So you want to run a sweepstakes or contest to help promote your products and services. What are your first steps? Hire a sweepstakes provider of course. But how do you find a sweepstakes provider that you can trust?
Here are seven ways to help identify and find a sweepstakes company that you can trust to give you the best chance of success with your campaign.
Seven tips to find a sweepstakes provider
1 – Find a company that has been doing it for more than 5 years
A sweepstakes company you can trust will have been in business for more than 5 years to show they have the experience to stick around and run successful campaigns. Companies like sweepsandcontests.com have been around for over 15 years. You can be assured that a company that can stay in business in such a competitive market is one that has the goods to do right by your contest or sweeps.
2 – Find a company that is full service
A sweepstakes provider that only does one or two things is not really going to be that effective for your business. The right sweepstakes company will cover your whole entire campaign from A to Z – from determining the rules to notifying winners and giving them prizes. If you hire a good sweepstakes company, you will not have to lift a finger.
3 – Find a company that will work with you to determine the best offer
The great thing about contests and sweepstakes or giveaways is that they are immediate customer bait. They help companies both determine what their customers want as well as create buzz around their products and services. This is an invaluable tool and should not be used frivolously. A good sweepstakes provider helps their customers determine the best type of contest, sweeps or giveaway for the customer’s business and has the experience to prove the success of similar campaigns.
4 – Do an internet search in your area and nationally
Check the web for companies that do sweepstakes, and look carefully at their services and what they offer. Pay attention that they cover legal regulations and that they do all the things in these 10 tips. If you find a great company in your area, or that is familiar with your area, this may be of benefit if you are running a local contest.
5 – Check reviews and online complaints
Go on BBB or other websites and do a search to figure out if the company you are interested in has any major complaints from customers. In the internet savvy world, customers have become adept at providing their feedback online for services they receive. Therefore, you may be able to determine if there is a company that has a dodgy reputation. Hearing customers’ experiences can help you identify if there is a style or way that a company operates that you like or dislike. Market research shows that reviews are very helpful for companies and customers to help determine who to do business with.
6 – Put together some ideas and call a few companies for an initial consultation
Take down some ideas you may have for your contest or sweepstakes, and call a few of the companies that fit the criteria above that you are interested in. See if you can schedule initial free consultations with the companies to help give you a feeling of who you might be comfortable working with. This can help you build trust for the company and get comfortable right away to make the decision.
7 – Make sure to get idea of price structure and make the choice that makes sense for your campaign budget
The right sweepstakes provider will help you determine the right budget for your campaign based on the potential ROI (return on investment) that you may get from the sweeps or contest. For instance, they can determine this by figuring out a ballpark figure of customers and the expected conversion rate for getting entries, and if any entrants go ahead and become customers. Getting this idea of ballpark returns helps everyone be comfortable with the right budget to run the contest.
In conclusion, go through these seven steps to help you figure out how to find the right sweepstakes provider for you and your promotion!
