“Enter to Win!” Promotion
through Contests and Sweepstakes
by: Marvin Nolan Moore 
“Enter to Win!” You have probably been exposed to these words a million
times. And that is exactly the point: You have seen these words so many
times because this type of promotion works. In fact, sweepstakes
and contests on the web have a better response rate due to the ease of submitting
information. A person checks a few boxes, enters an e-mail address and submits
the form.
How can a contest or sweepstakes promotion help you? Let’s explore.
Reasons for Offering a Contest or Sweepstakes Promotion
There are many uses for promoting a contest or sweepstakes. You could
require participants to give you certain information. You can gather demographic,
psychographic or buying-behavior statistics. Maybe you want to simply
create some traffic to your web site. People may be asked to sample products,
services, or whatever you want, depending on your goals and reasons.
What Will Be Given Away?
Do you sell products, provide services, or what? Are you going to give
away items, services, cash, or coupons? What do you have to offer that
will entice people to enter your contest? If you are planning on giving
away a free pen, forget it! People wouldn't even waste their time entering
a contest if a pen is all you are giving away. Make your prizes worth
the effort of entering the contest. Try to make the prize(s) worth at
least $10. Then, decide how many prizes, services, etc. to give away in
the contest or sweepstakes.
Whom Are You Targeting?
Define who your target audience is. Whom are you hoping will enter the
contest? Are you targeting housewives, businesspeople, students or professionals?
Are you going after adults over 30, kids, teenagers or senior citizens?
Next, define the optimal places where you can reach the target audience.
You will certainly need to market your sweepstakes and contests, just
as you would any other aspect about your business.
Where Are You Going to Advertise the Promotion?
Are you going to advertise your contest in classified ads, e-mails, newsgroups,
or banner ads? If you’re going to start a banner campaign, make sure you
target the web sites that are going to attract your target market. If
you're handing out free birdcages as a promotion, consider advertising
on a pet-supply web site -- don’t advertise on a punk rock web site, even
if it is your favorite. If your promotion is featured on a web page, register
the page to all major search engines. If your promotion effort is only
going to be available for a certain amount of time, notify the search
engines.
What Are the Rules, Requirements and Exemptions of the Promotion?
What are the limitations and restrictions? Who can apply and who can’t?
You will need to post all pertinent information about your contest or
sweepstakes, including:
- Who can enter?
- What are the prizes?
- How many prizes will be awarded?
- How are people expected to enter the contest? By phone, e-mail, letter,
fax, fill-out web form, etc.?
- How will people be notified if they win?
- Are you going to post the winner on your web site?
- When is the promotion over?
- How many times may they enter the contest? Daily, weekly, monthly,
as many times as they like?
- Can prizes be given away to people outside of the country?
All of these questions need to be addressed and posted on your web site
or in your e-mail promotion.
What Are the Legal Issues Concerning the Contest?
There may be some legal ramifications concerning the contest. In some
states, certain cash awards or prize values may be limited, or they may
have to be registered in a particular state.
If you are giving away cash in the U.S., anything above $500 must be
reported to the IRS; and a 1099 tax form must be filled out and submitted.
Make sure you check out the laws thoroughly.
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