The college in Long Island tested out its first music download promotion at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year with 500 cards worth three free music downloads each. The custom-branded image reflected the look and feel of the institution and were sent to prospective students directly through the school’s distributor.

In order to redeem the free music downloads, cardholders were referred to a registration page that collected valuable market data including the student’s name, email address, high school and graduation date. It also provided an option for students to receive further information about the different majors and academic courses of study available at the school, thus bolstering the institution’s long-term promotions.

The promotion was a huge hit with the college – resulting in three following orders of 4,500 music cards in total. Based on the program’s immediate success, the college continued to expand its music download card promotion, mailing nearly 35,000 music download cards in the 2007-2008 school year.

The music download cards were custom-branded with the Levi’s name, and included an additional scratch off area on the front, notifying the cardholder if he or she was an instant winner.

Everyone who purchased two pair of Levi’s or Dockers pants during the promotion received a music download card. A few of the cards featured an instant win iPod message that winning cardholders could pick up at the customer service desk.

This promotion was met with great success and was repeated several times. Because every cardholder received at the very least three free music downloads, everyone was a winner. The instant-win iPod giveaway was an added bonus that engaged customers an got them excited, while keeping corporate promotions costs low.

The SoDA survey, referred to in an April 30 article by E-Marketer, found that  more than 77% of traditional advertising agencies are increasing their digital marketing budgets by 1% to 29% in 2009 ― with over 10% upping online budgets by 30% or more.

What’s more, because digital promotions are redeemed online, they can be used to drive web traffic and capture valuable customer data through online surveys ―giving marketers a multi-pronged marketing tool that keeps performing long after the initial promotion ends.

How to Drive Success with Digital Promotions:

Increase Sales: To entice dog owners to tune into Purina Dog Chow, Ralston Purina offered consumers two music tunes of their choice with each 2-pound purchase of the dog food.

The music download promotion was printed on a custom-branded FDA-approved plastic card and inserted into nearly 200,000 boxes of Purina Dog Chow. To download their free songs, recipients were routed to a customized landing page that further promoted the Ralston Purina brand. The promotion was a big hit among dog lovers and music to Ralston Purina’s bottom line.

How Levi’s Boosted Sales with a Music Download/iPod Giveaway

Build Prospect Databases: Red Cross needed an incentive that would motivate people to register in the organization’s online blood bank database. The solution? An Instant Win Mystery Promotion.

Red Cross distributed 270,000 flyers to people who visited Red Cross locations, each featuring a mystery code guaranteed to win a prize.  Most codes contained music downloads good for either one or five free songs.   But there were also a few iPods, DVD players and a 40-inch flat screen TV up for grabs. To find out what their mystery code was worth, flyer recipients were first required to log onto the Red Cross web site and register in their blood bank database. The result?  Red Cross increased its database by 105,000 people, a 39 percent conversion rate.

How College Recruiters are Utilizing Music Download Cards

Generate Traffic: To build consumer awareness for its new GPS in-car accessory, Pioneer distributed music mystery cards to consumers who stopped by their exhibition tents at summer festivals throughout the country. The promotion was advertised through radio, newspaper and on-site event signage.

To find out how many free songs they had won, consumers were first required to fill out an online survey, which linked back to Pioneer’s corporate web site – giving the company another chance to reinforce its GPS products. The promotion was such a big hit it resulted in two re-orders.

How Banks Can Use Digital Promotions to Sign Up New Accounts

Drive Foot Traffic: Chrysler needed a powerful incentive that would generate foot traffic and motivate consumers to test-drive vehicles during its auto show events held at malls across the country. The answer? Chrysler-branded music downloads cards good for three free songs.

The promotion – which was first tested in regional markets – was a huge success, resulting in a nationwide rollout of the test-drive music card promotion.

Why Custom-Branded Promotions Cards are Perfect for Trade Shows

So how do businesses engage this lucrative demographic? Think digital, as in an Audiobook Download Promotion – a powerful, high-value incentive that is fast to implement, inexpensive to deliver, and can be customized to the recipients’ unique tastes.

Put Our Audiobook Download Promotion to Work for Your Business.

Seminar/Events: Reward prospects who register for seminars or events with an Audiobook Download Code good for a free audio book of their choice. Audiobook Download Cards custom-branded for your business also serve as a great event giveaway that can be used to drive after-show Web traffic, obtain online seminar feedback, and reinforce your business.

Corporate Gifts: Give your corporate clients the gift of a novel, mystery, autobiography, business book or other audiobook of their choice for the holidays or to say thank you for their business.

Hospitality Industry: Audiobooks are an ideal gift for business travelers, making our Audiobook Download Cards a perfect incentive for hotels or car rental companies looking for meaningful ways to reward loyal customers or motivate prospects to act.

Law Firm/Financial Services Outreach: Our Audiobook Download Cards serve as a great tool for professional services firms looking for a way to engage new customers and make a great first impression.

Executive Recruiters: Motivate job candidates to register with your recruitment firm by rewarding them with an audiobook download when they submit their resume online.

Fitness Industry: Drive fitness product sales by offering a free Audiobook Download Card with purchase, or use them as an incentive to get prospects into a fitness club for a tour.