Tear Pad Entry Form vs Online Registration Form

Cheryl Thornton, Account Supervisor, contributes this post about tear pad entry forms vs online registration forms.

Long before the start of internet promotions, the ways to enter a sweepstakes were either to 1) mail a 3X5 card to a designated P.O. Box, or 2) to complete a tear pad entry form found on displays in stores or other establishments and deposit it into a ballot box provided. In some cases, the drawings from tear pad entry forms were conducted onsite, while for others the drawings were conducted at a later date. Fast forward to the birth of the internet and online sweepstakes whereby consumers are directed to the Sponsor’s website (or promotion site) to enter a sweepstakes or contest by completing an online registration form. Once the form is completed all a consumer has to do is hit the submit button to be entered into the drawing. Then they can sit back in the comfort of their homes and wait to see if they are a lucky winner. Sounds easy, right? You are probably thinking why would any Sponsor revert back to the “old way” and use tear pad entry forms for their promotions.

Well let’s review the “pros” and “cons” for using either method.

Tear Pad Entry Forms

Pros	Cons
Increase foot traffic in store	Costs to print tear pads
Promote a Grand Opening	Costs to data enter the information collected
Able to conduct drawing onsite	If multiple locations, costs to send boxes to one location for drawing
	Problematic if you run out of tearpads
	Entries can have incomplete data/illegible

Online Sweepstakes Registration Form

Pros	Cons
Encourages repeat visits to site	Passive involvement
Consumer data enters information collected	No foot traffic to stores
Increase web visits
Simple to implement
Never run out of entry forms

In conclusion, the objectives as well as the budget are the key factors for determining which method to utilize for any Sponsor considering a sweepstakes.

Still not sure? Please contact us.

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