When it comes to print promotion many businesses turn to leaflets, but have you ever thought of using scratch card marketing to engage with your customers?

You may think that scratch cards an unusual form of marketing, but there is so much more to them than first meets the eye. They’re a powerful tool for increasing sales, generating leads, building loyalty and boosting your brand. Using them in store or as part of a direct mail campaign could help you reach new potential customers.

They could be your number one way to rocket your revenue.

In an overcrowded marketplace it’s hard to grab and hold people’s attention, your customers are bombarded with marketing messages from the moment they wake up, digitally and in print. Scrolling through emails and news feeds we scan hundreds of messages, but brand recall is often low.

Scratch cards, demand interaction from your target. Their tactile qualities create a connection with your audience, whilst their demand for interaction increases the chance of being remembered. Your prospect needs to stop what they’re doing to focus on your scratch card. And because they need to take action, it’s a more active engagement than simply reading. Those precious few seconds of suspense and checking to see what/if they’ve won creates all-important brand recognition, as well as influencing what they do next.

Scratch cards reinforce your business’s personality and identity. The format is fun, engaging and generous – all qualities which are likely to inspire loyalty. And the visuals you use will help reinforce your brand messages in a fresh format too.

Think about what you want your campaign to achieve. Defining your goals can help you choose the format of your campaign and the type of competition your create, for example, do you want to increase your leads, boost sales, build your brand? Scratch card marketing can help achieve a wide range of objectives. Let’s look at some examples:

Upselling: include a free scratch card at the point of purchase. The card could offer discounts on the customer’s next purchase or offer other bonuses on bigger purchases. This technique is effective whether you choose to do it in store, via direct mail or flyering.

Special events: whether it’s a grand opening, launch of a new product line, rebrand or a VIP event, scratch cards are a great way to set a celebratory tone and set the scene for a big reveal. Build momentum before your event and hype around your campaign. The iconic London boutique Browns did just this, using scratch cards to launch their new identity.

Driving footfall: how do you grab delegates’ attention at a trade show, conference or exhibition? Give them a freebie and a game to play! Everyone loves scratch cards – use them to attract people to your stand, promote your offer and strike up conversation by getting people to play. If you’re using scratch cards to promote your brand at an exhibition or trade show, consider how you can keep campaign momentum going before and after the event. Consider sending your scratch cards with a direct mail letter before the event or promoting them across your social media.

Sell slow moving ranges: just as chefs use ‘dish of the day’ to shift surplus ingredients, you can package up slow-to-move stock into an attractive scratch card marketing campaign. Offer discounts, bonuses, freebies or other incentives to get sales moving again.

Reward loyalty: a longer-running campaign is a great way to keep customers coming back for more. Set a time-frame for your campaign and offer scratch cards with each sale. If customers collect a certain number of winning symbols, or have the scratch cards to spell out a winning word (such as F-R-E-E-D-O-M for a lifestyle-focussed campaign), they’ll win the prize. You can keep interest flowing with lower-level instant wins and discounts along the way.

Tie-in to digital campaigns: with any of these scratch card marketing ideas there’s always the option to tie-in to your digital offering, capturing data and boosting your list for future campaigns. Simply ask your target to enter a code into a landing page that captures their name and email and you’ve increased your online community as well as making a great offer.

We hope this has inspired you to think about your next scratch card marketing campaign! If you want help designing or planning your campaign tactics, we’d love to hear from you!