Fae Savignano, our own EVP, explains what a qualified entry sweepstakes is, and why they could be a great part of your next brand promotion.

A sweepstakes entrant may ask…Why do I need to respond to all of these extra questions just to enter a sweepstakes? Are they really required? Don’t they just need my name or email to process my entry?

A sweepstakes sponsor may ask…Is it a good idea to ask a few brand related questions? Will I get fewer entries by making the entry process longer? Would this constitute non-monetary consideration?

These are all great questions deserving great answers…

A sweepstakes entry will usually ask for all or some of the following information: your full name, address, telephone number, and email address.  This information will be used by the sponsor and their administrator to determine entry eligibility and limitations as well as to contact potential winners. Some sweepstakes will also ask for the entrant’s age and/or their date of birth to ensure that they meet the age of eligibility for the advertised brand, product, prize offering, etc. Age gates are also placed on specific sweepstakes that are sponsored by regulated industries such as alcohol, wine and spirits. And, since there are specific laws governing the collection of personal information from minors, sponsors must confirm the age of the entrant before any information is collected. For additional sweepstakes entry information please read our blog, What Should Be Required for a Sweepstakes Entry?

Now, here is when a standard sweepstakes entry (above) becomes a qualified sweepstakes entry. Including additional required questions and/or tasks on your entry form will transform your standard entry into a qualified entry. Here is a successful case study of a qualified entry sweepstakes we administered for your reference, Case Study: Domino Sugar Sweet Memories Qualified Entry Sweepstakes.

There are several reasons why a qualified entry is a good idea:

• the information provided is beneficial for designing future marketing initiatives, targeted marketing and lead generation
• responses to specific questions allows sponsors to learn about their customers and their brand connection, which can trigger instant discounts and customized offers
• collect valuable customer data that would allow them to more effectively market their products
• consenting to like/follow the sponsors social media page(s), receive marketing emails and subscribe to their newsletters will increase ad-engagement, and build up a database of new sales leads and future loyal customers
• requesting to post and/or comment to a specific sponsor/brand post will generate direct consumer involvement with the brand and attract new and relevant fans
• answering questions about a product/brand by searching the sponsors website, reading their ads and displays will reinforce brand messaging, involvement, knowledge and awareness
• sharing and referring friends to obtain additional entries is a valuable community builder and a way to spread the word

Things to look out for:

• the Sponsor will need to weigh the pros and cons of including additional questions/requirements to their standard entry, keeping in mind that the more complicated the entry the less number of entries will be received
• most importantly, to keep your sweepstakes from becoming an illegal game of chance, you must ensure that there is no non-monetary consideration present.
  • non-monetary consideration is when the consumer must exert a certain level of time and/or effort to enter the promotion, even though no actual monetary purchase is required, such as:
    • completion of lengthy questionnaires
    • traveling to a faraway location
    • review content or sit through a sales presentation for a lengthy time
    • disclosure of proprietary information
    • see What is “Consideration” in a Sweepstakes? for more information

All in all, running a Qualified Entry Sweepstakes is a good idea for Sponsors as the benefit of the valuable customer information provided via the queries presented outweighs the total number of entries received. And for the entrant/consumer this is an opportunity to share your opinions and experience the brand evolution by your participation.

Please contact us if you want us to assist you in administering your next Qualified Entry Sweepstakes and authoring the official rules that will ensure a successful and legally compliant promotion.

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