Raimondi's Florist in Baltimore, pulled out all the stops for its Mother's Day contest earlier this month, enlisting the help of 21 sponsors and purchasing two urls to promote the month-long competition. The result? Local news coverage, new customers and a prize package valued at hundreds of dollars that made one local mother a very happy lady.

"We got some real good publicity," says owner Paul Raimondi, who purchased Balimoresfavoritemom.com and Marylandsfavoritemom.com to collect nominations for the shop's Favorite Mom title.  "One local television station picked [the story] up, a few radio stations picked it up and local newspaper ran some article on it," Raimondi says.

The shop promoted the competition through billboards, radio commercials, press releases and on its main site. To nominate a mom, family members and friends simply filled out some basic information — name, address, phone and e-mail address — about their nominee and themselves. Raimondi's accepted entries online, at any of its nine stores or at the 21 sponsoring vendors, including a local jeweler.

"We didn't want to make it difficult for them," says Raimondi, who was inspired by Teleflora's America's Favorite Mom contest. "Next year we think we're going to have some sort of contest when we have more time to put it together. We only had two weeks to put this one together."

Overall Raimondi's received 1,000 entries and announced six winners on Mother's Day. The grand prize winner received a mega-watt prize: a pearl necklace, earrings and bracelet; a $50 gift certificate to a local town center; a dinner for two and a one-night stay at a local Hilton hotel; a one-month pass and Swedish massage from a health and fitness center; a $100 gift certificate for Raimondi's; a Yankee Candle gift basket; four gift certificates to local restaurants; a $30 gift certificate for Famous Footwear, a facial at a local spa; a manicure; and a picture frame. Five other winners received various beauty, movie, restaurant and Raimondi's gift certificates. Raimondi says it was easy to gather so many prizes with all the sponsors who were ready to jump on board as soon as Raimondi's corporate account executive contacted them.  "We could have had 40 or 50 if we had more time," he adds.

"The winners said we just made their Mother's Day; they were just ecstatic," Raimondi says. "Each time they go and use one of the gift certificates at a restaurant they e-mail us and say how thankful they are and how much they enjoyed their night out. The second place winner sent us an e-mail that said, 'Let the pampering begin!'"

And the contest has led to tangible returns: Some winners have already turned into customers, says Raimondi. One prize-winner ordered flowers for her brother's funeral and another one used Raimondi's to help celebrate her anniversary.

In fact the promotion was so successful, Raimondi has decided to have a Baltimore's Favorite Dad contest.

"I'm not expecting the same response for Father's Day, but the vendors are happy and are very interested," says Raimondi, adding that he's already partnered with some of the same vendors and some new ones, such as local golf courses.

Read about how a St. Louis florist also honored local mothers through a contest here.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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