Here are 10 ways to promote your sweepstakes, giveaway or contest. It’s up to you, and your budget, to find the best way to reach your current and future customers. When you use any of these methods, please remember to use the correct disclaimer language and include a way to access the full rules, either in print or online.

1. Posting to your social channels
FREE
Posting about your sweepstakes on your company or brand’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and even LinkedIn and Pinterest, is a no-brainer way to reach your current customers. Try to be creative with your post and be sure to include a link to the rules on the post or on your bio so people can easily find how to enter.

2. Encourage extra entries for sharing on Twitter or Instagram
FREE
Giving extra entries for sharing about a promotion is okay on both the Twitter and Instagram platforms, but Facebook frowns on sharing on personal timelines for entries. When in doubt on any other platform, simply check the promotion guidelines for that platform. And make sure to adhere to FTC guidance about including a hashtag for a #contest or #sweepstakes in the entry to show that the post was made in exchange for an entry into the promotion.

3. Emails to current clients
FREE
If you have an email list of your current customers, include information about your promotion in your next email, or create a special email just for the sweepstakes or contest. Be sure to include a link to the official rules, and only email to people who have opted-in to receive emails.

4. Blog post
FREE
Create a blog post on your company or brand’s web site, or a partners web site to showcase the promotion. Showcase the prizes with photos and descriptions – and give tips on how to enter if it’s a contest.

5. Direct mail
COST OF PRINTING AND POSTAGE
Have a mailing list? Use it! Create a fun mailer or flyer about the promotion and how to enter.

6. Influencers
PAID OR EXCHANGE FOR PRODUCT OR DISCOUNTS
Social influencers are people who have huge social followings, celebrities, or micro-influencers on one platform for a certain niche (e.g. a mechanic on YouTube who fixes a certain type of cars on YouTube or a dog that ice skates on Instagram). Figure out who your audience is, and then look for influencers on Instagram that will post about your contest or sweepstakes for a fee or in exchange for products or services.

7. Web and mobile ads
PAID
Programmatic ads on web and mobile devices are simple to develop and optimize. And you can set your own budget, making this the most attractive of the paid options. Programmatic ads can range from ads on social platforms like Facebook, to ad exchanges across web sites and mobile apps.

8. Search ads
PAID
Buying ads that promote your promotion for the keywords that people might search to find your brand may be the way to give people an extra incentive to click.

9. Print ads
PAID
Print is not dead! Ads in newspapers and magazines still resonate with people, just be prepared for long lead times and high costs for production and placement. Be creative in your placement of print ads and think out of the box – with neighborhood newspapers or association newsletters being a less expensive alternative.

10. Television and radio ads
PAID
If you have a big budget, and want to reach millions of people, TV and radio is where you can get the most impressions. Just be sure to factor in ad creative and production costs, and lots of time into your planning!

Use some creativity when it comes to how you promote your sweepstakes or giveaway and you should have lots of entries! Contact us if you have questions, or need help using any of these promotion methods.

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