1-888-353-5012Almost EVERY time I open Instagram, someone I’m following is hosting a poll. If you haven’t seen one before, an Instagram Poll is an interactive feature that allows account holders to ask their followers a question and provides a variety of options for them to choose from. It’s often a simple question and can be used to gather opinions, make decisions, or simply to engage with followers. The question pops up on the screen (through Instagram Stories) and can easily be answered with the tap of a finger. After answering, the current results display so the follower can see how their answer compares to the majority.
Polls: A Proven Marketing Strategy
This type of interactive marketing has long been an effective engagement tool that’s been used over the telephone, through mail, in focus groups and print media, and even at events like community gatherings and trade shows.
You’ll likely remember in the 1970s and 1980s, Coca-Cola and Pepsi were in a fierce marketing battle and conducted blind taste tests (a form of a poll) known as the “Pepsi Challenge” or “Pepsi Taste Test.” Participants were given samples of both Coca-Cola and Pepsi without knowing which was which, and then asked which they preferred. The results were often used in advertising campaigns to promote the superiority of one brand over the other based on consumer preference. It was a hugely successful campaign.
With the onset of social media, we now have a new method to deliver this strategy. The “poll” or “survey” tactic has been proven time and again, and there are multiple ways to deploy it. (And this is an important differentiation in marketing – the strategy vs the delivery method.) And it’s no accident that social media platforms make these ‘quizzes’ and ‘polls’ easy to deploy. They are an effective tool that increases engagement for the account holder.
As we’ve already established, this isn’t limited to just social media. There are TONS of ways you can use this strategy in your business, using all the tools available to you – email, in person, direct mail.
And there are MANY ways to adapt this to benefit your business and TONS of things that apply – like an election, sports playoffs, award shows, the Olympics, your new town flag, the birth date of a new baby…the opportunities are endless.
It’s easy and free and can attract attention and increase business for you – and your customers will likely be really excited about participating.
Instagram Polls are fun to participate in and a great tool to gauge your followers’ interests so you can better serve them. Start with a simple “Yes or No”, “This Or That” (i.e. Classic Mustang or Tesla), or a “Would You Rather” (i.e. Only eat spicy food or only eat sweet food). For more ideas, check out the enclosed Toolbox.
The Advantage of "Participation"
You are in a competitive business landscape and standing out from the crowd is crucial. Inviting customers to actively interact and participate creates a memorable experience and helps foster a stronger link. Plus, it cuts through the noise by offering something of value BEYOND just a sales pitch. Whether it is voting in an election poll or participating in a contest, customers are more likely to pay attention when they feel personally involved.
What We've Seen Work
Years ago, now retired client Dave Panther, who owned the Hamburg Inn No 2 in Iowa City, ran one of the most successful polls we’ve ever seen. Most of us know the Iowa Caucus is a BIG deal and candidates often use it to help launch themselves to nominee status. With that, Dave saw an opportunity and had the brilliant idea to create his ‘Coffee Bean Caucus’.
It was simple: Dave set up mason jars labeled with the name of national and state office candidates on his front counter. Every customer who visited his restaurant was given ONE coffee bean to cast their ‘vote’ into the jar for the candidate of their choice.
Dave sent out press releases, regularly reported the results and boasted that his business was going to accurately predict the outcome. Dave was a longtime student of our marketing, so he knew that the secret to getting FREE publicity is about giving the media a story they can write about. As a result, he was on CNN, West Wing and countless radio and TV shows. Even politicians like President Bill Clinton stopped by the restaurant to check it all out and brought even MORE publicity to the poll.
And in true marketing fashion, we springboarded off Dave’s original idea and created several successful election polls for our clients. This started with the “Ketchup Wars” (you might recall that John Kerry was married to a Heinz heiress so when a group of people launched W Ketchup as an alternative to Heinz at the time, it provided us a great tie-in) and continues today with “Every Vote Counts”.
Just like Dave, participating merchants set up mock election booths in their businesses (decorated patriotically), post results, and send out press releases as well as creative marketing offers encouraging customers to come and vote for their candidate. They’ve promoted ‘voter registration’, invited local candidates to come vote (more publicity opportunities) and let voters of all ages cast their ballot. No matter how contentious the actual battle has been, merchants participating in these polls have had great success by providing a slight reprieve from reality, taking a step back and transforming this into a way to have FUN and bring people TOGETHER. (Check out the toolbox in this edition for more details and promotional materials you can use to host a Presidential election poll in your business).
It’s Slipstream Marketing At It’s Best
Some of the best marketing and promotions connect to something that is ALREADY on the minds of your customers. In the coming months, the Election will be a hot topic as will the Summer Olympics. They span from Fri, Jul 26 – Sun, Aug 11 and provide another great opportunity to implement a poll(s) from as simple as voting on winners, to overall medal counts for countries.
In addition to polls, the Olympics provide LOADS of material and content to use in Email On Demand as well as a tie in to marketing promotions and offers in your business. We’ve highlighted a few ideas on this page, all of which your Coach is available to help with. To hear another great way to leverage the Olympics and get free publicity for your business, check out the enclosed article “How I Leveraged The Luge To Grow My Business… And How YOU Can Too”. And as I write this, the hockey playoffs are in full swing. Although the Stanley Cup will already be raised by the time you read this, remember that ANY major sporting event that appeals to your customer base event is an exciting opportunity to take a side, pick a winner, root for something and build a promotion. And it’s not just sports! Another client hosted an Oscars Vote – created voting cards with the top categories, put up fake Oscar statues around the business, rolled out a red carpet and even threw an Oscars night party!
You can also use polls for something happening in your local community. In my town, a new sign was just put up which resulted in a heated debate, and I’m disappointed a local business hasn’t used it to their advantage to get public opinion. A smart marketer will maximize exposure through social media, using press releases, and by using their own customer list. Remember, media are always looking for ‘a story’ they can latch onto. Any media coverage you receive can not only increase awareness of your business but can also create a ripple effect of positive publicity, enhance your visibility and reputation and position you as a leader in your community.
Harnessing The Power Of Polls In Your Business
Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to make a Presidential Election Poll (or any large-scale poll) successful in your business. (Haven’t read the enclosed article “Survey Says: Fun Polls Are The #1 Answer!” yet? Read that first.)
Pick Your Poll. If you’re holding a poll for the Presidential Election, you’ve got your answer. If not, leverage a notable issue up for debate in your community, something relevant/noteworthy for your customers and/or in pop culture.
Set A Time Frame. The goal of this promotion is to tell a story as you collect responses/votes, so choose the longest time frame possible while ensuring the thrill of learning the results is within reach. The more time, the better the story and the more publicity. In the case of Every Vote Counts, you can start anytime and end the day before Election Day.
Setup A Polling Station. Determine how and where you will collect votes. This could be as simple as labeled mason jars or as elaborate as a private ‘polling’ area with totals updates daily. For ballots, use something FUN like jellybeans, bolts, or even poker chips as your ballots.
Market, Market, Market. Let your customers and your community know what’s happening so they can participate, and you can generate additional customer visits. Who’s in the lead? Keep your customers engaged with weekly updates by email and social media. Have you seen any voter fraud? Can you report on voter turnout? Youngest voter? Oldest voter? First time voters? Any scandals? (Maybe someone has been “sampling” the jellybean ballots and throwing the election results? Is someone else stuffing the ballot boxes? The people need to know!) Facilitate additional visits by providing members with a ‘Voter Polling Card’ they can use to ‘track’ their votes and earn a free gift.
Remember, the key here is to HAVE FUN. Create a story, build excitement, show customers something new. And remember, some of the most successful marketing campaigns are BOLD, DARING and SHAMELESS.
Ready for an Instagram Poll? Part of the benefit is simply ‘engaging’ with your customers, but we should never discount the value of feedback. How can you use this tool to gather helpful info to grow and improve your business? The ideas below are starting points you can build on to garner engagement and helpful customer feedback. Remember, you can use these in a variety of Q&A formats from Yes/No, This or That, and even Would You Rather.
§ What’s your FAVORITE [product/service] to grab when you visit us?
§ How often do you use our [products/service]?
§ What new [product/service] would you like to see us offer next?
§ Did you know we offer [product/service] now?
§ Share a fun story about how our [product/service] made a difference for you.
§ What’s one thing you wish we did better?
§ What’s do you LOVE about us most?
§ Guess the number of [product] we sold last month!
§ How should we celebrate our [10th] anniversary?
§ Which holiday promotion would you be most excited about?
§ What’s your favorite way to celebrate [upcoming holiday]?
§ What’s your favorite local event or festival?
§ Which local charity should we support next?
§ Help us choose our next playlist!
§ What’s your go-to time of day to visit us?