John Dwyer (JD), Founder of The Institute of WOW, Joins Us Live at the Melbourne Franchising & Business Opportunities Expo
for a High-Energy Conversation on One of the Most Powerful yet Underused Marketing Tactics in Business, Insured Prize Promotions.
Episode Timeline
- 0:00 – Introduction
- 0:46 – The concept of giving away a chance to win large cash prizes
- 1:54 – How small businesses can use insured prize promotions to offer big cash giveaways
- 3:18 – Real-world examples of small businesses on using prize promotions effectively
- 5:55 – Offering prize entries to boost average spend in cafes and local shops
- 7:32 – Repeating successful promotions to keep sales momentum going
- 9:07 – Tapping into the potential of high-value cash promotions in franchise marketing
- 11:36 – The story behind JD’s massive marketing book
- 13:00 – Wrap Up
With decades of experience running successful campaigns for brands big and small, JD shares how businesses can offer customers the chance to win $50,000 or even $1 million in cash without actually paying out that amount themselves.
From turning around a struggling Fijian resort with a prize-driven promotion to boosting spend in local cafes, JD breaks down the mechanics, real-world results, and why this strategy is ideal for franchises looking to drive customer engagement and repeat purchases
We also hear the backstory behind his oversized marketing book The Wow Manifesto, and his belief that if something works—rinse and repeat.



