So, can you require the winner to be present when you draw the winners on your sweepstakes?

The answer is NO.

The winner nor the participants cannot spend time or money (consideration) to participate in the sweepstakes. Asking participants to be present may be construed by state authorities as having to “spend” time (be at the venue) or money (gas) to participate. We recommend offering your sweepstakes promotion and then shipping the prize to the winner.

But first, what are sweepstakes?

A sweepstakes is a promotion where participants enter to win a prize by completing a task, like filling out a form or purchasing a product. Businesses and organizations usually run these promotions as a marketing tactic to boost awareness and sales.

Winners are chosen at random from all eligible entries. Some sweepstakes have specific eligibility requirements, such as being a certain age or residing in a particular geographic area. In the US, some states require you to bond and register in order to run the sweepstakes. 

Why You Shouldn’t Require Your Sweepstakes Winners to Be Present

Requiring your winners to be present can be interpreted by state authorities as having to “spend” time (be at the venue) or money (gas) to participate.

Avoids Bias

Drawing a winner should be fair and random. Requiring participants to be present during the draw can leave room for bias. It ensures that all participants have an equal chance at winning and eliminates any perceptions of unfairness. 

Do Not Limit Your Pool of Eligible Entries

It may limit your pool of eligible entries if the winner is unable or unwilling to attend the drawing. Requiring attendance may also limit the number of potential entrants since every location has a physical capacity.

Instead, we recommend you utilize a random selection method, such as using a computer generator or numbered tickets in a container.

Ensure that Your Sweepstakes is Legal

State authorities may view the requirement for the winner to be present for the drawing as a way of “spending” time (being at the venue) or money (on gas) to participate. Make sure that your official rules comply with the sweepstakes laws. We recommend offering your sweepstakes promotion and then shipping the prize to the winner.

Participating & Winning Without Being Present is Possible

Participating in sweepstakes without being physically present can be as easy as entering online or through social media.

By visiting the website or the sponsor’s social media page, individuals can fill out an entry form with their personal information and submit it for a chance to win. They can also enter by mailing a handwritten entry form or texting a unique code to a designated number as in text-to-win style of sweepstakes.

How to Notify Sweepstakes Winners

After the winners are chosen at random, then the winners are contacted through the details they provided in their entry form. The sweepstakes official rules should mention when the winners need to respond to get the prizes. It’s best to give them 5-7 days. If there is no response, a new person will be chosen as the winner.

Here are the best methods for notifying sweepstakes winners:

Text for Text-to-Win Promotions

A text message to the winning number with a follow-up call.

Email

Congratulate the winner, remind them of the promotion, and lay out the next steps to claim the prize. 

You can read more in our article: How to Notify Your Sweepstakes Winners

How to Award the Sweepstakes Prize?

Here are several ways for awarding your promotion’s prizes:

Ship the Prizes

Send the prize directly to the winner’s mailing address. Request a signed release form for privacy and legal protection.

Pick Up

Another option is to arrange for the winner to pick up the prize at a designated location, such as the sponsoring company’s office or an established retail store as long as the winner does not have to spend money to pick up the prize

Online Redemption

You can offer an online redemption code or virtual gift card instead of a physical prize. Make sure you provide clear instructions for the redemption of the digital gift. 

Conclusion

The winner nor the participants cannot spend time or money (consideration) to participate in the sweepstakes. Asking participants to be present may be construed by state authorities as having to “spend” time (be at the venue) or money (gas) to participate. We recommend offering your sweepstakes promotion and then shipping the prize to the winner.

Backed with over 10 years of experience, Sweeppea has helped many businesses turn their participants into customers. For more information on how Sweeppea can help you with your next sweepstakes, contact us at support@sweeppea.com or call us at 305-505-5393.

The post True or False: Sweepstakes Winner MUST Be Present to Win appeared first on Sweeppea Blog.

How long should your sweepstakes last? What will happen if you run them for different periods of time? In this article, we’ll take a look at some studies and see what the data has to say about how long sweepstakes should last. 

When deciding on the sweepstakes period you need to consider what is the purpose of the sweepstake? What are you trying to achieve? How much time and money can you commit to the promotion?

Short Sweepstakes Period

A study by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) found that the longer the sweepstakes period, the more likely it is that participants will forget to enter.

“The data shows that as duration increases from one week to two weeks to one month or more, entry rates decrease significantly,”

says PPAI research director Steve Schweitzer.

“Contestants have a limited attention span, and the longer the sweepstakes runs, the more likely they are to forget about it.”

Running Sweepstakes for a Week

A short sweepstakes is a fantastic method to get your audience to act quickly. Because there’s so little time left to enter your contest, your audience must act right t away before it’s too late.

They create a sense of urgency, especially if they’re linked to a desirable prize. This is why it’s important to find your sweet spot between your promotion’s duration and the prize you pick. 

Running Sweepstakes for Two Weeks

Running sweepstakes for 2 weeks (14 days) gives you plenty of time to secure entries, and it isn’t so long that users will forget about you.

For many businesses, having their sweepstakes run for two weeks is the best option. It provides the greatest window of opportunity to reach your target audience while still remaining current and timely.

Share your promotion consistently with your target audience to collect as many participants as you can. If you’re a CPG brand, consider leveraging both your online and offline presence. 

The only downside to a shorter contest like this is that it might not be long enough to reach your desired promotional goals. Before running your promotion, make sure you set attainable goals and key performance indicators for your campaign.

Keep in mind that 2 weeks may be too short if you are printing in-store displays as sweepstakes promoted in-store need to allocate time for participants to visit the stores and for the displays to be placed.

Longer Sweepstakes Period

What if your goal is simply to create buzz and get people talking about your brand? In that case, you might want to consider a longer sweepstakes period.

A study by DailyEntry found the average length of time people spend on sweepstakes websites is around 15 minutes. If you want people to spend more time engaging with your brand, you need to give them a reason to stick around. One way to do that is by running longer sweepstakes. Another one is extending the post-entry funnel. 

Example 1: After the participant has entered the sweepstakes, redirect them to your brand’s homepage or another relevant page to your campaign’s goal. 

Example 2: If you’re running an online store sweepstakes, you can direct your participants to your shop after they submit their entry to encourage sales. 

There are trade-offs when running a longer vs. shorter sweepstakes. Make sure you take into account your advertising budget and resources needed to increase the exposure of your promotion. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of the prizes and the time it will take to promote your sweepstakes for an extended period of time.

You’ll need to be prepared for a higher volume of entries. It’s a good problem to have which Sweeppea can help you solve!

Running Sweepstakes for a Month

Running sweepstakes for one month allows you to get it up and running with the appropriate momentum. You may also correct any errors that arise and let your audience know about them.

If you’re running traffic to your promotion through digital advertising, you have more than enough time to optimize your creative and copy which in turn can increase the number of participants you get! 

A 1-month giveaway is also an ideal opportunity to integrate your sweepstakes into a theme or If seasonal occasion. Sweepstakes that are tied to a certain topic, such as summer or another seasonal event, succeed because they’re not forced; they fit into the natural rhythm of the consumer’s seasonal lifestyle. It also indicates your sweepstakes are running for longer.

Running Sweepstakes for Several Months

Having sweepstakes run for many months has several advantages. You’ll have plenty of time to plan and organize your sweepstakes and gain a consistent stream of entries. Furthermore, if you keep your promotional activities fresh and interesting, you may attract many more potential participants. 

Conclusion

So, how long should your sweepstakes last? It really depends on your goals and what you’re trying to achieve. If you want more entries, go with shorter sweepstakes. If you’re looking to create buzz, sales and get people talking about your brand, opt for a longer one. And if you’re not sure, you can contact a sweepstakes administrator like Sweeppea for advise!

No matter what you decide, just be sure to give your participants plenty of time to enter.

Need help with sweepstakes or contest management? Call 305-505-5393 or email us with your questions.

The post Sweepstakes Period: How Long Should a Sweepstakes Last? appeared first on Sweeppea Blog.

When nonprofit organizations are looking for a way to raise money, they often turn to raffles and sweepstakes. What is the difference between these two types of fundraising vehicles? And which one is suitable for your nonprofit? In this article, we will explore the difference between raffles and sweepstakes and discuss which one might be a better fit for your nonprofit.

Raffles for Nonprofit

Raffles are a type of lottery in which people purchase tickets for a chance to win a prize. The nonprofit sells the tickets and keeps all of the proceeds. Raffles are regulated by state law, so be sure to check the state regulations before running one.

Even though the raffle ticket suggests a modest amount of money, it encourages individuals to make a difference on a personal level by contributing to a cause they care about. 

Benefits of Running a Raffle vs. Sweepstakes

There are several benefits to running a raffle for your nonprofit listed below.

1. Encourages People to Donate

A raffle fundraising campaign makes individuals feel connected. They like to support a cause they believe in. As a result, fundraisers must effectively communicate the purpose or goal of their event. 

You can accomplish this by sharing a cohesive message about your promotion through all your communication channels both online and traditional. If you want to gauge your audience’s interest in a particular prize, ask them through your communication channels! This will ensure you pick the best prize for your audience so you can run a successful promotion. 

2. Encourages Mutual Relationships Between Nonprofits and Local Businesses

Raffles help nonprofit organizations raise money and establish mutually beneficial relationships with local businesses. The non-profits and local businesses can collaborate to create an irresistible prize for the target audience. 

If you’re interested in collaborating with a local business, make sure the collaboration keeps the promotion on legally-compliant ground. 

3. Encourages a Productive Atmosphere

Raffles may be a fantastic nonprofit fundraising trend for schools and colleges. It promotes creativity, innovation, and inclusiveness among students. The event unites all of the instructors, pupils, and families to share their fundraising ideas. It encourages everyone to participate and collaborate.

Nonprofit organizations can also benefit from all the three points listed above making it a great choice to raise funds for a cause. 

What is a Sweepstakes?

Sweepstakes are similar to raffles in that: 

• They require a method of entry
• Random selection of the winner
• Prize distribution 

The most significant distinction is that participants are not required to purchase to enter a sweepstakes. This is why sweepstakes are not considered gambling and are permitted in all 50 states and regulated by the FTC to prevent fraud.

Sweepstakes may not require an entrant to buy a product in order to participate, but a participant may be asked to donate in order to enter as long as a free method of entry is available to all

Even though you don’t have to buy anything or give money to enter a charitable sweepstake, qualitative industry data shows that most people are willing to donate money to enter because they believe in the cause. 

If you’re interested in running a purchase to enter sweepstakes, check out: No Purchase Necessary Laws: Can You Run a Sweepstakes That Requires a Purchase to Enter?

Social Sharing

A prize draws new contributors and encourages viral sharing.

Sweepstakes let you use the viral sharing aspect of fundraising to get the word out about your nonprofit fundraiser on social media and in traditional media. The sweepstakes are broadcast across the country, and contributions pour in.

Reach New Local and National Donors for Your Organization

Sweepstakes can be offered in all 50 states, even if your charity isn’t registered in each of them. This means you’ll be able to attract new contributors and sponsors from outside of your community. You’ll be able to achieve your objectives quicker by attracting donations from across the country.

Raffle vs. Sweepstakes

There are a lot of differences between a raffle and sweepstakes that should help you decide which one to run for your nonprofit organization. 

Here are the most significant sweepstakes vs. raffle points:

Regulations

• Raffles: Are illegal in some states in the US and Canadian provinces. Please seek legal advice before planning or operating a raffle or lottery. A state or provincial license may be required to run a raffle.
• Sweepstakes: It’s legal in all 50 states and every province in Canada.

Geographic Reach

• Raffles: Limited to a specific set of US or Canadian provinces.
• Sweepstakes: Expand your organization and gain more visibility by selling goods, advertising, and sponsorships to clients.

Numbers of Entries per Person

• Raffles: Each person may have up to five entries.
• Sweepstakes:  One entry per person or as many as offered.

Donations 

• Raffles: can receive donations only from donors that are residents of the state(s) the nonprofit is registered in.
• Sweepstakes: can receive donations from residents of any of the 50 states. 

Online raffles and sweepstakes are a fantastic tool to generate donations online. Knowing your fundraising goals, objectives, and plan inside and out will help you figure out which option is best for you.

Conclusion

Running a raffle or sweepstakes is an excellent way for nonprofit organizations to raise funds. However, which one is best for your organization depends on your objectives and preferences. 

A raffle may be the ideal alternative if you want to raise funds locally. Sweepstakes, on the other hand, might be the way to go if you want to raise funds nationally. Whichever option you pick, double-check the criteria before getting started. 

Need help with sweepstakes or contest management? Call 305-505-5393 or email us with your questions.

The post Raffle vs Sweepstakes for Nonprofits: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Sweeppea Blog.

Sweepstakes promotions are one of the most popular consumer engagement initiatives for driving brand awareness for a CPG brand. Sweepstakes draw on the universal human desire to win something for free. 

Your consumer packaged goods (CPG) branding campaign can be enhanced with a sweepstakes that not only increases brand engagement, but educates and captures consumer data like addresses, emails, and phone numbers.

Additionally, sweepstakes can:

• Advertise and market your items to a whole new audience.
• Provide a  method of engaging current customers and reviving ties with previous customers.
• Help you reach out to your competitors’ fans.
• Create a buzz and enthusiasm that will lead to purchases.

The digital marketplace is teeming with rivals vying for the attention of your customers. A sweepstakes or contest is a flexible way to breathe new life into a CPG brand campaign. Each week, customers are drawn to the lottery by the thrill of possibly winning a prize. CPG marketing teams may take advantage of the very human desire to win something for free and use it to promote their brand.

Sweepstakes Marketing Tips: How to Grow Your CPG Brand

Here are the three best ways for companies that sell consumer packaged goods to run a successful sweepstakes.

Use Your Packaging

The first piece of sweepstakes advice for CPG brand marketing is to take advantage of packaging. Because CPG companies can create sweepstakes advertising right on their packaging, it can be an essential method for gaining sweepstakes interest.

Other advertising choices, such as social media advertisements, Google Ads, billboards, and in-store displays, are all excellent tools, but advertising for the sweepstakes on the product itself makes it much simpler for customers to learn about the sweepstakes and how to enter.

Codes: They Matter

The usage of on-pack or in-pack codes is the second benefit of hosting online sweepstakes for a CPG brand. For decades, codes have been employed in sweepstakes marketing. Unique codes, which are often found under the cap (UTC) or on game pieces (like fountain drinks at QSRs), could be a powerful tool for increasing program participation, sales, and data monitoring.

In comparison to completely online sweepstakes, putting codes on packaging provides far more data for companies to leverage in future promotions. Data in unique code programs may be split out by SKU, location, merchant, and many other factors.

You can use QR codes as well. Customers can scan the product with their phones and quickly join your sweepstakes.

Form Partnerships

Our last piece of advice for CPG online contests is to collaborate with another brand. Brand collaborations are very efficient in increasing sweepstakes participation and exposure.

Sweepstakes Marketing Guide for Your CPG Brand

Here’s how to conduct successful sweepstakes for your CPG.

1. Determine Your Format

Choose a theme for your sweepstakes, this can be a national holiday, an anniversary, or a season like summertime.

Polling has always been a fantastic way to engage people and understand what your audience wants. Add in a survey to engage your audience while also collecting customer data. 

To help boost engagement and purchases, make sure customers have simple prerequisites to satisfy to qualify for the prize. Keep in mind that the more steps it takes a participant to enter, the least likely it will be that the participant will complete the entry. 

Trivia and quiz competitions are entertaining and popular. When the consumer answers correctly, they are awarded a prize. These sorts of promotions may be used to determine how well your clients understand your products or services.

Having real people use your products in real-time adds a level of engagement to your CPG branding that a TV commercial can’t give you.

2. Select a Sweepstakes Prize

Since most consumers aren’t participating in the contest because they adore your company, make the prize appealing to maximize participation. The sweepstakes prize must be appealing to your audience and provide good participation rates.

When possible, we recommend offering your product or services as the prize, helping ensure that your sweepstakes is attracting participants that are interested in your products.

3. Create a Sweepstakes Page for Your CPG Brand

When creating a separate page for your sweepstakes, consider the following content suggestions:

• In the headline or images, emphasize the monetary value of the award.
• Make it simple and obvious how people can enter.
• Make use of bullet points and short declarative phrases.
• To capture the reader’s interest, use “How to” and “Why” or “How to Win.”

4. Social Media Networking

Encourage social sharing to increase the number of individuals who enter. Your aim is to get as many individuals to visit the page as possible. Promote the page using social media, email, and other earned media. 

Include a language that encourages readers to share the content, this will help you reach new audiences, and increase participants. 

5. Use Paid Advertising

 Use social or search advertising in addition to earned media to increase the reach of your promotion. 

6. Share on All Your Channels

Leverage all your communication channels to give the most exposure to your sweepstakes. 

7. Select a Winner & Get Your ROI

The last phase in the CPG marketing campaign is to draw a winner and convert participants into customers. After notifying the winner, contact the other participants to thank them for their participation.

Consider offering a discount or coupon to all those that participated but did not win. 

Conclusion

Sweepstakes marketing is a powerful tool for your CPG brand. However, like with other marketing methods, customizing your campaign for the sector in which you operate provides additional advantages and helps to optimize your returns. We recommend hiring a sweepstakes administrator to assist you with the process and provide best practices and compliance advice. 

Sweeppea offers full-service sweepstakes creation, official rules, and administration or a self-service platform where you can create and manage your own sweepstakes.
Need help with sweepstakes or contest management? Call 305-505-5393 or email us with your questions.

The post How to Grow Your CPG Brand With Sweepstakes Marketing appeared first on Sweeppea Blog.

If you are looking for a way to increase sales, build an email list and SMS list for remarketing; then contests and sweepstakes are one of the best tactics. We’ll walk you through the steps you need to take to run a contest or sweepstakes for your eCommerce store. We’ll also give you some tips on how to make sure your contests are successful.

How do Sweepstakes increase eCommerce Sales?

Sweepstakes and contests can serve as eCommerce marketing tools to engage with potential and existing customers. Social media works in tandem with the sweepstakes promotion to help you get more entrants and sales.

To increase exposure for your eCommerce sweepstakes, encourage your participants to share your sweepstakes through social media. Remember that all sweepstakes need a free form of entry and all participants must have an equal chance to enter and win regardless of whether they purchased or not. 

That’s why we recommend hiring a sweepstakes company to help you ensure you’re legally compliant with your promotion.

What are the Benefits of Running Sweepstakes to Drive eCommerce Sales and Growth?

Properly planned sweepstakes will catch the attention of their target customers and increase sales without the need for a big marketing budget. Get creative with your prizes! Check out the most popular sweepstakes prizes for ideas. 

Benefits of running eCommerce sweepstakes:

Drives traffic

Sweepstakes or contests with a great prize will generate traffic for your website and brand. Customers and potential customers will visit your website just for a chance to win a prize. Remember to use the power of social media and your other marketing channels to drive entries.

Boosts sales

Sweepstakes and contests can help you boost sales by growing your email list, increasing social media followers, improving your product exposure, and more. Social media plays a big role in boosting sales, 83% of Instagram users use that platform to discover new products. That is more than half of their users!

If your eCommerce brand has an omnichannel presence, remember to update your marketing to reflect your campaign across all channels. More visibility equals more entries. 

Boosts awareness

Increase brand awareness with your sweepstakes promotion.  When creating marketing content for your eCommerce sweepstakes or contest, make sure to add branding elements like your company logo and website. This will help increase your brand awareness and content reach.

Gather Customer Insights

Research has shown that 32% of customers stop interacting with a brand after just one bad experience. Customer feedback is key to improving your products and boosting sales.

Sweepstakes and contests are key to gathering feedback on your products. You can gather feedback from your customers by offering extra entries if they complete a review or a survey.

Increase brand loyalty

Customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand when they are incentivized. Sweepstakes and giveaways are a great way to incentivize your customers. If your go-to choice for your promotion is purchase-to-enter, read our Want to Require a Purchase with Your Sweepstakes? Here’s How to learn more about this type of promotion.

What is the general process of running sweepstakes for eCommerce?

Running eCommerce sweepstakes or contests requires legal, administrative, and marketing knowledge. A lot of tasks and knowledge are needed to run legally compliant and successful sweepstakes whether the sweepstakes is for eCommerce or a retail store. The general process of running sweepstakes for online stores must include the following details.

Establish Official Rules

The official sweepstakes rules are a crucial element of eCommerce sweepstakes. The rules will determine the interaction between the customer and your sweepstakes. They will also provide the foundation for a legally compliant promotion.

Important legal aspects to include in your eCommerce sweepstakes official rules are:

Sweepstakes must have a Free Method of Entry 

Legally compliant sweepstakes must be free or provide a free method of entry. Failing to comply with this may turn your promotion into an illegal lottery.

Entry Method Information and Deadlines

The official sweepstake rules must disclose the method of entry and actions to take to gain a chance at winning the prize. The rules must explicitly establish the duration of the entry window. Be as specific as possible. Include start and end date, time, and time zone.

Drawing the Winner

The rules must state how the winner will be drawn and what information the winner is required to provide. In eCommerce sweepstakes, the method should be a random drawing.

Privacy Policy

A privacy policy link should be added to the official sweepstakes rules. The participants need to know how their personally identifiable information (PII)will be used or shared.

Running sweepstakes may seem like a black and white process, unfortunately, it is not. Different types of sweepstakes require different types of legal details to be reviewed. Due to this, we recommend hiring a sweepstakes administrator like Sweeppea.

Why is using a Sweepstakes company beneficial to run eCommerce sweepstakes?

Running sweepstakes or contests for eCommerce stores requires legal knowledge of the promotional laws in each state. Additionally, project management and eCommerce marketing experience help ensure success. Hiring experts in all of these fields will require time and money. We know you want to host your sweepstakes as soon as possible so you can reap the benefits. This is where hiring sweepstakes and contest administration company like Sweeppea makes sense.

A Sweepstakes company will have the legal knowledge and expertise to help you stay compliant with sweepstakes law at the federal and state level. We even have a self-service platform that can help you if you plan to consistently run these promotions throughout the year.

A third party will have the knowledge and time to focus on delivering the best practices and compliance with laws related to contests and sweepstakes. Having an outside resource also helps relieve the administrative burdens of running a sweepstakes promotion. This leaves you more time to focus on more important aspects of your business.

For more information check out: Sweepstakes Administration Roles: Who is Missing From Your Promotional Marketing Team?

How can Sweeppea help you with your eCommerce sweepstakes?

Sweeppea is a full-service sweepstakes and contest administration company. We have over 10 years of combined experience and have helped run successful sweepstakes for some of the largest brands.

In the U.S., we offer a wide range of services that can help you not only with your eCommerce sweepstakes but also with contests, giveaways in any type of platform, and industry. 

Within the services we offer are:

Development from concept to reality

We help you turn your eCommerce sweepstakes into reality. This included legal compliance and everything needed to host and manage the sweepstakes successfully.

Official Sweepstakes Rule and Abbreviated Rules

Official rules are an essential element when running successful sweepstakes. In Sweeppea, we offer official rules drafting services including legal advice on sweepstakes legal compliance as well as abbreviated rules to include in all of your eCommerce sweepstakes advertising. 

Creation of Official Sweepstakes Rules Page

We will create an accessible custom web page for your participants and potential participants to have access to the rules.

Customized Entry Form Creation

We will create a customized online form to collect your participant’s first-party data.

Entry Confirmation Page

We will create a customized confirmation page for your sweepstakes promotion. After submitting the entry form, your participants will be directed to a customized Thank You page.

Prize Fulfillment

We will handle all aspects of prize fulfillment for your eCommerce sweepstakes. This includes working with the packing and logistics.

When prizes involve trips and reservations, we will coordinate all travel details including itinerary management and travel coordination.

Drawing Winners and Managing Winner’s Affairs

Drawing winners is one of the goals of running sweepstakes. Once your sweepstakes end we will randomly draw your winner(s) from all the eligible entries. Once winners are drawn, you will need to announce the winners publicly, which offers a great opportunity to further market your brand and get customers excited about your next promotion.

Sweeppea’s Online Sweepstakes Self-Service Platform

Sweeppea offers options for all types of clients and industries. For online and eCommerce sweepstakes we offer a Self-Service plan. This service is simple to use, and affordable for any industry. If any questions should arise, the plan includes 24/7 email & phone support. 

This unique and intuitive service offers the following features:

One-on-One Onboarding

Don’t worry, you will not be alone in this process. The plan includes one-on-one onboarding and training to walk you through the process and get your eCommerce sweepstakes started worry-free. After setting your sweepstakes up Sweeppea’s team follows up with you to make sure everything is good to go.

Even though this platform is self-service, the plan includes 24/7 email and phone support as well. This means you have help every step of the way.

Entry Form Builder 

The platform includes its Entry Form builder tool. The tool will help you easily create a custom sweepstakes entry form your potential entrants will submit to participate in your online sweepstakes. The form will let you gather information from your participants such as name, phone number, address, and email.

Official Rules Wizard

Sweepstakes Official Rules are a key part of any type of sweepstakes including eCommerce Sweepstakes and contests. Official Rules will determine how your promotion is offered, and it’s key to making your sweepstakes legally compliant. Sweeppea’s Official Rules Wizard will help you set drawing date, prize description, eligibility for your online or text message sweepstakes by asking you a couple of questions. If you have already prepared official sweepstakes rules, the platform offers the option to upload them as well.

Survey on Your Entry Form

Enrichment of First-Party Data is essential for remarketing purposes. A way to enrich the First-Party Data gathered using sweepstakes entry forms is by adding surveys or polls within the entry forms. Sweeppea’s Self-Service platform allows you to prequalify leads and get to know your audience better by adding a few questions to the entry form.

For more information Check out: How to Build Your First-Party Data with Sweepstakes

Custom Thank You Page

The platform offers you access to use a customizable Thank You page. This page will let your entrants know that their eCommerce sweepstakes entry was successful.  You can use this to your advantage by asking them to follow your social media, share the sweepstakes, or offer a coupon to motivate a purchase on your eCommerce store.

Unlimited Participants and Unlimited Texts

The self-service platform allows unlimited participants to enter your eCommerce sweepstakes and receive entry confirmation. Once you have participants you can send unlimited text messages to them. This can include promotions, coupons, and offers.

Custom Keyword

Sweeppea’s Self-Service platform allows you to create a branded keyword or as we like to call it Sweepskey. A Sweepskey is a word your entrants will text to a designated number to enter your sweepstakes.

Example: “Text SWEEP to 855-444-4545 to enter.” In this case, the Sweepskey is SWEEP.

Sweepstakes Data Reports

Sweeppea’s Self-Service platform gives you access to metrics gathered from your eCommerce sweepstakes like demographic information, click-through on links, total texts sent vs received, and more. This is key for growing your eCommerce store. With access to this data, you will be able to create personalized experiences for your customers that will motivate customer loyalty and bring more sales.

Sweepstakes in Spanish

According to Forbes.com, the U.S. has the 2nd largest population of Spanish speakers in the world. It is expected that by 2050, one in three people in the U.S will speak Spanish. With this said, it makes sense for brands and organizations to move towards a more inclusive way of marketing.

Sweeppea’s Self-Service and Online platform allows you to run your eCommerce sweepstakes in English and Spanish. This includes texts, text confirmation, entry forms, and official rules.

Text Marketing Compliance

Sweeppea follows the best practices guidelines of the Mobile Marketing Association and CTIA on their campaigns. They are also compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Guaranteed Security

Sweeppea’s self-service platform is protected with Industry Standard SSL Encryption daily backups and security audits. All the privileged information regarding your eCommerce sweepstakes campaign is safe within their platform.

Instant Drawing of a Winner

Once your eCommerce Sweepstakes entry period has ended you can automatically draw a winner.

What are the Benefits of Sweeppea’s Self-Service?

Sweeppea’s Self-Service is a great plan for busy eCommerce business owners. The Self-Service platform is perfect for eCommerce businesses who want to decrease the sweepstakes planning time.

A lot of precious time is lost during email communications, especially waiting on replies and finding attachments in extensive back and forth threads. If the other part has a busy inbox you might be left confused and asking yourself if your email was received or if it’s appropriate to send a follow-up. With Sweeppea’s Online Sweepstakes platform, you can save time and resources by maintaining all relevant files, tasks, and communication in one centralized location. 

Finally, email exchanges can feel unorganized, awkward and a lot of information can get lost through the cracks. Lost attachments and information will be a thing of the past when you start using the platform. 

Successful Ecommerce Sweepstakes Administered by Sweeppea’s

To give you an idea of how sweepstakes function and how Sweeppea’s can help you run successful eCommerce sweepstakes, here are case studies of eCommerce sweepstakes administered by Sweeppea:

1. Freedom Tremor Sweepstakes – DiamondBack Covers

DiamondBack Covers is an eCommerce store that sells automotive accessories primarily for trucks. With the help of Sweeppea as an administrator, DiamondBack sponsored and hosted their eCommerce sweepstakes named Freedom Tremor Sweepstakes.

The brand hosted its eCommerce sweepstakes on its website as well as on its Instagram. Here is the customized promotion webpage and social media marketing content.

The following details were required to enter the sweepstakes:

Entry Methods

The main entry method was by visiting the promotion’s website and making a purchase of a product. Once the purchase was confirmed successful, the entrant would receive one (1) entry for each $1.00 spent on qualifying products purchased (tax and shipping not included):

1. Freedom Tremor PVC Patch
2. Freedom Tremor Hat
3. Freedom Tremor T-Shirt
4. Freedom Tremor Long Sleeve T-shirt
5. Freedom Tremor Hoodie

Although these products are not available anymore, some of them can be seen on this Instagram promotion.

As a free alternative method of entry (AMOE), they provided a Mail-In option.

Entry Period

The start date of the promotion was 1/2/22 and the end date was 2/15/22. They gave customers 44 days to submit their entry to the promotion.

Eligibility

In addition to following the entry instructions, potential entrants must have been 18 years or older to participate and be a resident in one of the 48 contiguous states.

Winner and Prizes

The prize for this eCommerce Sweepstakes was one (1) Ford Super Duty 250 Tremor 2020 pickup truck with 14,000 miles (ARV $80,000) and a check for $20,000. The prize’s total value was $100,000.

For this promotion, only one winner was drawn randomly. The winner was announced on the promotion’s official page.

2. “Big Purp giveaway” Sweepstakes – Mod2Fame

Mod2Fame is an eCommerce page dedicated to car enthusiasts that sell branded merchandise that connects with their community.

Similar to the Freedom Tremors campaign, Mod2Fame promoted their eCommerce sweepstakes on their webpage as well as on their Instagram page.

Entry Methods

Through the duration of the sweepstakes promotion, eligible entrants that purchased on their website received one (1) entry for each $5.00 spent on eligible products (tax and shipping not included) like:

1.Mod2Fame Decals

2. License Plate Framesit’sTo

3. Snapback Hat – Various Colors

4. Beanie Hat – Various Colors

5. Mod2Fame Logo Tshirt – Various Colors

6. Gap’N Season Tshirt – Various Colors

7. Hurt’N Feelings Tshirt – Various Colors

8. Mod2Fame Logo – Hoodie – Various Colors

9. Mod2Fame Logo Joggers – Various Color

10. Big Purp Tshirt – Various Colors

As a free alternative method of entry (AMOE), they provided a Mail-In option. Each mail entry was worth five (5) entries during the eligible sweepstakes period.

Entry Period

The Sweepstakes entry period started on 11/4/21 at 12:00 ET and ended on 2/4/22 at 11:59 ET.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate, entrants had to be 18 years or older and residents of the 48 contiguous states including Washington D.C, but excluding Florida and New York.

Winner and Prizes

One (1) winner was randomly drawn among all eligible entries.

The prize for the winner of the promotion was one (1) Dodge Charger RTs valued at $28,000.00

3. Nonprofit Sweepstakes – The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA)

The UA represents approximately 355,000 Plumbers, Pipefitters, Sprinkler Fitters, HVACR Service Technicians, Welders, and Pipeliners working in the industry of construction across North America. The members of the UA are very involved in community projects and charity hence they developed with Sweeppea a nonprofit sweepstake. All donations would go to The UA Charitable Fund Trust.

Entry Methods

Donors were offered different tiers based on what they donated. The tiers were the following:

1. $25 Donation = one (1) entry
2. $50 Donation = two (2) entries
3. $75 Donation = three (3) entries
4. $100 Donation = five (5) entries

A free alternative method of entry was also provided to entrants.

Winner and Prizes

Two (2) prizes were offered for this promotion:

1. One (1) 2020 Can-Am Outlander ATV (Value $6,000)

2. One (1) 2021 Chevy Silverado (Value $76,000.00)

Results of Case Studies

As a result of these sweepstakes, our clients were able to gain $1.55 in donations for every $1 spent in marketing. They also reported increased social media followers and new emails. These entries were used for remarketing as well as added into SMS and email lists to further grow their businesses.

eCommerce Store Sweepstakes Marketing

An essential part of running eCommerce sweepstakes or contests is marketing. The main channels that can be leveraged to promote your sweepstakes and convert to sales on your eCommerce stores are Social Media, email, and SMS. If you have web push notifications implemented on your store, leveraging them is also an excellent idea.

Let’s discuss the benefits of each channel.

Social Media

Social media is one of the best ways to find new customers. 6 out of every 10 people on the planet have social network accounts. Of those people with social media platforms, 27.5% use social media to research products to buy. Given these numbers, social media is a great way to grow your following, generate brand awareness, and increase your email list.

Within the top 10 most popular social networks of 2022 (based on monthly active users) we can find:

Facebook – 2910 million

Instagram – 1478 million

TikTok – 1000 million

When it comes to eCommerce sweepstakes marketing, these are the three platforms recommended to turn your social media efforts on. Before choosing what platform to use, it is important to know your audience and determine what sweepstakes or contest type you want to host.

Example:

    Goal: Grow your social media following.

    Sweeps Type: Request that your entrants follow your page to be eligible.

  Best Platform for your goal: Instagram

Another key factor when it comes to choosing a platform to promote sweepstakes is knowing your target audience. Especially demographics like age, geography, and gender as it varies from platform to platform. TikTok, for example, is more popular within a younger audience than Instagram and Facebook.

Finally, it is important to understand that each social media platform has individual rules and guidelines when it comes to hosting promotions like eCommerce sweepstakes, giveaways, or contests. When it comes to this, a sweepstakes administrator company can be very helpful to have by your side. Sweeppea for example has experience administering a broad variety of sweepstakes and promotions, this includes social media sweepstakes.

Email

Social media is a primary way of marketing, but email marketing is a key tool to generate leads. According to the Statista Research Department, there are 4 billion daily email users. This number is expected to increase to 4.6 billion by 2025. An email list is one of the most valuable assets an eCommerce store can have. Why? Because it’s a list of customers who have permitted you to market to them directly in their inbox. Usually, this information is collected at check out of products they have already purchased. In other words, these people receiving your emails are already interested in your product. You can use this opportunity to send promotions, offers, surveys and even to promote your eCommerce sweepstakes.

Given the importance that an email list has for growing your revenue and customer loyalty, you can use eCommerce sweepstakes to grow it even more. 

If you are considering using your email list for eCommerce marketing of your sweepstakes there are key points to consider.

First, you need to have an appropriate email service platform. For example, MailChimp and Klaviyo are popular options. 

After choosing your platform, it is important to know your audience. This way you can plan relevant emails that will capture their attention. 

Finally, it is important to add a call to action in your emails. A call to action will guide your reader to complete the action that you are looking to get from them. Make sure you include a direct link to your sweepstakes Entry Page and tell your customers exactly what they can win.

Example: Sign Up Today for a Chance to Win a Grand Prize!

After announcing your eCommerce sweepstakes using email marketing, make sure you send reminders at least once a week. This way you’ll make sure your promotion is on your customer’s mind. Once your sweepstakes has ended and the winner has been drawn, send an email letting your audience know the results. If you want to go the extra mile and cultivate loyalty you can send a discount code to all participants who did not win. This will make your customers feel appreciated.

Are you thinking about creating eCommerce sweepstakes but do not know where to start? Sweeppea is your best option to help you plan a successful and legally compliant promotion. Check out our full-service sweepstakes management package for more information.

SMS

SMS stands for “short message service”. In marketing, SMS refers to how a brand or company communicates with its customers through text messages about promotions, updates, and more. SMS Marketing is very similar to Email Marketing in the sense that you can control when, who, and what your customers receive.

People read 95 percent of all the texts they receive. This means you have a high chance of engaging with your audience when you use SMS marketing. Not only does SMS give you a high chance of engaging your audience, but it also gives you a chance to create a more intimate relationship with the audience. 

If you are looking for a hassle-free and easy way to host your eCommerce Sweepstakes, Sweeppea offers a Self-Service Online Sweepstakes Platform. This platform offers an affordable way to promote and connect with your subscribers. The best part of this Self-Service Platform is that you get unlimited opportunities to send your subscribers promotions, coupons, and discounts. This is the best opportunity to convert sales for your eCommerce store.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of using an experienced Sweepstakes company like Sweeppea to run an eCommerce sweepstakes campaign. If you’re looking for a way to increase sales, build an email and mobile list for remarketing give Sweeppea a call.

Additional Resources

Thank you for making it this far! Now that you know your options and where to get started with your eCommerce Sweepstakes, check out these helpful articles: 

No Purchase Necessary Laws: Can You Run a Sweepstakes That Requires a Purchase to Enter?

Ready to Run a Contest? Laws and What to Include in Your Official Rules

Guidelines for Running a TikTok Contest

How to Include Sweepstakes Rules in Your Social Media Campaigns

Next Steps

Contact us to get started with our sweepstakes platform that includes 24/7 email and phone support.

In addition to our Self-Service Platform, we also have our Full-Service Sweepstakes Management Service. Through this service, we have helped administer promotions within various industries such as Cannabis, Alcohol, and NonProfits.

For more information on how Sweeppea can help you with your next eCommerce sweepstakes, visit ourwebsite oremail us or call us at (888) 705-2049

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