book. There wasn’t any prize money, just a boost to my teenage ego. In 2012, I answered a simple Twitter question to win free tickets to see the Dave Matthews Band in New Jersey from a New York City radio station. I had to tell them my favorite song. Go figure, right?

So, when I saw that yesterday #NationalAuntieAnnesDay was trending on Twitter, I discovered @AuntieAnnes was partnering with @CashApp to give away $30,000 from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. to people who tweeted their names and how they would use the money. That’s a lot of “dough” to give away in a day so I thought, why not try my luck.

Of course, there was catch, you needed to open up a CashApp account so the winnings could be deposited as soon as you won. But hey, for those in need of money, setting up an account wouldn’t be a big deal. It was for me because I didn’t really want to open up an account, but I loved the ingenuity of two major companies working together to cross promote each other, gain new clients, and give away free money.

So, today’s Wednesday Wisdom isn’t meant to have you run out and buy a warm pretzel oozing with salt and butter, but rather for you to contemplate creative ways you could partner with other companies, you trust and align with, to foster a great contest via social media to not only give something away, but to increase your marketing exposure and email list for the busy fall and winter seasons.

Wouldn’t you like to see your company name trending on Twitter one day for doing something both imaginative in your marketing and good for your community? If you need help in dreaming, go out and visit an Auntie Anne’s store today and tell her a woman entrepreneur sent you.