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Text to Win

Launch your own text to win contest with our beginner-friendly workflow templates.

Example of a text to win contest run through the SlickText platform

15,000+ brands rely on SlickText to power their SMS marketing.

DoorDash ASU
Nerd Wallet Tony Robins
Alani Nu XPO Logistics
Zeemee Winco Foods
Mosquito Joe Lazboy
Cannon YMCA
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What is Text to Win?

Text to win is a term used for contests that are run entirely through text messaging. People enter text to win contests by texting a special keyword to your dedicated phone number or short code.

Text contests have become increasingly popular as people are plugged into their mobile devices more than ever before. Text message engagement is higher than any other communication channel, which makes SMS contests more effective than email, phone calls, and online forums.

A graphic promoting an SMS contest for VIP tickets to a concert
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Why You Should Run a Text to Win Contest

There are many reasons why brands choose to run text contests. Companies who use mass texting services run contests in order to grow subscriber lists. Because each person who enters a contest can be opted into future text promotions, competitions are an effective way to grow their customer base.

For companies that aren't looking to remarket through SMS, text to win is still one of the best ways to engage with their customers. Text messaging is a low touch way for people to interact with their favorite brands. Text contests help companies stay top of mind and attract new customers with a relatively low amount of effort.

A customer enters to win a texting contest run by a SlickText user

How Text to Win Contests Work

Our text message marketing software provides the flexibility you need to run a text to win contest. The setup is simple, and you’ll love how easy it is to automate your text message engagements.

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Setting Up a Text to Win Contest

To set up an SMS contest, you can configure one of our pre-built templates from our automated workflow builder, which is included with every account.

These text to win templates can be fully configured to meet your specific needs:

  • Daily Winner - Winners chosen daily over a given period of time.
  • Random Winner - Winner(s) chosen based on your pre-determined odds of winning.
  • Every 10 Wins - Every 10th contact to enter is a winner.
  • Grand Prize Winner - Winner(s) chosen from the entire pool of participants.

Alternatively, you can build your own workflow from scratch using one of our workflow objects:

  • Select Random Contact - Randomly selects one or more winners over a period of time.
  • Split Traffic - Allows you to randomly split contacts who enter between winners and losers based on the percentage you decide.
  • Contact Counter - Selects winners based on the order that they enter, for example, the 10th person to enter wins.

Our workflow builder is completely customizable, so you can easily adjust the number of winners, frequency of winners, contest dates, and follow-up messaging.

SlickText UI showing how to set up a text to win contest
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How SMS Contest Winners Are Chosen

Our SMS marketing software will automatically select the winner(s) based on your contest rules and notify them with your winning text message. Regarding the losers, you can also send them a text blast if that fits in with your promotion strategy.

Once set up, the entire process runs on its own. Whether you're running a one-time text to win competition or continuously promoting a VIP list, our service is the perfect solution for you. Don't hesitate to reach out to our team with any questions you may have.

An SMS subscriber is notified that they won a text to win contest
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Text to Win Analytics

Analytics and reporting are key components for any text to win contest. The SlickText Workflows dashboard enables you to monitor traffic in real-time as contacts progress through each of your contests. SlickText Analytics gives you insights into how many people have opted in and key details about their engagement behavior.

SlickText workflow analytics for an SMS contest

Text to Win FAQs

While text contests are fairly straightforward, we see common questions from people who are looking to run a contest of their own. Here are the most frequently asked questions regarding our text to win service.

How are SMS contest winners chosen?

Our text to win service offers several flexible options for choosing winners. They can be chosen automatically at random or you can choose them individually after the contest has completed. Additionally, we have options to allow you to pick winners at various intervals while your text contests are running.

Can I text people after my contest is over?

Yes, you can text people after the contest is over but only if it’s been made clear to the entrants that they’ve opted into future text messages. If people haven’t consented to receive recurring texts from you, you should not continue to text them.

How do people enter text contests?

People enter your text contest by texting a specific word known as a keyword to your short code or phone number. When someone enters, they’ll receive an automated response confirming their entry.

Are there specific contest rules I need to follow?

There aren’t any specific rules you need to follow as it pertains to the text contest itself. You should, however, be following the common best practices for SMS marketing. Some of the basics include setting expectations about what your entrants can expect to receive, making sure they know how to opt out, and only texting them during normal hours.

WHY CHOOSE US

Why You Should Choose SlickText for Your Text to Win Contest

We know there are a handful of text to win services out there today. Here are 3 reasons you should choose to run your SMS contest with SlickText.

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Simple Setup Process

Setting up your contests couldn't be easier. Just follow the guide above to configure a SlickText template or build your own custom workflow. Your text to win contest can be up and running in a matter of minutes with no further intervention.

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Seamless Automation

With our workflow feature, SMS contests are completely automated. Once you've turned on your text to win workflow, our system handles everything on its own. You can even set up an automated notification to alert your team when a winner is selected.

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Real-time Analytics

Every SMS workflow comes with live reporting and detailed insight into what's happening. You can see who has entered, how many new subscribers have joined, who the winners are, and more.