How to Use Email Marketing to Promote Your Contest
Stacey Corrin
Stacey Corrin
John Turner
John Turner
Email marketing for contests is the process of promoting a giveaway through email to drive more entries, better engagement, and higher-quality subscribers.
If your contest isn’t getting the results you expected, the problem is usually the setup behind the giveaway, not the emails themselves.
I’ve seen great email campaigns underperform because entry forms were too complicated, sharing was hard to encourage, or fake entries flooded the list.
In this guide, I’ll cover how to plan your contest, the 4-email sequence that drives entries, and how to run giveaways that actually grow your list instead of creating extra cleanup.
How to Plan a Contest That Converts
High-performing contest email campaigns start with three decisions: your goal, your prize, and how people enter.
Get these wrong, and even a well-written email sequence will struggle to deliver results.
Start With One Clear Goal
Every contest should have a single primary goal that defines success.
Growing your email list, re-engaging subscribers, or driving awareness can all work, but trying to chase multiple outcomes at once usually leads to weak results.
A goal like “add 500 new subscribers” gives you something concrete to measure. Vague goals like “get more exposure” don’t.
If you need help narrowing this down, see our guide on setting giveaway goals.
Choose a Prize That Filters the Right People
Your prize doesn’t just attract entries. It determines the quality of your subscribers.
Relevant prizes work best because they attract people who are actually interested in what you offer. Generic prizes attract anyone willing to trade an email for a chance to win.
I learned this early on after running a giveaway that added hundreds of emails but almost no future customers.
A good example of doing this right comes from KnivesShipFree.com.
They ran a giveaway using one of their own products as the prize. Instead of chasing a broad audience with a generic reward, they focused on people already interested in high-end knives.
That single decision made the difference.
The giveaway turned thousands of window shoppers into email subscribers and generated over $10,000 in sales. The list grew slower than a generic giveaway, but the subscribers were far more likely to buy.
This is exactly why product-based or niche-relevant prizes outperform cash, gift cards, and tech giveaways when your goal is long-term list growth.
Here are some giveaway prize ideas to help you choose the right one for your campaign.
Reduce Entry Friction Without Killing Engagement
The biggest conversion mistake I see is making entry too complicated.
One required field is usually enough to get someone into your contest. Every extra required field lowers your entry rate.
The trick is encouraging sharing and engagement without forcing it. That’s where a dedicated giveaway tool helps.
RafflePress, a drag-and-drop WordPress giveaway plugin, lets you keep entry simple while offering optional bonus actions like refer a friend, social follows, or newsletter signups.
Casual visitors can enter quickly, while motivated participants can earn extra chances without adding friction for everyone else.
Because RafflePress connects directly to email platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Drip, entries sync automatically and follow-up stays clean.
For more details, see our guide on running an online contest with RafflePress.
The 4 Contest Emails You Need to Send
Contest email campaigns perform best when you send four emails timed around the contest lifecycle rather than relying on a single announcement.
This sequence keeps your giveaway visible, reaches subscribers who missed earlier emails, and creates urgency as the deadline approaches.
| When to Send | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement | Day the contest launches | Introduce the prize and drive initial entries |
| Reminder | Midway through the contest | Reach subscribers who missed or ignored the first email |
| Last Chance | Final 24–48 hours | Create urgency and push undecided subscribers to enter |
| Winner Announcement | 24–48 hours after the contest ends | Build trust and set expectations for future emails |
A strong example of an announcement email is the “Win an iPad Pro” giveaway from True Grit. The prize is immediately clear, the copy stays short, and there’s one obvious CTA that makes entering feel effortless.
Your announcement email should lead with the prize and explain how to enter in as few steps as possible. One clear CTA like “Enter Now” works better than multiple links.
Reminder emails should be short and focused. Restate the prize and deadline, and use light social proof if you have it, such as the number of entries so far.
As the contest nears its end, urgency matters. A last-chance email sent in the final 24 to 48 hours often produces a spike in entries, even from subscribers who ignored earlier emails.
After the contest closes, send the winner announcement quickly. Thank everyone who entered, congratulate the winner, and briefly mention what participants can expect next.
Free: Download Our Giveaway Playbook
Templates, prize ideas, and promotion strategies in one guide.
How to Write Contest Emails That Get Opened and Clicked
Contest emails get higher opens and clicks when your subject line highlights the prize, your copy stays focused, and you use one clear CTA.
Here’s how to get each one right.
Choose Subject Lines That Get Opens
Contest subject lines get more opens when they clearly state the prize and create urgency.
For example, this giveaway email from Base uses a direct, value-first subject line: “Enter to win over $3,500 in hormone & stress reduction products.” You immediately know what you could win, and the “over $3,500” framing makes it feel substantial without needing extra hype.
This is why specific prizes beat vague lines like “Enter Our Giveaway.” When readers can picture the reward, they understand the value fast and have a clearer reason to click.
Urgency also helps, but it works best when it’s concrete. Lines like “Ends tonight” or “24 hours left” set a clear deadline, while softer phrases like “ending soon” are easier to ignore.
Personalization can lift opens for some lists, but it’s optional. If you use it, keep it simple and avoid awkward merge tags that can break in inbox previews.
Use emojis sparingly. One emoji can help a giveaway email stand out, but too many can reduce trust or trigger spam filters.
High-performing giveaway subject line examples:
- Win a $100 [Your Store] Gift Card
- Last chance: Giveaway ends tonight
- [Name], you’re entered to win
- 24 hours left to enter
Write Email Copy That Gets Clicks
Contest email copy gets more clicks when it leads with the prize, keeps entry steps simple, and focuses on one clear call to action.
A good example of this is the GANT giveaway email promoting its 75th anniversary contest. The headline does all the heavy lifting upfront by clearly stating the reward: “Win a $750 gift card.” There’s no warm-up or vague framing. You immediately know what’s in it for you.
The body copy supports that promise without getting in the way. It briefly explains why the giveaway exists, what you can win, and when it ends, all in plain language that’s easy to scan.
This is why your opening line should always say what the reader can win and why it’s worth their time. Long introductions and background explanations push the value too far down and cost you clicks.
Entry instructions should also stay simple. One to three short steps are usually enough, especially for mobile readers. If entering feels confusing or time-consuming, people abandon the email.
Finally, use a single CTA button that stands out visually. In this example, “Enter now” is clear and specific. If your email runs long, repeat the same CTA at the bottom instead of introducing new links.
Create CTA Buttons That Convert
Giveaway CTA buttons convert best when they clearly state the action and stand out visually from the rest of the email.
This Mother’s Day email from Prose is a strong example of a CTA done right. The button uses simple, action-focused language that matches the message above it: “Treat Her Right.” You know exactly what clicking will lead to without any extra explanation.
That clarity is what matters most. Buttons like “Enter Now” or “Enter to Win” work well for contests because they set clear expectations and remove hesitation.
Avoid generic labels such as “Click Here” or “Learn More.” They don’t communicate value and force readers to do extra thinking, which hurts clicks.
Visual contrast matters too. In this example, the CTA button is easy to spot because it stands out from the background without competing with the headline. If your email is mostly neutral or white, a contrasting button color helps draw the eye naturally.
Who Should Receive Your Contest Emails
Not every subscriber should receive every contest email. Targeting the right segments helps you get more entries while reducing unsubscribes.
Contest emails perform better when giveaways reach people who care about the prize or need a reason to re-engage.
| Subscriber Type | Why They’re a Good Fit | How to Target Them |
|---|---|---|
| Highly engaged subscribers | They already open and click your emails, so they’re more likely to enter | Segment by recent opens or clicks |
| Interest-based subscribers | The prize aligns with something they care about | Segment by past purchases, tags, or stated interests |
| Cold or inactive subscribers | A giveaway can re-capture attention without a hard sell | Segment subscribers who haven’t opened in 60–90 days |
Highly engaged and interest-based segments usually produce the most entries with the fewest unsubscribes.
Cold subscribers are worth testing with contests, but watch engagement closely. If they still don’t open or click after the giveaway, it’s often better to remove them from your list.
What to Do After the Contest Ends
A contest delivers the most value when you follow up intentionally with new subscribers and non-winners instead of moving straight to selling.
Post-contest email sequences consistently outperform one-off campaigns because subscribers are still paying attention and expecting to hear from you.
| Follow-Up Step | Why It Matters | What to Send |
|---|---|---|
| Thank non-winners | Maintains goodwill and prevents disappointment from turning into unsubscribes | A short thank-you email with an optional small bonus or discount |
| Welcome new subscribers | Sets expectations and builds trust before promotional emails begin | A brief welcome sequence explaining who you are and what emails they’ll receive |
| Clean your list | Protects deliverability and keeps engagement metrics accurate | Remove fake entries, invalid emails, and obvious bots |
For non-winners, avoid sales pitches in the first follow-up. A hard sell immediately after a loss feels tone-deaf and can increase unsubscribes.
New subscribers joined because of the contest, not your product. Introduce yourself first, explain the value of staying subscribed, and warm them up before promoting anything.
If you use RafflePress for your WordPress giveaways, its fraud protection helps reduce fake entries during the contest.
You should still review your list after the giveaway ends to catch anything that slipped through.
How to Measure Your Contest Email Results
You should measure contest email performance using engagement and conversion metrics, not just the number of new subscribers added.
You’ll get better results when you use contest data to improve the next campaign, not just report list growth.
- Open rate: Shows whether your subject line grabbed attention. Test different prize framing and urgency wording.
- Click-through rate: Shows whether your email copy and CTA motivated action. Simplify copy and reduce competing links.
- Entry conversion rate: Shows how many clickers actually completed the entry. Streamline the entry form and reduce required fields.
- Net list growth: Shows whether the contest helped or hurt your list overall. Compare new subscribers gained against unsubscribes.
Start by A/B testing subject lines because they have the biggest impact on opens. Once you identify a consistent winner, test send times and CTA wording.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the most common questions people have about email marketing for contests and how to run them effectively.
How many emails should I send to promote a contest?
You should send 3 to 4 emails to promote a contest.
This usually includes an announcement email, a reminder email, a last-chance email, and a winner announcement. Multiple emails matter because many subscribers won’t open or act on the first message.
When is the best time to send contest emails?
The best time to send contest emails depends on your audience, but mid-week mornings and evenings tend to perform well.
Announcement emails often get strong opens mid-week in the morning, while last-chance emails perform well in the evening when people check email before bed. Testing send times is the best way to confirm what works for your list.
Should I email my entire list about every contest?
No, you should only email the segments that are likely to care about the prize.
Segmenting by interest, past behavior, or engagement helps you get more entries with fewer unsubscribes. Sending irrelevant contests to your full list can hurt long-term engagement.
How do I prevent fake contest entries?
You can prevent fake contest entries by using a giveaway tool with built-in fraud protection.
After the contest ends, review entries for signs like duplicate IP addresses or invalid email formats. Remove fake entries before adding new subscribers to your main email list.
What should I send contest participants after the giveaway ends?
After a giveaway ends, you should send a winner announcement and a thank-you email to all participants.
For new subscribers, start with a short welcome sequence before sending promotional emails. This sets expectations and reduces unsubscribes.
Start Running Better Contest Email Campaigns
Contest emails work best when the giveaway experience is simple, trustworthy, and easy to manage from start to finish.
If you’re running contests on WordPress and want cleaner subscribers, fewer fake entries, and less manual work, using a dedicated giveaway plugin is usually the turning point.
RafflePress gives you a straightforward way to build high-converting giveaways, connect them to your email platform, and run contests that support long-term list growth instead of creating extra cleanup.
If you want to stop guessing whether your contests are actually working, this is a solid next step to consider.
You may also find the following email marketing guides helpful:
- How Agile’ Grew Their Client’s Email List by 52%
- Best Free Email Marketing Tools & Services for Small Businesses
- How to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email
- Best WordPress Email Capture Plugins & Tools
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