Share the News: Announce the Winner of Your Contest

Don’t keep it a secret

Photo by Jerry D Clement; graphics added by Jacquelyn Lynn

Who won your contest?

Contests are a great way to generate sales leads, get customers to engage on social media, build loyalty and more.

But how often have you entered a contest (whether or not you thought there was a realistic chance of winning it) and then never heard another thing about it?

When you hold a contest, be sure to tell your audience who won. If possible and appropriate, include photos of the winners. Issue a press release, post it on your website, and send an email to everyone who entered.

Why? There are a number of reasons — and benefits:

• It’s one more way to connect — a legitimate reason for you to communicate with your audience, to put your name in front of them in a positive way.
• It reminds your audience of your contest, giving you a way to maximize the investment of that particular contest.
• It gives you a chance to remind people of future contests. In your email to all entrants, say something like, “If you didn’t win this time, try again. We’ll be launching our next contest [provide date and a few…