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Fan Sweepstakes

Playbook Tactic

What to expect

Think up a prize your fans will love 

The best gifts are thoughtful and come from the heart. Think about something your fans would really appreciate — and be creative! Don't be afraid to get personal either. The more well-thought out your prize is, the better your chances of getting traction. Below are some basic ideas to get your creative juices flowing, but don't stop there.

  • Tickets to an upcoming show

  • Merch item or bundle​​​​​

  • Signed item (vinyl, guitar, etc)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • Virtual meet and greet

  • Social shout out

Decide on timeframe

  • Choose a date to announce the sweepstakes and a date to name the winner

  • We recommend anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks — strike the right balance between giving people a chance to enter and holding their attention

Make a content plan

  • Make an outline of what kind of content you'll share on each of your social channels to promote the giveaway

  • Think about what kind of content resonates with your audience

  • Keep your content authentic and personal

  • It's a good idea for at least one piece of content to be an official sweepstakes flier which has all of the relevant info — make it easy to enter

How it works

Think of an awesome prize your fans would love to win and offer it as an incentive for them to follow you on Bandsintown and join your Email/SMS list. It's a win-win and requires little to no marketing budget.

01. Plan your fan sweepstakes

Tips for creating an effective giveaway asset: 

  • Create different sizes to cover all of your channels

  • If possible, include an image or video of the prize

  • Favor video assets over still images to maximize engagement

  • Include a clear call-to-action like "Follow to Win"

It's time to execute that content plan. Share what you've created on your social channels, existing email list, website, streaming channels, and anywhere else you engage with fans. Tell strangers on the subway. Shout from the rooftops!

After announcing, make sure to engage with any followers who comment or ask questions, and remind followers how much time they have left to enter.

Choose a winner and hook them up

  • Once the sweepstakes entry window has closed, it's time to pick a winner

  • We recommend choosing someone at random from the list of new contacts in your Fan Manager — just make sure they followed during the sweepstakes period

  • Message to let them know they've won and collect their info to send their prize

  • Use the same channels you promote the giveaway on to announce the winner

Pro tip: Don't be afraid to ask your winner(s) to post a picture or video with their prize for you to share

Grow your following and mailing list with a fan sweepstakes

The Tools

Step-by-Step Guide

Grow your Bandsintown following

Grow your Email/SMS lists

Reward engaged fans

Get your Bandsintown Smart Link ready

  • Fans enter your sweepstakes through your Bandsintown Smart Link

  • Once they click the Follow, RSVP, or Play My City buttons, they can plug in their name, email, city, and phone number (optional)

  • You can see all fan entries from your Fan Manager dashboard

02. Share your fan sweepstakes

03. Announce your winners

04. Learn from the data

Review performance and gain insights

See how your campaign did by looking at the below key performance indicators.

New fans gained each day

See how many new fans you added each day during the campaign in your Insights and compare this number with figures from previous campaigns.

New fan retention

Check back in a few weeks to see how many of those new followers continue following you after the sweepstakes ends.

Views and clicks on your Smart Link

See how many people viewed or clicked your Smart Link in the Insights section of your Bandsintown Artist Dashboard.

Social engagements

How many people liked, commented or engaged with your posts about the sweepstakes?

Scroll Up!

Ready to tap into 75+ MILLION

live music fans

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