We all know that the most successful contests are ones that offer $25,000 round-the-world vacations for the whole family.
The thing is, that’s not possible for your (or most) businesses.
This article will give you 101 contest prizes (many of which we have seen work before) all of which are valued at under $500.
We’ve structured these contest ideas based on a season or holiday, as contests focused on the things people are thinking about in that moment consistently do better than random promotions.
It’s also crucial to remember that one of the best prizes you can offer is a gift card or certificate (they ensure people who enter are actually interested in your products, and often result in people going over the gift card amount).
Warning: Avoid selecting a prize that doesn’t relate to your business. If you run a toy store, don’t offer a limo package for two, a brewery tour, or a gym membership. These prizes are unrelated to your store and won’t draw in the right customers. People will only be interested in winning the prize, not in buying your products.
With that out of the way, here are 101 contest prizes to inspire the success of your next promotion.
[[MORE]]Spring Contest Prize Ideas
Spring encompasses many holidays: St. Patricks Day, Easter and Mother’s Day. It also has everyone excited for summer which is ‘blooming’ just around the corner. Here are some timely prizes that you can offer your contestants during the springtime.
St. Patrick’s Day contest prize ideas
- Pet-related prize (food, toys, etc)
- Brewery tour/whiskey tasting
- Free entry to your St. Patty’s themed night
Easter
- Basket of chocolates/bunnies
- A children’s easter egg hunt party
- Egg decorating kit
Mother’s Day contest prize ideas
- Spa treatments (manicure, pedicure, facial, mud wrap, etc)
- Family photo session and prints
- Course on how to use online programs: (Ex.photoshop/microsoft office)
- Sewing class
- A different piece of maternity clothing for each stage of pregnancy
- A nanny/date night for Mom and Dad
Spring Cleaning and Gardening Prize Ideas
- Spring cleaning package
- Gardening tools
- Landscaping package
- BBQ
- Patioset
Wedding Season
- Percent off wedding-related prize (photography, catering, flowers, limo, etc)
- Dress/tux rentals
- Travel Insurance: They’d be going on their honeymoon. Get them to book their vacation’s insurance with you.
Summer Contest Prize Ideas
In summer the combination of sunshine, longer days and warmer weather make everyone happy. Piggyback on this happy time of year and make a splash into the summer with these contest prize ideas.
- Tickets to a sporting event
- Fishing trip/Hunting Trip
- Shooting range
- Ferry/boat trip
- Luggage set
- Camera with tripod stand
- Aquarium/Amusement Park/Zoo
- Camping Package
- Hiking Package
- Round of golf for two
- Picnic Basket and Accoutrement
- Graduation related prize
- Sporting event tickets
- Personal training sessions
- Swimwear
- 2 Night Hotel Stay
- Outdoor Music Festival
- Sunscreen/skin care kit
- Summer makeover – wax/laser, haircut
- Sunset Cruise/ Boat cruise
- Adventures – kayak, ziplining, bungee jumping, canoeing, surfing
Back-to-school contest prize ideas
- $50 worth of photo prints
- Back-to-school gear: Backpack, pens and markers, calculator
- Car detailing pack: free car wash, interior cleaning, etc.
- Lesson set for dancing, music, art
- Sports team sponsorship
- E-reader
- Bike/skateboard/rollerblades
- Body wash prize pack including deodorant, soap, razors etc
- 6 months paid cell phone bill
- Language classes
- Cold/flu care package: Tea, blanket, heating pad, bubble bath
- Kid’s facepaint, bubbles, sidewalk chalk and costume
Autumn/Fall Contest Prize Ideas
After the rush of summer people are settling down and in for the upcoming winter. Its also a time for ghouls and spooks to haunt your streets and turkeys to be carved.
Spice up your autumn contest with these prize ideas.
Halloween contest prize ideas
- Candy
- Costumes
- Pet costumes
- Haunted-House/Corn Maze Entry
- Netflix subscription (focused on scary movies)
- Pumpkin Carving Class
- Pumpkin patch and hayride
Thanksgiving contest prize ideas
- Donation to a food bank
- Catered meal
- Petting zoo trip
- Scrapbook
- Fill up a cart shopping
- Recipe book
- Cooking class
- Winterize-your-Car Package
Winter Contest Prize Ideas
Over the winter season one major season comes to mind, Christmas! But there’s also New Years, Valentine’s Day and huge opportunity to help mend the winter blues. Get your customers excited about your business during these fabulous holidays and get them out of their slump during the downtimes.
- Wearable tech (fitness trackers)
- Baking set – electronic mixer, whisks etc. for creating scrumptious holiday treats
- Lift passes & ski rentals
- Ski gear (jacket, pants, goggles, board or skis)
- Mittens and scarf set
- Winter adventures (snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing)
- Hot springs/relaxation
Christmas/New Years contest prize ideas
- Decorations
- Christmas movie box set
- Ugly sweater Christmas party pack
- Professional lights decorator
- Holiday table set
- Dog sled adventure
- Apple Cider/hot chocolate/mugs
- Tickets to christmas events like the Nutcracker, christmas train, or garden of lights
- Gym membership/personal training session
- New Years Party tickets
- Photobooth
Valentine’s Day contest prize ideas
Love is in the air around Valentines Day and I’m not just talking about the couples. As a single female my love for all things chocolate starts to appear around this date. Whether your contest is for singles or for couples you can cash in on prizes that are Valentine themed.
- Table for two at a romantic restaurant
- Weekend car rental
- Limo service for two
- Hair/makeup package
- Flowers and champagne
- Sexy underwear
- Heart shaped limited-edition product
- Boat cruise
- Singles event
- Movie premiere
- Concert tickets
- Art gallery/Museum
- Burlesque Show
- Pin-up Modeling Photo Shoot
- Valentine’s gift package (flowers, chocolates, etc)
Conclusion
There you have it, 101 contest prize ideas to try out for your next contest. Again, I want to reiterate that your contest prize needs to be related to your business in order for it to attract the right customer.
Out of these 101 ideas, there should be something to give your contest a spark.
Written by Samantha Mykyte