Find Your Golden Ticket - Dustin Riechmann

If you've dotted all your i's and crossed every t when it comes to the fundamentals of selling online, connecting with other sellers and podcasts for free promotion, optimized your automated messages to make the most out of every member, and still feel like you're coming up short, why not try something a little more fantastical?

For seasoned ecommerce expert Dustin Riechmann and FireCreek Snacks, it was childhood whimsy that proved their most successful promotional campaign yet, and just the ticket for standing out above the crowd.

1:15 The FireCreek Golden Ticket Giveaway

Inspired by the passing of Gene Wilder, Dustin came up with FireCreek's own variation of the famous contest from Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. 

One in every 200 orders of $99 bundles would include a ticket for $1000 (maximum 5 winners) , and if the winner was referred to FireCreek by a friend, that friend would get $100. The winning tickets were entirely random, so no customers could game the chances. 

If all works out evenly, that's nearly $20,000 in sales, at the cost of $1000-$1100 in promotion.

Here's 4 ways you can make the most of your own Golden Ticket giveaway.

2:20/6:20 Positive Personal Engagement. Typically serious and business focussed, Ryan the face of FireCreek was able to show a more free-spirited side during the promotion, entertaining customers while generating positive engagement. Allow your customers to connect with you personally, and they'll be more likely to think of you.3:10 Expanding Your Base. $100 for a referral may sound steep, especially since it means FireCreek essentially bought them a $99 bundle for $1 more, but getting there means you've gained two very happy customers who already have a history of ordering from you (to great personal gain) who will likely be back to order much more. It's a small price to pay.3:30 Good Value Reminder. If the product you use to push your 'Golden Ticket' promotion is a good enough deal on its own, then customers will keep buying it long after the giveaway has ended. Attach it to something that is already a proven success to maximize consumer coverage, and use the promotion as an opportunity to remind them how good a deal it already was.4:00 Free Social Media Content & Promotions. Giveaways and contests, anything with a deadline, are instant- content generators. Showcasing the prize or products needed to buy, hyping up the approaching deadline to take part, featuring and promoting winners and good old fashion FOMO could keep your social media manager busy for months and provide hours of shareable content. As well you can bring the promotion to podcasts and shows as topic, providing novelty content in exchange for reaching more potential consumers.

Let your imagination run wild, and take a chance on a crazy idea. You never know when it just might be a winner.

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