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Software for Running Online Contests

Marketing Sweepstakes and Contests

Software for Running Online Contests

Online contests are a great way to engage prospects and customers. As a way to make your contest run a little easier, you may want to think about using software for running online contests. Here are the key features you'll want to look for in a software solution.

Sweepstakes and business contests are powerful tools that can boost brand awareness and attracted an influx of new customers.

A well-designed contest is worth its price tag -- especially if it is executed in a way that achieves or exceeds the company's promotional goals.

In today's business environment, promotional and marketing efforts often leverage Internet-based assets and resources. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that some of the most effective business contests are conducted online. The only problem is that online contests introduce a whole new set of complications to the tasks of contest design and implementation.

More and more small companies are turning to software solutions specifically designed to assist with online contest management. There are several solutions available, but whichever one you choose should possess the following key features and characteristics.

Accessibility. Like other business software solutions, online contest software is often web-based, making it highly accessible to you and your employees. However, your software should also be capable of providing contestants with an easy-to-use, online registration experience.
Promotional capacity. The best contest software applications help your company promote your contests online. Although the approaches may differ from one software solution to the next, look for an application that focuses on maximizing the amount of traffic to your contest website.
Data capture. Prospective customer data is a large part of the payoff of an online contest. It is essential that your contest software is capable of accurately capturing the contest data and exporting it in a format that is actually usable for your company's marketing and sales divisions.
Multiple engagement streams. Contest participants should be capable of engaging through a variety of streams. Online engagement is obviously an essential feature of a promotional contest. But your contest software solution should also allow participants to engage through text messaging and other technologically-rich venues.
Prize follow-up. A decent contest solution simplifies every phase of the contest. Promoting the contest and receiving registrations is important. But so is following up on the distribution of prizes. There are simply too many good solutions on the market to settle for one that isn't capable of carrying your contest through to completion.