As you may already know, giveaways are a great way to build an email list, drive traffic to your blog, give away books, and build awareness for your author brand.

(Yes, you have an author brand. Want to build yours? Then check out my Branding for Novelists course here.)

Recently, a client asked me if there was a better tool than Rafflecopter. She’s running a giveaway to promote the third book in her spiritual fantasy novel series and is in the research phase.

I told her that depends on her budget, giveaway goals, and tech savvy.

Your Turn — 3 Questions To Start

If you want to run a giveaway, I recommend you start with these questions:

1. What is your budget for the giveaway?
2. What are your goals?
3. What technical skills do you have or feel you can learn?

Research

Now it’s time to research the different tools out there to suit your needs.

One quick way to get the information you need is via chart. I like this one here. This site notes an important common sense piece of advice: “Prices and features of these giveaway apps are always changing.”

Comparing Social Engagement: Rafflecopter vs Gleam vs Kingsumo vs Giveaway Tools vs GiveawayFrenzy vs ViralSweep vs Promosimple

Other sites that do some cross-comparisons or lists of different giveaway tools:

• “4 ALTERNATIVE AND RELATED PRODUCTS TO RAFFLECOPTER” https://www.producthunt.com/alternatives/rafflecopter
• “15 Tools For Running Giveaways & Contests” (cute site called “Working in my Pajamas”) https://workinmypajamas.com/15-tools-for-running-giveaways-contests/
• “11 Platforms for Social Media Contests” https://www.practicalecommerce.com/11-Platforms-for-Social-Media-Contests
• “Gleam vs Rafflecopter vs PromoSimple – WordPress Giveaways FREE” https://www.kasareviews.com/gleam-vs-rafflecopter-vs-promosimple-wordpress-giveaways-free/

Legal Issues

Yes, there are legal issues that you need to be aware of when running any kind of giveaway, contests or sweepstakes. You are liable even if you use these tools not in accord with your local, state, national/federal laws. Here’s an article about how we’re liable, no matter the tool.

Here’s some advice on what legal issues to think about when running your giveaway, contest, or sweepstakes. (This lawyer’s site is full of good advice.)

Get Into Action

Your next steps:

1. Decide when you’d like to run a giveaway.
2. Give yourself ample time to plan. I recommend 4-8 weeks. You have a life, after all!
3. Answer the questions about about your budget, giveaway goals, and tech know-how.
4. Ask for help if you need it, including posting your questions in comments below.

OUR BOOK MARKETING COURSES

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Who am I?

Hi! I’m Beth Barany, an award-winning novelist, master neurolinguistic programming practitioner, and certified creativity coach for writers.

Through my courses, programs, workshops and consultations, I specialize in helping writers experience clarity, so they can write, revise, and proudly publish their novels to the delight of their readers.

All my courses are packed with useful hands-on information that you can implement right away. I run an online school for fiction writers here and a 12-month group coaching program to help novelists get published here.

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PS. Here’s a previous article I wrote on doing giveaways for authors. While I’m currently doing the giveaways the article states, the principles still stand.