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The answer to this question could be yes and it could be no. Don’t you just love that clear cut answer?! Well let me explain why games and giveaways can benefit your business or how they can hurt your business.
The types of games we’re talking about here are the ones you play at your shows. For example, some consultants play games or offer giveaways at their shows for the person who drove the farthest, brought the most friends, is the oldest, youngest, married the longest, has the most kids, etc. While those games are fun, do they really benefit your business? Do they increase sales or entice people to host a show or even more importantly encourage potential new recruits to join the business? Maybe – Maybe not. (Another clear cut answer, right?)
A lot of getting to the right answer depends on your company, what product you’re selling and how you go about the games. If you are selling skin care products, then giving product away to the person who is the oldest may be a great way to gain her as a new customer because she will love it and return to you to purchase more of the wonderful product you gave her. So make sure the gifts are age appropriate and something they will actually use (you wouldn’t want to give her something for teens for example). Another tip: Don’t give away something that is being discontinued. The idea of a giveaway is to get your product in the hands of someone so they will return to you to purchase again and again.
On the flip side of this is when you are selling home interior products or organizational items. Giving away an item that is being discontinued can be a great way to get customers back to see the new items that are coming out. Some people like the idea of getting something that is rare and unique, that everyone else doesn’t have. The idea is to think through what you’re giving away. Don’t give away something just to get rid of it!
Also, if you give away a gift to the person who brings the most friends, make sure your hostess informs their friends of this before hand. This is a great way to get more people to a show. Also, make the gift worthwhile. You want them to really want it so they will truly work for it.
Some companies encourage their consultants to give gifts to people as an enticement to get them to listen to the business opportunity. While this can be a good idea, it can also be a bad idea. Again you want to think through who you are trying to recruit. You want to recruit people who really love the product, who are interested in making more money, who need to start a new career and who are motivated and excited. In other words, don’t give your business away to just anyone who is simply looking for free product only.
Be choosy about who you’re giving gifts to and what you’re giving away. Games and giveaways can help your business when they are well thought out, targeted to a specific audience and used appropriately. Keep in mind; freebies can hurt your business if you’re just giving away for the sake of having something to give.
I think as long as the giveaway is directly related to your business and you test the opportunity on a small segment of your market first this can work really well – in the food industry small samples are very effective. Just don’t be like hoover and give away free flights that ended up costing them more than the cleaners themselves!
Games and promos can, but it depends on what you want to achieve. But they are good to pique interest in your product. It’s always trial and error, right?
“Some companies encourage their consultants to give gifts to people as an enticement to get them to listen to the business opportunity. While this can be a good idea, it can also be a bad idea.”
Yes, I agree. I work for a company as one of their consultants. And we were told to do the same thing, but in the end, we realized there’s no return in doing it. There is no really significant business opportunity that will be achieved.