Question: How do Sweepstakes Referrals Work?
Answer: Sweepstakes usually ask for referrals with a "Tell a Friend" option which appears either at the bottom of the registration form or on a separate page after your entry has been accepted.
The Tell a Friend form usually asks for information such as your friend's name and email address, your own name and email address, and perhaps a personal message, if you would like to include one with the email.
Your friend is then sent an email by the sponsor which tells them about the sweepstakes and encourages them to visit the website and enter to win. This is a one-time mailing only; no legitimate company will add a referral to a mailing list or send them marketing email unrelated to the sweepstakes.
Sweepstakes sponsors use different methods to encourage people to tell their friends about competitions. The reward that you receive for referrals usually falls under one of these categories:
- No reward. Sponsors simply ask you to help them get the word out about their competition, but they offer no incentive for doing so.
- One additional entry. No matter how many people you tell, you'll get a single extra entry.
- One entry per referral. You'll receive an additional entry into the sweepstakes for each person that you tell. There may be a limit on the total number of extra entries that you can receive.
- Additional entry when your friend registers. You receive an additional entry for each friend that you tell who then registers for the sweepstakes.
- You win if they win. If your friend enters the sweepstakes and wins a prize, you'll receive the same prize as well.
