Do you want to be promoted? Know that

 Almost every person in the world would like to be promoted and rewarded for his achievements. It doesn’t matter if the promotion is at work or in other aspects of life. In many cases, this form of promotion depends not only on the person's efforts but also on his rival efforts, resulting in a promotion contest.

In this form of contest, to win, we have to know a few insights that this post will shed light on. It is straightforward that the more effort exerted in this form of contest, the higher the probability of winning the contest.  However, in those forms of contest, there is additional effort that everyone should be familiar with. This additional effort is the sabotaging effort.  This effort has a curtailed effect on the outcome of this contest. Sabotaging efforts aim to reduce rival contestants' probability of winning and are common in promotion contests. 

The main question is how to be prepared to be sabotaged or how to minimize the effect of it. We will try to answer.

Here are some examples of different types of promotion contests:

1. Social Media Contests

Photo Contest

·         Example: A travel agency asks participants to post their best vacation photos on Instagram with a specific hashtag. The top three photos with the most likes win a free trip or travel gear.

Caption Contest

·         Example: A fashion brand posts a picture of a new product and asks followers to create the best caption. The winner gets a gift card or the featured product.

2. Sweepstakes and Giveaways

Simple Entry Sweepstakes

·         Example: An electronics company offers a chance to win a new smartphone. Participants enter by filling out a form on the company’s website.

Refer-a-Friend Sweepstakes

·         Example: A fitness app encourages users to refer friends. Each referral is an entry to win a free annual membership or workout equipment.

3. Skill-Based Contests

Recipe Contest

·         Example: A food company asks participants to submit original recipes using their products. The best recipe, judged by a panel of chefs, wins a cash prize and gets featured in the company’s marketing materials.

Talent Contest

·         Example: A music streaming service holds a contest for the best cover song. Participants upload their videos, and the public votes for their favorite. The winner receives a recording contract or studio time.

4. Instant Win Contests

Scratch and Win

·         Example: A fast-food chain includes scratch cards with each meal purchase. Customers can instantly win free food items, discounts, or a grand prize trip.

Spin to Win

·         Example: An online retailer features a virtual spin wheel on their website. Visitors can spin the wheel for a chance to win discounts, free shipping, or gift cards.

5. User-Generated Content Contests

Video Contest

·         Example: A sportswear brand asks customers to create videos showcasing their workout routines while wearing the brand’s clothing. The best video, based on creativity and engagement, wins a complete sportswear kit.

Storytelling Contest

·         Example: A book publisher invites readers to share their personal stories related to a theme inspired by their latest release. The most compelling story wins a collection of books and a feature on the publisher’s blog.

6. Community-Based Contests

Charity Challenge

·         Example: A supermarket chain launches a community challenge where local schools compete to collect the most non-perishable food items for donation. The winning school gets a cash prize for their programs.

Neighborhood Improvement Contest

·         Example: A home improvement store encourages neighborhoods to submit their plans for a community project. The best plan, judged by a panel and community votes, receives funding and supplies to complete the project.

7. Product Launch Contests

First to Find

·         Example: A toy company hides limited-edition toys in select stores. Clues are given on social media, and the first customers to find and purchase the toys win additional prizes.

Name the Product

·         Example: A beverage company asks customers to suggest names for a new drink flavor. The chosen name wins a year’s supply of the product and public recognition.

Tips for Running Successful Promotion Contests

1.      Define Objectives: Clearly define what you aim to achieve with the contest (e.g., brand awareness, sales boost, customer engagement).

2.      Know Your Audience: Tailor the contest to your target demographic to maximize participation and engagement.

3.      Set Clear Rules: Ensure that the rules are straightforward, fair, and transparent to avoid any confusion or disputes.

4.      Promote the Contest: Use various channels like social media, email marketing, and your website to spread the word about the contest.

5.      Offer Attractive Prizes: Make sure the prizes are appealing and relevant to your audience to encourage participation.

6.      Engage Participants: Keep participants engaged throughout the contest period with regular updates and interactions.

7.      Follow-up: Announce winners publicly, share their stories, and thank all participants for maintaining a positive brand image.

To understand and predict proper behavior in this situation, we will use understanding from game theory when contest theory is a sub-theme (there are great theoretical books in this field (link1), (link2)).

First, let us understand who the victim of sabotage is in the promotion contest. Many studies have shown that the more talented contestants, the stronger ones, are the subject of the most sabotage. The consensus of this fact is huge since the most talented contestants might drop down from the contests. We see it a lot in politics as victims of negative campaigns (for more details (see link)).

How sabotage could be prevented. This could be done mainly by the contest organizer. There are no easy solutions, but one which is straightforward is the regulation and sabotaging monitoring and reduced benefits from sabotaging. An additional solution is increasing the number of contestants, which also helps reduce sabotaging. Another dissenting solution is to keep the contestant's information secret.

But what can a person who participates in this contest do? The most efficient solution (which also should be done by the contest organizer) is to keep as much secret information regarding your ability as possible. If the contest has more than one stage, then in the first stage, act as a “weak” contestant and show less of your talent.

The important thing that should be considered by all parties in the contest is to realize that sabotaging behavior is common and should be prevented.

The pictures in this post were taken from Unsplash.