How do I run a giveaway or contest for leads?
Short answer
Pick a prize relevant to your service, build a short entry form, and set clear start and end dates before you launch it anywhere. Every entrant should land in a tagged list with a short nurture sequence, since most of the real value comes from the leads generated rather than the single winner announced at the end.
Before you start
- A prize relevant enough to attract real customers, not just prize hunters.
- A start and end date with a chosen winner selection method.
- An entry form connected to your contact records.
- A follow-up sequence ready for the full entrant list, not just the winner.
Step by step
- 1
Choose a prize that filters for real customers
A free service, a discount package, or relevant equipment attracts people who actually need what you offer, unlike cash or gift cards.
The wrong prize fills your list with entrants who were never going to become customers.
- 2
Set clear rules before launch
Define eligibility, entry method, start and end date, and how the winner gets selected and notified.
Vague rules create disputes and legal exposure once the giveaway ends.
- 3
Build a short entry form
Name, email, and phone is usually enough. Resist adding extra questions just because you can.
A longer form reduces entries without improving lead quality.
- 4
Tag every entrant the moment they submit
Mark all entrants with a giveaway tag so they can be tracked and followed up with as a group regardless of outcome.
This tag is what turns a one-time contest into a lasting lead source.
- 5
Promote it where your actual customers spend time
Local social groups, your existing email list, and your service pages will produce better entrants than broad paid reach.
A giveaway that goes viral outside your service area produces entries you can never convert.
- 6
Start a nurture sequence for all entrants immediately
Do not wait until the giveaway ends. Begin a short sequence introducing your services while interest is still active.
The entry period itself is valuable engagement time, do not waste it waiting.
- 7
Announce the winner publicly and follow up everyone else
Post the winner announcement, then send a thank-you message with a special offer to everyone who did not win.
The non-winners are still the majority of your new leads and deserve a next step.
- 8
Measure entries against bookings, not just entry count
Track how many entrants eventually book a job over the following months, not just how many people signed up.
Entry volume alone tells you nothing about whether the giveaway paid for itself.
What good looks like
- A giveaway generates a real list of tagged, trackable leads.
- Entrants receive relevant follow-up instead of disappearing after the contest ends.
- Prize selection filters for people who actually need your service.
- You can measure how many entrants eventually became paying customers.
Common mistakes
The ways this goes wrong in website, and what to do instead.
Picking a prize unrelated to your service›
Cash or a generic gift card attracts prize hunters who have no interest in ever becoming a customer.
Do this instead: Offer a prize directly tied to what you sell, a free service or relevant product.
Skipping written rules›
No clear rules on eligibility or winner selection invites disputes once the giveaway wraps up.
Do this instead: Publish start date, end date, eligibility, and selection method before launch.
Only following up with the winner›
Ignoring every entrant who did not win throws away the majority of the leads the giveaway generated.
Do this instead: Send a thank-you and follow-up offer to every entrant, not just the announced winner.
Promoting too broadly›
Wide paid promotion outside your actual service area produces entries you can never realistically convert.
Do this instead: Focus promotion on channels where your real local audience already spends time.
Frequently asked
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