LucKey Ticket™ Drives Traffic,
Boosts Publicity for Third Year

Searcy, AZ - For the third year in a row, Shoe Carnival has successfully gained more publicity and sales with a $10,000 LucKey Ticket™ promotion. This year's “Holiday Magic” theme involved even more store locations and prizes.

The day after Thanksgiving, staff at each of Shoe Carnival's 240 stores – an increase of 32 locations over last year – presented customers with a raffle ticket as they entered the store. One raffle number was announced at 7, 8, and 9 a.m. The great prize was revealed when the chosen contestant tore open an ornament-shaped LucKey Ticket™ that he or she pulled out of a gift-wrapped box. Prizes included free shoes, a customized bean bag, a mountain bike, an eight foot stocking, or the grand prize of $10,000.

Customers helped spread the news of the promotion by calling friends and relatives, urging them to come participate. “Traffic increased significantly during the promotion, especially during the three hourly drawings,” says Shoe Carnival Promotions Manager Mike Sizemore.

Aside from word-of-mouth advertising, Shoe Carnival attracted customers' attention with in-store signs and television, newspaper, and radio ads. The retailer also placed freestanding newspaper inserts on Thanksgiving Day.

Four lucky customers took home the grand prize, each at a different store location. Shoe Carnival also generated post-promotion publicity. “We had media coverage in two of the four winning cities,” says Sizemore, who credits SCA with much of the promotion's success. “SCA has been great! They help us out with everything, including brainstorming new ideas.”

Bottom Line Through the use of a customized LucKey Ticket promotion, Shoe Carnival increased both sales and publicity.