Oftentimes, the selling point of the recruitment being advertised is that the reader gets hired, and so doesn’t need much more of an incentive. Yet, in a world that’s more and more governed by online communities and increasingly connected social circles, more and more recruitment needs are centered around just having more people involved.

These aren’t such an easy sell, particularly as many of them aim to be quite far-reaching. One recruitment method that’s growing in popularity due to its success rate is that of offering free contests. They provide an intriguing blend of elements that naturally appeal to viewers – if they’re done well.

Creating an experience that people want to be recruited for

Contests in themselves always manage to catch the eye, with people interested in the subject at hand often like the idea of pitting themselves against others. When the contests are free, the organization running them can ensure maximum reach and appeal, so all skill sets will enter into its recruitment because they don’t have anything to lose monetarily.

So, free contests spark intrigue and engagement from a potentially large audience, but most importantly, the free aspect will also play into the rule of reciprocation among many. If they enjoy the free experience, people are far more likely to want to reciprocate, making them even more valuable recruits. Importantly, you’ll want to make the most of tried and trusted techniques to further enhance your free contest to maximize its potential.

Techniques for increasing your free contest’s appeal

Perhaps the best way to add appeal to your free contest is to enhance its value through a cash prize. So, not only will recruits not have anything to lose by joining, but they’ll also have something to gain. Many businesses that operate in cash-based services offer free engagements like a contest as well as cash prizes to expand their audiences and potentially convert the recruits of the free contests into paying customers.

In the US, with the next NFL season rapidly closing in to hold the sporting spotlight through to February, NFL Pick’em Contests are becoming all the rage once more. One of these popular free football contests not only offers a $600 prize each week but also offers a way for players to ‘Smart Pick’ their teams. As a result, the free contest can even appeal to non-football fans.

A cash prize and accessibility-enhancing features certainly enhance the appeal of a free contest, but people will have to find it first. Nowadays, to reach the largest and most engaged audience, you have to turn to social media. It’s been found that the vast majority of companies use social media for recruiting. While LinkedIn is, by its very nature, the most popular platform for this, Facebook and Twitter certainly have their uses if you’re looking to spread the word about your free contest.

Free contests can be excellent tools for recruiting on a large scale or at least reaching a large audience, with cash prizes and smart use of social media helping to grow a contest’s reach further.