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September 30, 2026

Why Most Giveaways Fail to Generate Long-Term Customers

A giveaway wraps up. The entry count looks great, and the team calls it a win. Then three months pass, and none of it shows up anywhere that matters. No bump in repeat purchases. No real growth in the customer list. Just a folder of names nobody opens again.

This happens a lot. Giveaways are easy to run and easy to measure right after launch. Entries are visible, they’re easy to count, and they look great on a recap slide. But entries are not customers. Treating them like the same thing is the root of the problem. The mistakes that cause it aren’t new, either. The same few show up in giveaway after giveaway, and most of them have a straightforward fix once a brand knows to look.

The Prize Attracted the Wrong Crowd

The most common mistake starts before the contest even launches: the prize itself.

A gift card, cash, or a popular gadget with no real link to the brand pulls in a huge crowd. It also pulls in people who have zero interest in what the brand actually sells. These are the accounts that follow every giveaway on their feed, enter dozens a week, and unfollow the moment the winner is picked. Lots of entries, very little interest, and almost no chance any of them become a paying customer.

A prize tied to the product does the opposite. Fewer entries, sure, but the people who show up already care about the category. They’re not there for a free gadget. They’re there because they actually want what the brand makes.

Picking a Prize on Purpose, Not by Habit

This is a tradeoff brands need to make on purpose instead of stumbling into. A big generic prize will always win on raw entry numbers. A relevant prize wins on the number that actually matters six months down the line: how many entrants turn into customers.

Entry Mechanics Never Asked for Anything Useful

Plenty of giveaways ask for the bare minimum. An email address, maybe a follow, maybe a tag. That’s fast for the entrant, but it leaves the brand with almost nothing to work with once the contest is over.

Now compare that to an entry form with a short preference question, a product pick, or a quick quiz. Same effort from the entrant, but now the brand actually learns something. Which product they like. What problem they’re trying to solve. What kind of message might land with them later.

Without that extra layer, every entrant looks identical on paper. A brand has nothing to personalize a follow-up with, so everyone ends up getting the same generic email. Generic emails get generic results.

The One Question Most Forms Skip

A lot of teams drop this question from the form on the assumption that any extra step costs entries. That assumption rarely holds up. One short question barely moves the total number, and the payoff down the line outweighs whatever small dip it might cause on launch day. A brand that asks nothing upfront ends up guessing at everything downstream. A brand that asks one good question skips the guessing entirely.

This has to be fixed at the entry form, not after the fact. Once the contest closes, there’s no way to go back and ask people questions they were never asked to begin with.

The Follow-Up That Never Got Built

This mistake shows up more than any other, and it’s rarely about effort. It’s about where that effort went.

Almost all the planning time on a giveaway goes toward the launch. The creative, the prize, the entry flow, getting the page live. The period after the winner is announced usually gets one “thanks for entering” email and nothing else. Not because anyone decided that on purpose, but because the team is tired, the budget’s gone, and announcing the winner gets treated as the finish line.

But the interest a contest builds doesn’t disappear the day the winner is picked. People who entered are still paying attention right after that announcement. That’s exactly the moment a brand needs a real follow-up plan, and it’s exactly the moment most brands leave empty.

A giveaway with no post-contest plan isn’t really a customer acquisition campaign. It’s a short spike in attention with nothing built to hold onto it.

Everyone Got Treated the Same Way

A flat list of entrants isn’t really an asset yet. It only becomes one once it’s split apart by how each person engaged.

The winner deserves a different message than someone who only submitted an email and did nothing else. Someone who answered a product quiz deserves different follow-up than someone who spent ten seconds on the page. And any existing customers who happened to enter shouldn’t get pushed into a generic “welcome to the brand” series they don’t need.

Skipping this step means every entrant gets the exact same email no matter how engaged they were. That makes a genuinely interested entrant feel like just another name on a list, and it wastes whatever signal the entry form managed to collect.

The Follow-Up Was One Email, Not a Real Sequence

Even brands that do send something after the contest often send just one message, usually the same day the winner is announced. That single email tries to do everything at once. Thank people, promote a product, ask for a follow, and push a sale, all in one shot.

What a Real Sequence Looks Like

A real sequence starts somewhere, builds, and ends somewhere else. The opening message tells people who won, thanks everyone for showing up, and leaves them with a reason to stick around. A second message goes out a few days later with something for everyone who didn’t win, usually a small offer that rewards them without asking for a full purchase. Only after that does the sequence move into an actual product message, ideally tied to whatever the entrant showed interest in during the contest.

Cramming all of that into one email doesn’t just weaken the message. It burns through the best window a brand has to keep the conversation going, since entrants are only paying close attention for a short stretch right around the announcement.

Retargeting Stopped at the Entry List

A lot of brands treat the entrant list as the whole audience worth retargeting, which leaves a big chunk of interested traffic completely untouched.

Anyone who landed on the entry page and left without finishing is a warmer prospect than cold traffic, even if they never actually entered. So is anyone who clicked in from an ad but bounced off the landing page. None of that traffic shows up in the entrant list, but all of it saw the brand and showed some interest.

The other common mistake is running the same ad creative for weeks after the contest ends. Entrants have already sat through a lot of the brand’s messaging in a short window, so that creative goes stale fast. Once the contest wraps, the ad message should pivot toward an actual product or offer instead of repeating a pitch people have already seen.

Lookalike Audiences Get Skipped Too

There’s a second retargeting mistake that’s easy to miss because it doesn’t involve the entrant list at all. A well-run contest produces a useful seed audience for lookalike targeting on paid social, and a lot of brands never build one. The entrants who converted into customers, not just anyone who entered, make the strongest seed group. Skipping this step means the brand only ever markets back to people it already reached, instead of using the contest to find new prospects who look like the ones who actually stuck around.

User-Generated Content Went Straight Into a Folder

If the contest asked people to submit photos, videos, or captions, that content is usually the most wasted asset from the whole campaign.

Real customer photos make better social proof than studio shots most people don’t fully trust anymore. UGC often performs better than polished brand creative in paid social. A recap post brings back people who didn’t enter this time but might next time. None of that happens if the submissions just sit in a folder after the winner is picked.

The other piece brands miss is permissions. Reposting UGC on social and running it in paid ads usually need different levels of rights, and that has to be checked against the official contest rules before any of it goes back out. Skip that check, and content that could have been an asset turns into a legal headache instead.

The Data Never Made It Into the CRM

Even a contest with good segmentation and a solid follow-up plan can still fail long-term if the data dies with the campaign. Contest data sitting in its own spreadsheet, cut off from the brand’s real CRM and lifecycle marketing, is only useful for as long as that one email sequence runs.

Tagging contacts by entry source lets a brand compare contest-driven leads against other channels later on. What matters is how many entrants become paying customers, not how many opened an email. Get quiz answers and preferences into the brand’s personalization work, and a contest stops being a one-off and starts paying off long after it ends.

Nobody Defined What Success Meant Before Launch

The last mistake is the quietest one, and it’s why so many giveaways get called a win when they really weren’t. If a brand only decides what success looks like after the campaign wraps, entry count becomes the default measure, since it’s the easiest number sitting right there.

Setting a thirty- and sixty-day checkpoint before the contest even launches changes that. A target open rate for the follow-up emails. A conversion goal for the retargeted audience. Several UGC pieces cleared for reuse. Picking those numbers ahead of time is what forces a team to actually check back in two months later, instead of letting the whole campaign’s success rest on how big the entry count looked on day one.

Measuring the Right Numbers

Part of why entry count sticks around as the default metric is that it’s the only number that exists the moment the contest closes. Email engagement by segment, retargeting conversion, repeat purchases among entrants, and cleared UGC all take weeks to show up, and by then attention has usually moved to the next campaign.

That’s a reporting problem more than a results problem. A brand that builds a short checklist ahead of time, reviewed at thirty days and again at sixty, gets to see the real outcome instead of guessing at it.

Did entrants from the relevant-prize group convert at a better rate than the ones chasing a generic prize? Did the segmented sequence outperform a single blast email? Those answers only exist if someone bothers to check, and checking only happens when it’s built into the plan from the start rather than left for whoever remembers later.

Fixing the Pattern

None of these mistakes are really about the entry phase. That part usually works fine. Brands are good at getting people to enter something when there’s a decent prize attached.

Where things fall apart is everything the entry phase was supposed to set up. A prize that attracts the right people. An entry form that collects something useful. A segmented list. A real follow-up sequence with an actual arc. Retargeting that reaches past the entrant list. A plan for the content people submitted. And a way to feed all of it into the CRM so it doesn’t disappear the moment the campaign ends.

A giveaway that skips all of this can still hit its entry goal and still fail at the one thing that actually matters: turning a stranger’s five seconds of attention into someone who sticks around. The entry count was never the finish line. It was just the point where the real work was supposed to start.

Instant Win Game for Promotions That Convert

Instant Win Game for Promotions That Convert

A promotion has about two seconds to earn attention before a customer scrolls past it. That is exactly why an instant win game for promotions keeps showing up in high-performing campaign mixes. It replaces passive entry with a real moment of anticipation, and that small change can have a measurable impact on registrations, repeat visits, and purchase consideration.

For marketers under pressure to show stronger engagement without adding operational risk, instant win mechanics solve a very practical problem. They are easy for consumers to understand, fast to play on mobile, and flexible enough to support lead generation, loyalty, sampling, seasonal pushes, and retail traffic goals. When the experience is built correctly, the game feels simple to the user while the backend handles the hard parts – eligibility, randomization, data capture, reporting, legal requirements, and prize fulfillment.

Why an instant win game for promotions works

Most digital campaigns ask too much before they give anything back. Fill out a form, upload content, share with friends, wait for a drawing. That can work in the right context, but it also creates friction. Instant win compresses the value exchange. The participant takes one quick action and gets an immediate outcome.

That immediacy matters because it creates a stronger behavioral response than a standard sweepstakes entry. Users know right away whether they won, and even if they do not, the campaign still delivers a moment of interaction that is memorable. For brands, this translates into longer dwell time, better completion rates, and more opportunities to collect first-party data without making the process feel like work.

There is also a branding advantage. A well-designed instant win experience can carry campaign visuals, seasonal creative, product messaging, and calls to action in a format that feels more like entertainment than advertising. In crowded channels, that difference is not cosmetic. It is often the line between a campaign that gets ignored and one that earns repeated participation.

The business case behind instant win promotions

From a commercial perspective, instant win campaigns are effective because they support multiple objectives at once. A single promotion can capture leads, move users into a CRM workflow, expose participants to product messaging, and reward action in real time. That kind of efficiency matters when marketing teams are balancing acquisition targets with budget scrutiny.

The strongest programs usually tie the game mechanic to a specific outcome. If the goal is database growth, the entry flow can be optimized around registration quality and opt-in strategy. If the goal is loyalty, repeat plays can be structured around daily visits or purchase triggers. If the goal is retail support, prizes can be connected to store traffic, product trial, or coupon redemption.

This is where many off-the-shelf giveaway tools fall short. They may offer a generic scratch-off or wheel, but they rarely address the campaign logic, compliance requirements, and reporting depth that enterprise marketers need. A promotion that looks fun on the surface still needs to perform like a disciplined marketing program underneath.

Choosing the right instant win mechanic

Not every instant win format works for every audience. A spin-to-win experience is familiar and broadly appealing, which makes it a strong option for mass-market campaigns and fast consumer participation. Digital scratch-offs can feel more tactile and reward-focused, especially when the visual reveal is part of the appeal. Pick-a-prize or match-and-win formats can create slightly more involvement and extend time on page.

The decision should come down to audience behavior, campaign context, and the role the promotion plays in the larger funnel. If you need low friction and high volume, simpler is usually better. If you want stronger brand storytelling or a richer creative experience, a more customized game can justify the extra complexity.

There is a trade-off here. The more elaborate the game, the more care is required around mobile usability, page speed, and completion rates. Marketing teams sometimes overestimate how much complexity users will tolerate. In most cases, the best-performing instant win game is the one that feels effortless.

What separates a high-performing campaign from a flashy one

A polished front end helps, but performance comes from structure. The registration experience needs to be short and intentional. Prize logic needs to be planned around volume, odds, and perceived value. The rules need to be clear. The analytics need to show what is happening beyond top-line entries.

That last point deserves more attention than it usually gets. If a campaign generates registrations but the leads are weak, the promotion has not done its job. If participation spikes on day one and fades because the prize cadence is wrong, that is a planning issue, not a creative issue. If the social amplification looks good but traffic sources are not converting, the media strategy needs to be adjusted.

Sophisticated marketers want to know more than how many people played. They want visibility into impressions, registrations, repeat participation, source performance, conversion paths, and user behavior over time. That is how an instant win campaign becomes accountable to business outcomes rather than just engagement metrics.

Legal and operational details are not optional

Instant win promotions look simple to consumers, but the compliance and execution layer is where many campaigns get exposed. Eligibility rules, geographic restrictions, prize disclosures, random winner allocation, official rules, alternate methods of entry, and fulfillment workflows all need to be managed correctly.

This is particularly important for brands operating across multiple states, channels, or partner groups. A promotion tied to purchase behavior, for example, may need a carefully structured no-purchase-necessary path. A campaign with high participation volume may need stronger fraud controls and user verification. A publisher or agency-led execution may require extra oversight around data handling and approvals.

Experienced promotion partners build these requirements into the campaign from the start rather than treating them as cleanup work. That reduces risk, shortens launch cycles, and protects the brand when traffic scales quickly.

Designing for measurable ROI

An instant win game should not sit outside the rest of your marketing stack. It should feed it. Registration fields, opt-in language, audience segmentation, triggered emails, retargeting pools, and post-play offers all need to support what comes next.

For some brands, the next step is a coupon or store locator. For others, it is a loyalty enrollment, a product recommendation, or a follow-up sweepstakes. In education and admissions marketing, it may be a lead nurture path. In hospitality, it may be a room offer or seasonal package. The game opens the door, but conversion happens because the campaign architecture is connected.

Measurement should reflect that full path. A promotion that produces a lower volume of better-qualified leads may outperform one with more entries and less downstream value. It depends on your acquisition economics, sales cycle, and customer lifetime value. That is why campaign strategy matters more than simply choosing a game format.

At Contest Factory, this is where custom execution has a clear advantage. Brands that need more than a basic giveaway can align creative, legal structure, fulfillment, mobile deployment, and analytics within one managed program rather than stitching together separate tools and vendors.

When instant win is the right choice – and when it is not

Instant win is a strong fit when you need fast participation, broad appeal, and a clear value exchange. It works especially well for product launches, seasonal campaigns, loyalty activation, retail promotions, event tie-ins, and database growth initiatives where speed and simplicity matter.

It is not always the best answer if your primary goal is deep storytelling or high-value user-generated content. In those cases, a contest or sweepstakes may do a better job supporting the brand objective. Some of the strongest promotional strategies combine formats – using instant win to drive top-of-funnel participation and a contest or longer-form experience to deepen engagement.

That layered approach often produces better results than relying on one mechanic to do everything. A promotion should be selected because it matches the job, not because it is trendy.

Making the experience feel premium

Consumers know the difference between a campaign that was built for speed and one that was built for the brand. Small details shape trust: responsive mobile design, clean animation, transparent prize messaging, quick load times, and a post-play experience that feels considered rather than abrupt.

Premium does not have to mean complicated. It means the campaign reflects the standards of the brand behind it. For enterprise marketers and agencies, that consistency is not a creative preference. It affects conversion, brand perception, and partner confidence.

A good instant win campaign gives people a reason to act now. A great one turns that moment into measurable value for the brand without creating extra friction for the team managing it. If you are evaluating your next promotion, start with the business outcome you need most – then build a game experience that earns attention and proves its value just as quickly.

Gamification & Interactive Mechanics That Drive Participation

 

Most contests fail because they’re passive. Enter your email, click submit, and wait. There’s no excitement, no incentive to share, and no reason to come back. That’s not engagement. That’s a checkbox. 

Gamification changes that. It isn’t about adding flashy games just for fun. It’s about designing interactive systems that tap into how people actually think and behave. When done right, gamified contests can boost participation, drive referrals, and turn one-time visitors into active brand advocates. 

In this article, we’ll break down the psychology behind gamification and show you how to create interactive experiences that feel like play and convert with purpose. 

Why Gamified Contests Work: The Psychology of Participation 

Before you pick a contest format, it helps to understand what actually motivates people to engage. Gamified contests work because they tap into core psychological triggers that make people want to participate, not just click and exit. 

Humans are wired for rewards, competition, and surprise. We like the thrill of winning, the satisfaction of progress, and the chance to show off. Interactive formats like spin-to-win wheels or instant scratch cards activate these instincts and turn a passive form into an active experience. 

Here are the three biggest psychological drivers behind successful gamified promotions: 

  1. Variable Rewards

Not knowing what you’ll win is often more powerful than the prize itself. Instant win games, spin wheels, and scratch cards keep people coming back because they’re unpredictable. The suspense fuels excitement and encourages repeat interaction. 

  1. Social Proof and Peer Comparison

When people see others participating, sharing, or climbing a leaderboard, it pushes them to join in. Refer-a-friend campaigns and public rankings create a sense of competition and community. Nobody wants to be left behind when their peers are unlocking rewards. 

  1. Progress Tracking

Games that let users earn points, unlock levels, or complete milestones encourage repeat visits and long-term engagement. People love to see progress. It gives them a reason to come back and finish what they started. 

Gamification works not because it’s trendy, but because it speaks to how people naturally behave. Use these triggers thoughtfully, and you’ll create a contest experience people actually want to be part of — and share. 

Proven Interactive Contest Formats That Boost Participation 

Gamified contests are successful when they do two things well: get people to enter and keep them engaged. Below are proven formats that consistently boost participation, time on page, and shares — especially when combined with a strong reward structure and follow-up strategy. 

  1. Spin-to-Win Wheels

This format offers instant gratification with very little friction. Users spin the wheel, get a prize, and feel like they’ve won something — even if it’s a small discount. 

  • Great for collecting emails quickly
     
  • Easy to embed on pop-ups or landing pages
     
  • Add scarcity by limiting big wins to a set number per day
     
  1. Instant Win Games

People love knowing immediately if they’ve won. That sense of instant feedback is powerful. 

  • Encourages repeat participation and return visits
     
  • Works well with countdown timers or daily entry limits
     
  • Example: “Check back tomorrow for another chance to win”
     
  1. Refer-a-Friend Bonuses

Contests become more valuable when they spread organically. Give users more chances to win when they share with others. 

  • Offer extra spins or entries for each successful referral
     
  • Display progress visually: “Invite 3 more friends to unlock your bonus prize”
     
  • Helps build social proof and trust around the contest
     
  1. Leaderboards and Point Systems

If your audience is community-driven or uses your app frequently, this format builds long-term engagement. 

  • Assign points for actions like sharing, posting UGC, or repeat visits
     
  • Display rankings publicly to increase competition
     
  • Ideal for fitness apps, education platforms, or gaming communities
     
  1. Scratch & Reveal or Unlockables

This format feels tactile and fun, especially on mobile. 

  • Great for layered promos like “Reveal your discount” or “Unlock the product drop”
     
  • Works well with coupon-based ecommerce, especially during sales or product launches
     
  • Adds a sense of mystery and anticipation
     

The key to success with these formats is matching the game mechanic to your audience and business goals. Keep it fun, fast, and focused on driving action — not just entries. 

Make It Mobile-First or Risk Losing Entries 

If your contest isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re leaving conversions on the table. Most users will discover your giveaway through social media, email, or mobile search. If the experience doesn’t load fast and feel smooth on a phone, they’ll exit before you get the lead. 

Here’s how to make your gamified contest mobile-ready: 

  1. Keep Entry Forms Short

Ask for the bare minimum. First name and email are enough. You can include one optional field for segmentation, but avoid asking too much up front. 

  1. Design Game Elements for Small Screens

Whether it’s a spin wheel, scratch card, or progress bar, test all interactive elements on mobile. Buttons should be easy to tap, animations should load fast, and nothing should break the layout. 

  1. Avoid Multi-Step Forms Without Visible Progress

If your contest includes several steps, show clear progress. Use percentages or a progress bar to let users know how close they are to finishing. 

  1. Use Auto-Fill and Social Logins

Speed matters. Enable auto-fill for name and email fields. Allow entry through Google, Apple, or Facebook login to reduce friction. 

  1. Test in Social Media App Browsers

Your audience will likely find the contest through Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. Open your landing page inside those apps and test for speed, responsiveness, and formatting issues. 

Mobile-first design is not optional. Keep the experience fast, simple, and smooth so your contest works exactly where your audience already is — on their phones. 

Boost Visibility and UGC Through Gamified Mechanics 

Contests can do more than drive entries. With the right mechanics, they can generate user-generated content (UGC) that builds trust, expands your reach, and fuels your marketing across channels. 

Here’s how to turn participation into content you can actually use: 

  1. Reward Creative Actions

Encourage participants to complete a task in exchange for bonus entries or exclusive rewards. This turns them into co-creators instead of passive entrants.
Examples: 

  • Upload a themed photo to earn 5 extra spins
     
  • Record a short video testimonial for a VIP prize draw
     
  • Share their own product review or tutorial for bonus entries
     
  1. Feature Submissions Publicly

Showcase top user submissions during the campaign. Share photos, stories, or videos on your social feeds and emails. This creates FOMO and encourages others to jump in. People love seeing their content featured by brands. 

  1. Use Timed Prompts to Keep Momentum

Keep things fresh by rolling out daily or weekly challenges. Ask users to respond to a new prompt, like posting a “before and after” or sharing their favorite product hack. Timed prompts keep your campaign from going stale. 

  1. Let Users Vote

Allow your audience to vote on submitted content. This turns casual viewers into active participants and spreads visibility through shares. It also increases trust by showing authentic engagement from real users. 

  1. Combine UGC with Prizes

Offer weekly or daily rewards for the best submission. This motivates higher quality content and keeps participation high throughout the contest. 

UGC makes your campaign work twice as hard. It brings in new traffic, builds social proof, and gives you creative assets to repurpose long after the contest ends. 

Post-Game Strategy: What to Do After the Fun Ends 

The contest is over, but your work isn’t. If you stop engaging users once the campaign ends, you lose the momentum you worked hard to build. 

To turn those interactions into long-term value, follow up with a clear and strategic plan. 

  1. Send Immediate, Personalized Follow-Ups

Once the contest ends, trigger automated emails based on each user’s experience. 

  • Example: “You unlocked 10% off. Here’s how to use it before it expires.”
     
  • Winners should receive redemption instructions and a thank-you message
     
  • Non-winners should get a consolation offer or an invite to your next campaign
     
  1. Segment Based on Engagement

Group your participants based on their actions so you can tailor future messaging. 

  • Users who shared the contest are potential brand advocates
     
  • Those who referred friends often become high-lifetime-value customers
     
  • Anyone who uploaded user-generated content is more likely to join loyalty or referral programs
     
  1. Keep High-Engagement Users in Your Inner Circle

Some participants go above and beyond. They share multiple times, create strong content, or drive several referrals. Keep them close. 

  • Invite them to future exclusive campaigns
     
  • Give early access to product launches
     
  • Feature their content in follow-up promotions or on your social media
     

A contest doesn’t end when the winner is announced. It should mark the start of a deeper customer relationship that fuels long-term growth. 

Conclusion: Make Contests Worth Participating In 

If your contest feels like a chore, people won’t engage. The best campaigns are simple, fun, and built with the user in mind. When you create experiences that are mobile-friendly, rewarding, and interactive, you don’t just get entries — you earn attention, referrals, and lasting brand connection. 

Gamified mechanics reduce acquisition costs, boost participation, and generate content you can use long after the contest ends. 

If you want to build a campaign that your audience actually wants to play and share, The Content Factory is here to help. Let’s create something that delivers real ROI. 

Gamification: The Jolt Your Campaigns Need

To say that the marketing industry in general is currently at a crossroads is something of a dramatic understatement. According to a 2017 study conducted by the experts at PageFair, 615 million devices around the world now have some type of ad blocking software installed on themi – a number that equals roughly 11% of the global Internet population. This means one thing: people no longer want to be “sold to,” which has harrowing implications if selling is your job.

 

This doesn’t mean that “marketing is dead,” however – far from it. It just needs to evolve as the world around us continues to do the same. The concept of “gamification” and other incentive-based marketing initiatives therefore become the best way to engage with your target audience on a whole new level and circumvent modern day marketing challenges at the exact same time.

 

What is Gamification?

Marketing is about nothing if not engagement, which is exactly what you create through gamification. As a term, gamification describes the act of taking elements that are typical to game playing (like scoring points, competing with others, etc.) and applying them to your marketing campaigns. Instead of running a more traditional campaign, you can instead take your message and package it around something like a sweepstakes, an instant win game, or a user-generated contest.

 

Gamification works because it transforms marketing from a passive experience into an active one – your audience has an opportunity to participate in your campaign beyond simply buying a product or service. Giving someone the chance to win a prize, receive other rewards, or gain some type of recognition is a perfect way to increase their own motivation to interact with your brand – thus making them more receptive to your marketing message in the first place.

 

When you consider that the worldwide gamification market grew from $242 million in 2012 to an incredible $2.8 billion in 2016ii, it’s clear that this doesn’t just work – it works incredibly well. It’s also one trend that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

 

In the modern era, gamification and other incentive-based promotional tactics are by far the best, most organic ways to not only promote your business but to also generate leads, increase brand awareness and renew customer loyalty – all at the same time. If you’d like to find out more information about gamification as a concept, or if you have any additional questions you’d like to see answered, please don’t delay – contact Contest Factory today!

 

i Matthew Cortland “2017 Adblock Report,” PageFair

ii Tim Pickard “5 Statistics That Prove Gamification is the Future of the Workplace,” Business

How to Leverage the Value of Contest Submissions

Contest Submission Value

Hosting a contest through your business is a great way to get new leads that you can convert into customers. However, unless you know what to do with these leads, you will never convert them into sales. If these leads are never converted, then they do no good for your company.

 

Gather Your Leads

When you host a contest or sweepstakes, you want to make sure that you capture useful data from the people who enter. At a bare minimum, an email address and name should be required fields for anyone to enter your contest. Additional fields such as a city, state, zip code, age, gender, or phone number may also be useful depending on your needs, but don’t require too much information or people may shy away from entering. You’ll want all this information to be gathered into a database that you can use for conversions. If possible, you’ll want this to automatically happen when people enter the contest so you do not have to manually enter the data into spreadsheets. This automation also makes it easy to use going forward, which is why it is so important to have.

 

Launch an Email Campaign

An email campaign is the most basic conversion tactic that you can do with your leads database but it can also be the most impactful. While there will always be people who do not respond or even unsubscribe from your list, those who do respond become valuable conversion prospects. You can start with just one or two emails per week. Do not simply tell them about your product or service, but instead offer them some discounts or a flash sale to entice them to take action.

You want your leads to turn into something profitable for your company and this is just one way to do that. There are many other conversion tactics you can do with your leads over time, but a basic email campaign is a great way to start.

 

Announcing the Industry’s First Self-Service Instant Win Platform: SpinZone

Contest Factory is proud to announce the release of SpinZone®, an industry first Self-Service Animated Instant Win Game. At its core, SpinZone was designed to give marketers from all business sizes the opportunity to create fun and engaging instant win game promotions at a fraction of the cost and time normally required. With a user friendly instant win platform designed to help speed along the process, this means that running multiple promotions isn’t just more affordable – it can also be created and launched in minutes.

 

“Up until now, animated Instant Win Games and similar types of promotions have only been available to large brands and businesses because of how expensive they are and how much time they take to create” said Dr. Iman Foroutan, Founder and CEO of Contest Factory. “We wanted to change things. With SpinZone, ALL SIZE businesses can now create and publish attractive and customizable Instant Win Games in MINUTES at a fraction of the cost.”

 

Indeed, SpinZone Instant Win Games can be created in as little as fifteen minutes. A host of unique designs, sound effects, and images can help create brand continuity and enrich the user experience, thus making your online promotion stand out. Users can select from over 60 professionally designed instant win platform templates. They can then add the SpinZone game and simultaneously publish the desktop, tablet and mobile-optimized versions on multiple channels like Microsite, iFrames, and Facebook.

 

By incentivizing social sharing capabilities over Facebook, Twitter and email, it’s now easier for marketers to create visually stunning, highly engaging instant win platform promotions that will be seen by the widest possible audience.

 

“As is true with our Self Service Sweepstakes platform, ALL of Contest Factory’s Self Service Instant Win Games feature legally compliant Official Rules and White Label options,” said Dr. Foroutan. This allows marketers to enjoy all of the engagement and brand awareness benefits that only SpinZone can bring to the table with as few of the potential downsides as possible.

 

Those who are interested in seeing SpinZone in action, or those looking for more information about the other products and services that Contest Factory has released, are encouraged to visit the company’s official website.

 

PRWEB