When done right, sweepstakes and contest promotions are a great way to build excitement and promote your brand. When they go wrong however, they can lead to problems. The best way to avoid trouble is to hire a professional sweepstakes management agency to handle your promotion. In the meantime, here are some surefire ways to sabotage your sweeps.

MISTAKE #1: Is It A Sweepstakes Or A Contest Or A Duck?

People use the terms interchangeably, but sweepstakes and contests are different animals and are subject to different sets of laws, so it pays to know the difference. A sweepstakes is a promotion where winners are chosen by chance. Contests, on the other hand, involve some element of skill (submit a recipe or write an essay). Contest entrants must be evaluated under objective, predetermined criteria by one or more judges. In many states, you can include a fee to enter a contest.

MISTAKE #2: Hey! Let’s Run An Illegal Lottery!

Lotteries are highly regulated (and mostly banned), so it’s important to know what they look like so you can avoid them. You’ve got yourself an unlawful lottery when all three of the following elements are present: 1) a prize, 2) chance, and 3) consideration (a purchase or fee).

MISTAKE #3: Forget the Lawyer, they’re on the Server Somewhere.

Believe it or not, some companies figure that sweepstakes rules are pretty much boilerplate and “repurpose” old rules to cover a new promotion. Big mistake. The rules are your contract with the consumer and should be carefully drafted for every promotion by experienced legal pros to ensure compliance with the law. Although the majority of people may never read the official rules, you must have solid legal rules that incorporate the latest state and federal regulations. Without them, your risk of liability increases.

MISTAKE #4: Hide The Rules.

Your rules can only protect you if they are properly disseminated to the public, so don’t hide them! Post them conspicuously wherever participants enter the sweepstakes or contest. We understand that space can be an issue, especially on Twitter and other online platforms. Use shortened links to your website or a third party application to publicize rules, and remember to obtain entrants’ consent to the official rules prior to entry.

MISTAKE #5: Forgetting the Small Print.

Abbreviated rules and disclaimers should be included in all of your advertising materials (print, radio, television, web, etc.) to ensure they’re consistent with the promotional offer and with all federal and state regulations. If you see ads or banners or other promotional messaging without the “mice type,” that company is not playing by the rules.

MISTAKE #6: Letting the Big Apple Bite You.

Certain states require the registration and, in some cases, bonding of promotions. New York, for example, requires that consumer sweepstakes be registered and bonded 30 days before the commencement of the sweepstakes, if the value of the prize offered is more than $5,000.00. Make sure your promotion meets all such requirements or you could face stiff penalties and sanctions.

MISTAKE #7: Getting all up in Facebook’s Face.

The last thing you want is for your brand or business to be banned from any major social network. Each platform has strict rules and guidelines about running contests and promotions, so before you even think about launching one, you need to know what they are.

MISTAKE #8: Dissing Uncle Sam.

You are responsible for reporting winnings for winners who receive $600 or more in prizes and will need to prepare and issue the appropriate IRS tax forms to all applicable winners and submit the appropriate winnings and documentation to the IRS. This is important.

The post 8 BIG SWEEPSTAKES MISTAKES appeared first on Haley Miranda Group.

Successful events are anything but boring. Here are a few tried-and-true techniques that will help you create powerful, memorable events that engage and entertain.

Hire A Good Emcee

Emcees aren’t just for awards shows—they’re for any event where you want to keep the energy level high, deliver key messages with show-biz flair and make one-on-one connections with your guests.

Play Music

Nothing says “boring” like chirping crickets. Music will give your event energy and emotion.

Invite Special Guests

You’d be amazed at how many people will line up to have their picture taken with a guy in a sponge suit. One caveat: make sure the guest is relevant to your message.

Be Spontaneous

A little bit of planned “spontaneity” can really keep an event hopping. Engage guests with impromptu dance contests, sing-alongs or games related to your brand and message. (Good thing you have an emcee and music.)

Have Giveaways

Everybody loves a freebie—but make it count by choosing premiums that are on-brand, have intrinsic value and will leave a lasting impression.

Be Social

Provide opportunities for your guests to share the experience with their friends via social media, thus creating a pass-along effect for your product or service.

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It’s not uncommon to hear people groan out loud when they see a long line. But sometimes lines are unavoidable. According to the experts in the field of queuing psychology, it isn’t the wait time that counts, it’s how you experience that wait time. What can you do to make the wait time more enjoyable for your guests? And how can you take advantage of this captive audience? Here are some tips for decreasing frustration and making people feel better, or even happy, about waiting in line.

Filled Time Passes More Quickly Than Empty Time

Eliminating “empty time” makes the wait seem shorter. Reduce the perceived waiting time by building excitement and providing diversions in the line. For example:

Entertain!

• Hand out snacks or interactive premiums to amuse guests while they wait.
• Instruct your emcee to interact with the line to stimulate interest and build anticipation for the event (like a warm-up act).
• Install flat-screen TV monitors that run branded programming and videos.

Engage!

• Task your most outgoing brand ambassadors to monitor line traffic, answer questions, and to serve as general distractions.
• Capitalize on the captive audience and use the wait time to collect data on iPads.
• Play games or trivia contests that help communicate your product messaging.
• Hand out flyers. Reading is a great way to make time fly, plus it’s another opportunity to promote your products and services.

Provide Ample Feedback

Studies show that we’re much more patient when we’re given an idea of how long we’ll be waiting, instead of wondering whether it will be three minutes or three hours. Keep your guests in the loop!

Let them know the wait time. (Make sure to give the maximum estimate so that folks will not be disappointed.)

Provide clear, unambiguous signage showing where to enter the line and what activities they can expect when they get to
the end.

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You wouldn’t just scroll through the phone book to find a babysitter, would you? Then don’t blindly choose strangers to interact with your customers. Event staff are the frontline connection to your brand. Are you (or your agency) choosing wisely? Here are some tips to help you hire winners.

The Right Fit

Different events call for different types of representatives. The person who¹s perfect for a SXSW event may not be suitable for an AARP event. Develop a screening criteria and candidate profile for each event and use it as an overlay to secure the most suitable candidates possible.

Appearances Count

You may not be in the market for a Heidi Klum look-alike, but good grooming and positive appearances can speak volumes about a person¹s attitude and level of professionalism. Headshots and videos are a good preliminary screening tool, but they can be enhanced or altered. A better strategy is to meet each potential team member ³face-to-face² on a video calling service like Skype where you can see first hand the kind of personality they¹ll bring to your event.

Train The Team

Brand ambassadors should have a clear understanding of your product or service before setting foot in the event arena. Conducting pre-event training sessions by phone, webinar or in person ensures that the entire event team is on the same page and that they understand your event’s objectives, audience and challenges. A prepared team is a polished team.

Set Rules Upfront

Establishing the rules for professional behavior upfront will help set the tone of the event and let the staff know what’s expected of them. Rules like no eating in front of guests, no phone calls, no smoking and no foul language should be written into your staff event kit.

Fire Them Up

Spirited pre-event kick-off calls are a great way to pump up your team and get them energized and excited about the event. Everyone loves a game! If you¹re really looking to fire up a team, add incentives and prizing that will encourage Brand Ambassadors to increase their personal and team statistics in the field. Offer gift cards or prizes to the Brand Ambassadors who meet set statistics.

Fire Them

It happens. Despite your best efforts, you end up with a team member who doesn’t meet your expectations in the field. Make sure your event manager takes action and dismisses that individual immediately. (And be sure you have a back up staff on hold, just in case.)

The post How to Build a Winning Event Team appeared first on Haley Miranda Group.

Is It Hot, Or Not?

Check an event’s attendance history. Is it gaining or waning in popularity? Associating your brand with events that have dwindling interest or bad raps could have negative implications for your brand.

Weigh The Options. 

Most events offer tiered sponsorship packages, each with a laundry list of supporting elements like pre-event publicity, signage, advertisement in program materials, media mentions, category exclusivity, etc. Be sure to weigh the benefits of each element of your event package against your objectives. You may want to “order a la carte.” And remember, when the time comes, be a tough negotiator.

Can You Afford It?

How much of your budget will this event consume, and how does that compare to other promotional opportunities?

Know Your Limitations.

Most events have restrictions and it pays to know them up front. (No projectiles! No balloons! No stickers! No helium tanks! No sampling!) Try to avoid future bumps by clearly outlining your plan with the event organizer in advance (in writing).

Do Your Homework.

Don’t rely on the event’s website for all your information. Dig deeper. Talk to past sponsors. Check blogs, yelp and local news coverage. You may be surprised what you uncover.

Define Your Objectives & Set Your Success Metrics.

Do you want to create an engaging, trial-focused experience, generate buzz, establish a deeper relationship with existing customers or “all of the above?” Without clear objectives, you won’t have anything to measure the event against. Once you’re established objectives, create a measurement strategy to gauge how your objectives are being met.

Target The Right Audience.

Make sure the event’s audience demographics (age, gender, income) and psychographics (personality, values, attitudes, interests, or lifestyles) are a good fit for your brand. Most events will provide a detailed audience profile. If they don’t have one, that should raise a red flag. If they do, ask how they got the information.

Is It A Good Fit?

Like brands, events have their own distinct personality and tone. Being associated with the wrong event could send a negative message to your target audience. Simple rule of thumb: if you can’t make an organic connection between your brand and an opportunity, chances are your audience isn’t going to get it either.

Are You In Good Company?

What other companies will be participating in the event? Will your competition be there? It’s also extremely important to make sure there are no competitive conflicts that could adversely affect your plan.

Analyze Attendance Figures.

High attendance figures are important but they’re not everything. Sometimes smaller, niche events can deliver more target-right traffic and social marketing opportunities.

The post CHOOSING THE RIGHT EVENT appeared first on Haley Miranda Group.

Stormy Weather.

Even a light shower can ruin an outdoor event. You don’t want your guests (or your equipment) to be drenched by an unexpected downpour, so a weather contingency plan is critical.

• Check weather forecasts frequently prior to the event and always have a sheltered location reserved just in case.
• Establish a process for moving the event or sections of it to other times or venues.
• Have transportation and labor in place to relocate the event, if necessary.
• Have a pop-up tent or tarp for worse case scenarios.
• Make sure your bad-weather contingency plan is clearly and concisely written and distributed to your entire team.

Oh No! No-Shows!

It happens. Your key speaker, celebrity guest or entertainer cancels at the last minute leaving a big hole in your program. The show must go on! What do you do? Consider your options in advance.

• If you’ve contracted talent through an agency, they should be your first stop for a solution. Make sure you have a live contact, no matter what time of day or night, and work with them to get a replacement.
• Can’t locate a replacement? Identify someone from the event team who can step in, just in case.
• Have a fun, easy-to-implement activity in your back pocket – a trivia challenge, a sing-along, a game of skill – to keep the audience engaged.

Missing, Broken, Powerless!

Breakages, losses or power failures can ruin your event, and your day, but if you’ve got a good contingency plan, you should be able to skate around the worst of them.

• Have your technicians check and recheck the equipment before the event starts.
• Always keep spares and backup systems.
• Know where stores are in the area. You may be able to find a needed tool or part with a quick trip to the local hardware or grocery store.
• Keep petty cash to cover last minute needs (and keep all receipts!).

Grace Under Fire.

Expect the unexpected and be prepared to think outside of the box. Stay calm and address the issue immediately. Identify the best options. Keep pertinent people openly informed and update them with how the situation is being resolved. Above all: smile!

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