Sweeps Don’ts
DON’T lose sight of your primary objective. Sweepstakes are usually quantitative — they can draw the interest of a large number of people, but they’re not necessarily targeting the people who use your product.
DON’T skip sweepstakes due to budget. Compared to other promotion strategies, sweepstakes are relatively inexpensive. Here’s why: A sweepstakes may engage 100,000 consumers but, in the end, you’re rewarding only one with the grand prize.
DON’T overdo it in the prize department. Your prize is the quintessential promotional “hook” that can draw people to your product display, your website, your event or your fan page. Think one-of-a-kind experiences, but don’t go overboard. Offer only as many prizes and spend only as much on prizes as it takes to get the desired response. Remember that consumers focus on the grand prize when deciding whether or not to participate.
DON’T get caught up in the number of entries you receive. Your sweepstakes is simply a means to an end — it’s the hook you’re using to engage shoppers with your product or website and, ideally, drive sales.
