A Cyber Monday promotion could be the difference between someone choosing to shop at your online store or at your competition. Plan early for a Cyber Monday promotion specifically tailored to your brand and audience.

If you sell online products and want to increase Cyber Monday sales overall:

1. Run an online instant win game with chances to win high value prizes. An instant win game is a fun way to get people online and engaged in your brand. Your game could offer your own products or store credit as prizes.
2. Run a social sweepstakes for the chance to win that cyber deal. Offer a sweepstakes for people to share about your cyber deals on Twitter for a chance to win the deal themselves. Your #sweepstakes could bring in new customers, and make your current followers very happy when they win!
3. Make an offer they can’t refuse. Throw in gift wrapping services for free – and add a free surprise gift as a surprise and delight. A surprise and delight — like an extra $10 gift card tucked into that gift package — will go further for customer loyalty than any discount.

If you run a service or subscription business and want people to give subscriptions or gift cards for services as gifts:

1. Run a sweepstakes where people have the chance to win the gift they give. Use Cyber Monday as the day to buy subscriptions or services as gifts and they can then be entered to win the same subscription or service for themselves!
2. Offer a two-for-one offer so people can renew their subscription and gift the other one. Add in a contest overlay where people reveal who they are giving their gift to, and why, for a chance to win a big prize – and the chance for your brand to get some viral content for your corporate blog and social sites.

If your business does not usually do anything for Cyber Monday there are still some things you can do to capitalize on the day.

1. If you have a large following on social, partner with a non-profit to get their cyber deals front and center using your social channels. Sweeten the pot by offering to match donations for goods purchased through your Cyber Monday post.
2. Allow your employees to shop while at work on Cyber Monday. What better way to improve morale and boost employee loyalty than to let your employees know that it is okay to shop for all those good deals — within reason, of course. Who knows, maybe they are looking for a deal on a present for the boss?

There are lots of different promotions for all types of online businesses to cash in on cyber Monday. Just remember that for any game of chance you must give people a chance to win without purchase. Make sure you consult with a promotional marketing company (like us!) to plan your Cyber Monday promotion. Let us help you figure out the best way to reach your Cyber Monday goals. Contact us!

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