Six Steps to a Better Giveaway, Pt. 2

In the previous section of this two-part article, we talked about the first three steps to help you plan a better giveaway. Here are the rest of the steps.

4) Set your contest rules.

Each giveaway has different rules. Just make sure you state them up front. How will contestants enter? Can they earn extra entries by blogging, tweeting or facebooking the contest link? Is it only open to US residents? Residents of your own country? Do they need to write a short essay of why they want to win? Remember that the smaller the prize, the less people will want to do in order to enter.

5) Publicize the giveaway.

How will you get the word out? Of course, you’ll post on your site. What else? There’s Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget giveaway carnivals and sites, too. Some need lead time to get your contest up, so make sure you have a week or two if you submit to those sites. You can have entrants spread the word, too, for extra entries. Just have them leave you a link with how/where they publicized it.

6) Choose the method of selecting a winner.

If you use a random number generator, everyone has an equal chance to win with their entry. For small prizes and contests, this will work the best. It’s easy for you and them.

But what if you scored a big prize? You may want people to work a little more for it. Some will love the idea, others will hate doing more than leaving a quick comment. More work for the entrants also means more work for you. You could have them submit a short statement or essay in the comments. And you, or a panel, could choose the best entry. This will be a lot more work for you, so just think about it before jumping in. Most people who run giveaways aren’t paid for their time administering the contest. They do it to give value to their readers, or because it’s fun.

If you have a large following, loyal readers, and a big response to your contests, you may be contacted by companies or their PR firms about hosting a giveaway. You’ll have to decide, depending on their criteria, whether it’s worth it for you. Is it a big contest? Will there be lots of rules and a huge prize? That could take hours of your time. Will you do that without charging a fee for the time it takes to run the contest? I’ve seen debates about this (which is completely separate from paying people for reviews – a whole other topic), so you’ll have to decide your policy ahead of time. Have it written out, ready to send to inquirers or just posted in your site disclosures.

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Running a contest can be hard work. For some, it’s worth the time and effort. They enjoy the interaction or feel like they are adding value for their readers. Everyone’s different and you’ll have to decide for yourself whether a contest is worth it for you and your site. I hope that thinking through these steps will help you decide before you get overwhelmed in a contest.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer or tax professional. Check your local laws for any taxes or restrictions related to giveaways. Your mileage may vary. Always give away responsibly. Void where prohibited.

image: sxc.hu