Creating an SMS Sweepstakes

SMS Sweepstakes allow you to run promotions where participants enter by sending a keyword to a designated short code. PostUp records entries, selects the configured number of winners, and sends automated responses to participants.

SMS Sweepstakes are commonly used for promotions, giveaways, and audience engagement campaigns.

Creating an SMS Sweepstakes

To create an SMS sweepstakes:

1. Navigate to the SMS Sweepstakes creation screen.

2. Enter a title for the sweepstakes in the Title field. This title is used internally to identify the sweepstakes.

3. Enter a keyword in the Keyword field. Participants will send this keyword to the designated short code to enter the sweepstakes.

Assigning the Sweepstakes to a Campaign

Use the Campaign dropdown to select the campaign where the sweepstakes will be stored. Campaigns help organize SMS activities and reporting.

Subscribing Participants to a List

Participants can be automatically added to a recipient list when they enter the sweepstakes.

1. Use the Subscribe to list dropdown.

2. Select the list where participants should be added.

This allows you to grow your SMS audience as users enter the sweepstakes.

Setting the Number of Winners

Use the Number of winners field to define how many participants will be selected as winners once the sweepstakes ends.

PostUp will randomly select the configured number of winners from all valid entries.

Scheduling the Sweepstakes

The Schedule section controls when the sweepstakes is active and accepting entries.

Start Time

Choose when the sweepstakes begins accepting entries.

Options include:

• Immediately

• At a specified date and time

Stop Time

Choose when the sweepstakes will stop accepting entries. Entries received after the stop time will trigger the out-of-schedule response.

Configuring Participant Responses

The Responses section allows you to configure automated messages that participants receive during and after the sweepstakes.

You can configure responses for:

Confirmation Response

A message sent to all participants when they successfully enter the sweepstakes.

Winning Response

A notification sent to participants who are selected as winners after the sweepstakes ends.

Losing Response

A notification sent to participants who entered the sweepstakes but were not selected as winners.

Each response uses a send template, which can be selected from the dropdown or created using the Create Send Template option.

Message Summary

The Message Summary panel displays a preview of how participants interact with the sweepstakes.

This includes:

• The keyword participants send to enter the sweepstakes

• The confirmation message received during the active schedule

• The notification messages sent to winners and non-winners

• The out-of-schedule response sent when entries are received outside the active period

How SMS Sweepstakes Work

Once the sweepstakes is active:

1. Participants send the configured keyword to the short code.

2. PostUp records the entry and sends the confirmation message.

3. When the sweepstakes ends, PostUp selects the configured number of winners.

4. Winners and non-winners receive their respective notification messages.

Entries received outside the scheduled sweepstakes period will trigger the out-of-schedule response.