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What’s the Outlook for Sweepstakes in 2019?

Is sweepstakes marketing slowing down in 2019? Nope. Thanks to the rise of social media and text to win, there has been an explosion in the use of sweepstakes marketing in recent years. And we expect it to continue in 2019.

When you compare the marketing methods companies use, sweepstakes are still up there and still a viable way to engage consumers and build brand awareness. With a sweepstakes, there is no requirement to purchase and the campaign is easy to promote, both online and off.

Social media and SMS text have made it easier than ever to run a sweepstakes, so if it seems like almost every company is doing it, you’re not wrong. It used to be a tactic for only large brands that could afford to give away large prizes. That’s no longer the case. 

So are consumers getting over-saturated with sweepstakes?

Absolutely, not. While there is more competition for attention, brands are still using it as a valuable tool and consumers are still happy to enter. Also, with each sweeps targeting a specific audience, consumers are only likely to see campaigns in their market or for brands they’re following. 

Sweepstakes are still a popular and a valuable tactic that will continue to be used by many brands in 2019 and beyond. However, creativity is key if a company wants to stand out.

Consider these strategies to benefit your brand in a unique way:

Reposition Your Brand With Customers

A sweepstakes offers an opportunity for you to get customers to think differently about your brand. After updating your brand, running a text to win can get new customers interested in your brand who might have never considered your product or service previously.

Also Read: How to Use Text SMS Sweepstakes for Event Marketing

Turn Your Sweepstakes into a Loyalty Program

With sweepstakes that offer small prizes, you can run the sweepstakes on a regularly basis which essentially creates a loyalty program for your business. By giving your entrants more opportunities to win, you can identify customers who are the most loyal to your brand.

Use it as a lead-in to your loyalty email list or loyalty app and continue the conversation there. 

Tie Your Story to Your Sweepstakes

Don’t just let customers know about your prize. Create a story that shows how the prize correlates with your brand.

For example, if your company sells rum, you could offer a trip to the city/country where the rum is made, along with a tour of the distillery. Or if your brand supports a cause or sport, perhaps tickets to a related event. This will help your customers to become more engaged with your brand and the promotion.

With a little effort, you can create a sweepstakes that adds value to your brand. 

Promote your brand with a text SMS sweepstakes from Sweeppea! To get started now, see features and pricing.