2009-02-27

Sweepstakes marketing

Many company put marketing at the first place for their industry development. They spare no effect to do that. But most of them only know the importance of marketing and they do not have a clear mind of how to operate. In the most of times, they are busy doing their marketing without any detailed plan and long term goal. Of course, it turns out that all their efforts gains little profit.


Sweepstakes marketing is taken as a very effective way to promote brand image and product sales. Nowadays sweepstakes are extremely popular in retail industry.

Sweepstakes are used in retail industry simply as one of many promotional tools that retail companies use to market their goods, their company, and their brand. Many reasons account for the popularity of sweepstakes among retail industry, such as publicity potential and the enthusiasm they can generate. Especially with development of internet, the online sweepstakes springing up everywhere and take a great in number. Used wisely, a single sweepstakes can benefit a retail organization in a number of different ways long after names have been drawn and prizes have been awarded.

Nowadays there are many professional companies which lay out and implement sweepstakes campaign for different customers. An administration team will first help you determine whether a sweepstakes promotion is a good fit for your target demographics.

Usually, a sweepstake company serves the best from beginning to the end: including sweepstakes administration, setting up sweepstakes rules and regulations, planning and obtaining sweepstakes bonding and registration and all the important marketing, agreements, processes and details that go into creating a successful sweepstakes promotion.

Tips for Taking Part in a Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes are a specialized form of consumer promotion where the incentive offered in exchange for the consumer’s entry is awarded in whole, or in part, through the operation of chance or random selection. This contrasts with Contest promotions which award the incentive or prize as part of a bona fide competition involving intellectual knowledge, skill or physical prowess according to objective criteria and in which chance does not play a role in winner selection.


When you take part in a sweepstakes, you should fill in the sweepstakes form. Your sweepstakes form should be simple, specific and clean, especially that it should be easy to read in order to avoid misunderstanding and possible legal problems. Make sure that the form is compliance with all state and federal statutes, because some states require registrations, surety bonds, insurance, etc.


There is something that you must be paid attention to. You should always avoid statements like "You are a winner". On the sweepstakes entry form, a complete set of official rules and P-O-P displays should be included and also an alternate means of entering for entries without a product purchase. Disclose all requirements for eligibility, deadline date and mailing address for the entries. You should indicate where the promotion is void (states) and the odds of winning on the form. You should also make the list of winners available upon request and award all prizes timely to avoid bad publicity.

2009-02-18

Why Do Companies Hold Sweepstakes and Contest

Recently more and more companies or businesses use sweepstakes or contests as a useful promotion way to enlarge the Popularity of their products and services. sweepstakes and contests are really win-win situation for both sponsors and entrants: sponsors can get more customers and of course gain more profit, while entrants can get various prizes even for free. Usually sweepstakes and contest can help companies in the following ways:

Create “buzz” about a product or service: Behind every customer, there may stand hundreds or even thousands of potential customers. The most effective way of promoting a product or service is by word of mouth. So sweepstakes and contests can encourage people to talk about the sponsors and their products.

Bring traffic to the website: Online sweepstakes and contests can help the sponsors to gain much more traffic to their websites. You will never have the chance to sell your product to someone who even doesn’t know your product existence. So as long as the visitors know your products or service, they may become your clients in some day.

Build an email list for the company: Usually all the online sweepstakes and contest ask the entrants to leave their email addresses, which will be valuable resources for the sponsor to use in the future. With the email list, the company can easily promote its new products and services, in forms of newsletters, for example.

Provide market research result: Many sweepstakes and contest will require the entrants to answer optional or survey questions. Thus, the sponsor can get the information about how its potential customers think or what they need. This can help them take action more efficiently.

Anyhow, sweepstakes and contests are good ways for companies to promote themselves.

Strategies of Winning Sweepstakes

Sweepstakes are a specialized form of consumer promotion where the incentive offered in exchange for the consumer’s entry is awarded in whole, or in part, through the operation of chance or random selection. Sweepstakes use the value and attractiveness of the prize incentive offered to create excitement, interest and engagement with the Sponsor’s products and services and to build the largest possible entry database. Sweepstakes promotions can use cash, products and/or services of any value as incentives and do not have to have any relationship to the products or services of the Sponsor.

Before you entering a sweep stakes, you should do some preparatory work. You should buy cards, paper, envelope, pens and a clipboard. Entering a single sweepstakes at one time is highly recommended. In addition, one can also take part in a lot of online sweepstakes. It takes a considerable amount of time to track down sweepstakes to ender. Many of the online sweepstakes do not have a deadline and they offer less attractive prizes. Most of them are only allow one person to enter one sweepstakes.

Entering as many as sweepstakes will increase the success rate, but it’s better to enter many sweepstakes copious times than entering copious sweepstakes one time each. It is statistically the best chance to win sweepstakes to get the odds in one’s favor. Generally speaking, one should enter those sweepstakes which are technically more favorable.

Firstly, one should enter the sweepstakes of numerous valuable prizes. Then, you can try the sweepstakes shown in radios and TV. Another good idea is to take part in local sweepstakes. Very attractive prizes are offered by a few of those local sweepstakes. If one is good in freehand writing or cooking, he is also encouraged to enter a contest, because these contests have far less entries than sweepstakes.

Both general sweepstakes and online sweepstakes are becoming more popular day by day. Act smart while participating in these sweepstakes so as to increase their chance of winning.

2009-02-12

Sweepstakes check no prize

Recently, another around of sweepstakes scam has appeared. Law enforcement officials remind residents to watch out the so-called “Publishers Clearing House Scam”

The scam used to be appeared several times, especially at this time of year. Usually, the scam takes its action with an official looking announcement that the receiver has “won” millions of dollars in the drawing. An official looking check is also included. The check is usually ask for three to four dollars for “cover outstanding fees that have not been paid.”

If the “winner” wants to get the big prize, he must contact the person that referred on the letter for the details of depositing the check. The recipient is asked to deposit the check and then send part of money back to the company. Besides the check is no good, the person is obliged to the back for the check which is no good.

Many expert say: it is not difficult to avoid of being cheated, remember one thing, a legitimate sweepstake will never ask you to pay a fee tax or deposit. So if you are asked to send money for claiming any kind of sweepstakes, you are in the danger of being scammed. What you need to do is disregard it and do not take any action to follow it.

5 Tips to Improve Your Chances of Winning Sweepstakes

Some people seem often to bring home lots of sweepstakes prizes, while others win nearly nothing. Many people think it completely attributes to luck, and frequent winners use smart tactics to gain more winnings. Entering sweepstakes intelligently by creating a plan, you can dramatically increase your chances to win. The following list show you five tips which to improve your chances of winning sweepstakes prizes.

First, Focus Your Effort.
Maybe you have noticed that there are more contests running than you could possibly enter on any sweepstakes listing. It's a good idea to make your efforts on prizes that you really want to win. Don't pay your attention to entering for those prizes if you know you won't be able to attend a concert across the country. Instead, focus your energy on the giveaways with prizes you really want to win.

Second, Enter as Many Sweepstakes as Possible.
Try to enter as many different sweepstakes as you can. If you enter a single giveaway, you'll have to get a lot of luck to gain the winnings. But if you enter hundreds of different prize competitions each month, the likelihood of a win soars. So, enter many different sweepstakes as possible.

Third, Emphasize Sweepstakes with Lots of Prizes.
The more prizes a sweepstake offers, the better your chances to win. It will be much easier to win a giveaway that is awarding 100 prizes than a giveaway with a single prize. Even if some of the prizes are smaller in value, you'll feel encouraged when you receive the notification that you have won the prizes.

Fourth. Look for Sweepstakes that Restrict Entries from Other States.
Since each state has its own rules governing sweepstakes, some sponsors will prohibit entry from residents of particular states. Some states, like Florida, New York, and Rhode Island, are commonly excluded from large sweepstakes. However, California and Utah are rarely included in sweepstakes sponsored by wineries or beer breweries. Because of more expensive shipping fees to the states Hawaii and Alaska, they are often left out.

Fifth, Prioritize Sweeps with Restrictions by Age or Gender.
Some sponsors have strict requirements on specific age ranges or genders when participate entries. For instance, most sweepstakes allow entry by people over 18 years of age, but some restrict entry to above 21. The restrictions cut down your competition and increase your odds if you are above 25 years of age.

2009-02-04

Reduce the Cost of a Sweepstakes Promotion

Sweepstakes are a specialized form of consumer promotion where the incentive offered in exchange for the consumer’s entry is awarded in whole, or in part, through the operation of chance or random selection.

Sweepstakes promotions are very popular because they are often relatively easier to conduct and administer than Contest promotions (Contests typically require judging and consideration of every entry according to Contest criteria), and because they have been proven to be powerful tools to attract the interest, attention and engagement of a target audience and to aid branding and sales objectives of the sponsoring company.

How to reduce the cost of a sweepstakes promotion becomes an important question. The following are some good ways:

Offer a lesser value of cash alterative to your Grand Prize. For instance, you can offer a $10,000 cash alternative if the Grand Prize is $20,000.

Consider using gift certificates, phone cards, gas cards, etc. These prizes are easy to mail and have real value. They will reduce handling fees. US Savings bonds are also a good alternative and cost approximately 50% of the face value.

Find prize suppliers whose prices include warehousing and delivery (Drop-shipping).

Consider sharing the cost of a sweepstakes promotion and prize liability with a compatible brand or buy into a “Share-A-Sweeps” promotional program.