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Text to Win

Launch your own text to win sweepstakes.

Text to win is an excellent way to engage with your customers or target audience. Everyone loves the opportunity to win something and running it all through a simple text sweepstakes makes it fun.

We've helped thousands of businesses and organizations launch their own text to win contests with outstanding success. Our SMS marketing software has everything you need to set up a contest and automate the process.

Example of a text to win sweepstakes on an iPhone

Used By the World's Greatest Companies

Harry and David Hello Fresh
iHop Dairy Queen
Gamestop Canon
Bayer Sysco
Universal Music Samsung
Edelman American Cancer Society
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What is Text to Win?

Text to win is a term used for sweepstakes or contests that are run entirely through text messaging. People enter text to win contests by texting a special keyword to a 5 or 6 digit number called a short code.

Text sweepstakes have become increasingly popular as people are plugged into their mobile devices more than ever before. Text message engagement is higher than any other communication channel which makes SMS contests a no-brainer.

Text to win sweepstakes opt in example
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Why Run a Text to Win Sweepstakes?

There are many reasons why brands choose to run text sweepstakes. Companies who use mass texting services run contests as they're are great way to grow subscriber lists. Because each person who enters a contest can be opted into future text promotions, it makes sweepstakes a great way to grow their lists.

For companies that aren't looking to remarket through SMS, text to win is still one of the best ways to engage with their customers. Text messaging is a low touch, low effort way for people to interact with their favorite brands. Text sweepstakes help companies stay top of mind and attract new customers with a relatively low amount of effort.

SMS contest response

How Text to Win Sweepstakes Work

The overall structure of how a text sweepstakes works is simple. With the various options and ways to configure them, our text message marketing software provides the flexibility you need to run a text to win contests according to your specifications. The setup is simple and is just one of the great way you can automate your text message engagements.

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Setting Up a Text to Win Sweepstakes

Our service makes setting up and managing your text sweepstakes extremely easy. We'll ask you a series of questions about how you want the contest to run and once set, our software handles the rest.

People enter by using keywords. When someone texts your keyword to your short code or number, they will instantly be entered into your sweepstakes. Additionally, if they haven't already joined your text marketing program, they will be opted into that as well. This makes text to win a great way to grow your subscriber list.

There are several configurations you can make to have your sweepstakes run the way you want. These are the series of questions we mentioned above. Some of those include:

  • Which keyword you want people to text?
  • When you want the contest to start and end?
  • How many winners you want to award?
  • What the auto response is for people who enter?
  • What the text message to the winners will say once the sweepstakes is complete?
  • What you want to send to the losers, if anything?

We also provide more advanced settings for those who require additional control. Sometimes customizing the experience for participants provides even more engagement and ROI.

Interface for setting up a text to win sweepstakes
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How Sweepstakes Winners Are Chosen

Throughout your contest or when it ends, our software will automatically select the winner(s) at random and send them a text blast with your winning message. If you'd like to choose the winner's yourself, we offer that option as well. Additionally, you can send a text to the losers if that fits in with your promotion strategy.

The best part is that the entire processes runs on its own once set up. Whether you're looking to run a one time text to win sweepstakes or want to kick off a new SMS marketing program with a contest, our service is the perfect solution for you. Don't hesitate to reach out to our team with any questions you may have.

Example of a winning SMS sweepstakes text message
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Text to Win Analytics

Analytics and reporting are key components for any text to win sweepstakes. Understanding levels of engagement will help you to fine tune your contests and boost future participation. From your SlickText dashboard, you'll have access to live reports for each of the contests you run. Every report will give you insights into important information like how many people have entered, what the status is, and who the winners or losers are.

Having total visibility on performance is paramount. In addition to the standard metrics, our system will notify you whenever your sweepstakes has awarded winners and who those people are so that you can reach out and take the next steps.

Screenshot of SlickText's text to win analytics

Text to Win FAQs

While text sweepstakes are fairly simple and straightforward, we see similar questions from people who are looking to run a contest of their own. Here are the most frequently asked questions regarding our text to win service.

How are sweepstakes winners chosen?

Our text to win service offers several flexible options for choosing winners. They can be chosen automatically at random or you can choose them individually after the contest has completed. Additionally, we have options to allow you to pick winners at various intervals while your text sweepstakes are running.

How do people enter text sweepstakes?

People enter your text sweepstakes by texting a specific word known as a keyword to your short code or phone number. When someone enters, they’ll receive an automated response confirming their entry.

Can I text people after my contest is over?

Yes, you can text people after the sweepstakes is over but only if it’s been made clear to the entrants that they’ve opted into future text messages. If people haven’t consented to receive recurring texts from you, you should not continue to text them.

Are there specific sweepstakes rules I need to follow?

There aren’t any specific rules you need to follow as it pertains to the text sweepstakes itself. You should, however, be following the common best practices for SMS marketing. Some of the basics include setting expectations about what your entrants can expect to receive, making sure they know how to opt out, and only texting them during normal hours.

Why choose us

Why Choose SlickText For Your Text to Win Sweepstakes?

We know there are a handful of text to win services out there today. You might be asking yourself, "why choose SlickText?" There are many reasons. Here are 3 of the biggest...

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A Simple Setup Process

Setting up your contests couldn't be easier. Just answer some simple questions on how you want them be configured. Your text to win sweepstakes can be up and running in a matter of minutes with no further intervention.

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100% Automation

Our SMS contests are totally automated. Once you've completed your set up, our system handles everything from picking winners, informing losers, and sending you alerts on who has won.

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Rich Analytics & Reporting

Each sweepstakes comes with live reporting that gives you detailed insight into what's happening. You can see in real time who has entered, how many new subscribers have joined, who your winners are, and more.

Launch a Text to Win Sweepstakes Today!

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