Holding Successful Drawings & Contests

Contests and drawings can be a great way to pull in business. However, if not done correctly you can end up with nothing but a whole lot of freebie seekers. The rule of quality over quantity applies here!

Just a few weeks ago I held a drawing for a $25 gift certificate. I learned quite a bit from this drawing, and will be able to fine tune this type of promotion in the future. One of the main points I learned was the key to a successful drawing is when you get the absolute most exposure and leads as a result. There are several main points you'll want to focus on with your drawing.

With your drawing, you should:

- Gather information from potential customers
In the last drawing I did, I asked those entering a few simple questions aside from basic information of name and address that had to do with the site. They actually had to look around before filling in an answer. Forms that weren't complete were tossed, since the rules were clearly posted and said "please fill out form completely". I was able to weed out those that were trying to grab a freebie from those that were truly interested enough to follow rules.

I also was able to gather some interesting information about my customers, like how much they spend a month on my type of product, and how often they use it. Valuable information since it comes straight from the customer!

- Schedule catalog shows and online parties
With any drawing online or offline, you'll want to ask those entering about being a hostess. It's a way of using the freebie seekers to your advantage. You know they won't buy, but they can find people that will and still get their free products.

- Sign up newsletter subscribers
If you want a responsive list, don't force them to sign up to enter your drawing. Making them do nothing but enter an email address to enter isn't going to do you any good, and they'll probably use a "throw away" email address to send your newsletter to. Instead, plug your newsletter AFTER they enter your drawing. Give them a chance to look around your site first with the questionnaire, and THEN offer the newsletter. You'll build a much more responsive list this way.

- Build a relationship with winner
At the end of the drawing and after you pick your winner, you can now build a relationship with them for future orders. Follow up, ask questions, talk to them, etc. Treat them as you would any other customer!

One of my main regrets for the last drawing I held was that I didn't ask enough questions. Had I done a longer questionnaire, I could have gotten more information and kept the potential customer on my site longer. It's in my notes, that's for sure. ;)

The main point here is, don't make it easy. Easy to figure out, but not easy to enter. Don't be afraid to make them jump through a few hoops. You may not end up with as many entering, but you'll have a much more targeted group of entries. The more work they do to enter, the more interested they are!

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Anita DeFrank & Kara Kelso, authors of Direct Sales Success, specialize in coaching direct sales representatives to reach their goal of becoming successful in their field. Visit http://www.directsaleshelpers.com/ for free weekly tips.