As I move on to my 4th alternate for a Grand Prize I wonder why someone enters a sweepstakes if they don’t want to win?
You want to believe that people take the time to enter sweepstakes because they want to win the Grand Prize (and learn more about your product). Then why is it so hard to get someone to accept a prize? Do they question the legitimacy of the promotion? Are they concerned about sharing PI (personal information)? Are they concerned about paying the taxes? Then why enter?
I can’t tell you why entrants do what they do but I can tell you social media demands posting winner information asap…just ask my current client as we get daily posts wondering why a winner has not been announced. Writing in for winners lists is a thing of the past…entrants expect winners names to be posted within 48-72 hours of the promotion close. So what to do? Obviously I haven’t come up with a solution, remember I’m on my 4th alternate…but when developing a promotion keep in mind, not everyone is an “ideal” winner, keep things simple and keep your fingers crossed that your winner is in it for the prize!
“You want to believe that people take the time to enter sweepstakes because they want to win the Grand Prize”
Some might wish to win 1st or 2nd prizes instead. A GP is usually chosen for its allure; that allure may not be so highly valued to all participants.
Circumstances change: that special event trip that was gleaming in ‘the future’ winds up bumping into real-time plans; or the tax burden that seemed ‘do-able’ was negated by the unexpected car repair.
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PS: Writing for a winner’s list? Always seemed to be a dicey proposition; low fulfillment rate. (sorry)
I have gotten many phones called saying I have won a large amount of money and car, but it’s always followed by wanting me to put money on a card. So I checked the place where the prize supposed to be coming from and learn that I don’t have to pay anything. So because of that I may have prizes out there but I will not give out my money for a maybe prize
Please note that you never have to pay any monies in order to receive a prize won in a Sweepstakes. Any prize notification that requests money is not legitimate. For more details, see our Scam Alert at https://www.mardenkane.com/scammer-alert.cfm.
Sometimes I am hoping to win first, second, third or other lesser prizes being offered by the sponsors. I have entered many sweepstaks where it was one of the lesser prizes I was hoping to win, and on occasion have been lucky enough to win what I was hoping for. I have never been notified of winning a prize I did not want; but, if I were to be notified of a prize win that wasn’t the one I had entered the sweepstakes hoping to win, I might decide not to accept (for reasons such as, it wasn’t something I could use; I didn’t want the hassle of trying to sell it; or didn’t want to have to pay taxes on it, etc
I do appreciate your articles (this one and one other on this same subject that you posted)
Your articles are very interesting and informative and gives those of us who enter sweepstakes an opportunity to hear and understand your perspective on this subject.
Thank you for posting these articles. I have certainly benefitted from you sharing your views. Thank you, Phyllis Butler (an avid sweeper!!)
Question in regards to this, you pick a name and then what?
Do you call them? If so what happens if they don’t answer? How long after do you select someone else?
What is the process (if you can say) for selecting that one person?
This varies by promotion, but it should be included in the Official Rules.