If you have taken part as a recipient of any FREE products or services as a result of an online GIVEAWAY EVENT, then obviously you saw some value in agreeing to give out your name and email address in exchange. Thousands and perhaps millions of other people have done same and rightly so!

In one shot, without spending tons of valuable time and energy, you get incredibly informative and valuable stuff for FREE…all in one place.

Sure, our privacy is important to us, and while we’re NOT open to just ANYTHING, we like to get stuff we can really use for free, right? “The price was right”, we like to say.

Once we recieve it and check it out, we’re either thrilled with it or sadly disappointed. If we’re thrilled, aren’t we going to follow that person or company in the future to look for more good stuff? Hey, maybe we’ll even spring a few dollars next time because now we know what the contributor is about and we like what we see.

Well, that’s the basic premise behind GIVEAWAYS and why they are so popular, as well as why software developers are creating software programs to run them and why internet marketers are getting the word out.

In my previous article, I outlined the first 6 steps for how Free Giveaway Events actually work because they can be a bit confusing, and NOT just for “newbies”. Here’s the rest of the story:

7. On the contributor’s end, they must have a way to capture their visitor’s information as well. Although the giveaway link can send them to an email message to be sent off to the contributor, the best way in the long run is to set up an auto-responder system that automatically send the information from the capture form the visitor filled out to a database. An autoresponder then sends an immediate email message back to the visitor.

8. If it is a “double opt-in” system, the visitor will get a “confirmation email” with a link they click on to “OK” their subscription. This option is designed to verify that visitor does in fact want the gift and further contact from the contributor and reduces the risk of getting slapped for Spamming.

If they don’t “confirm”, the visitor doesn’t get the free gift. If they DO confirm, they are then taken to the page where they can collect or download their gift OR they are sent a second “Thank You” email that contains a link to the giveaway item(s) as well as other information that is needed to collect. This email very often includes other links to websites or other products they can buy. (This is a great way to “monetize” the promotion.)

CLICK HERE to read the article in its entirety:

OK, back to Free Giveaway Events…if you haven’t read my previous post, you missed a good example of aligning with others to gain more credibility and value when taking part in one.

If you’ve never done it before, it can be confusing and maybe a bit intimidating, but GutZy Women is all about stepping out with some gentle guidance and a whole lot of support and education, so let’s take it step by step.

Below are 6 steps to follow today, plus 5 more steps tomorrow, so check back. Better yet, just subscribe to my Feedburner RSS feed and you’ll get tomorrow’s conclusion.

1.       The giveaway site itself is set up by the individual or organization that decides to use the event as a marketing strategy.  They attract as many contributors (those who contribute the free gifts) and others (sponsors, advertisers) as possible to support their efforts by offering participants increased visibility and prizes through the joint efforts of ALL who take part.

2.       The contributors decide what products or services they will give away. The contributor is responsible for creating the text, graphics and link URL for their offer which will be listed and displayed in their “box” on the above website. There are as many different types of gifts, freebies, bonuses, giveaways, etc. as there are contributors. To be most successful, they must be perceived as valuable enough to warrant a person giving their name and email address.

3.       If you agree to be a contributor, then you also agree to send out to your email lists the message that has been prepared by the organizers. That message describes the event and has a link that sends the reader to the giveaway website. It’s a good idea to personalize it in a way that will better appeal to your particular market and make it unique to represent you, but it’s not essential. It is essential, however, to have the integrity to do your part in getting the word out and not just rely on others to get the job done.

4.       If the visitor decides to partake, the organizer of the event captures the site visitor’s contact information to be followed up with in the future. The visitors are given a way to get back to the site, once they leave, for future use…ometimes with user names, passwords or other ways to be exclusive.

5.       The first page of the giveaway site can either be the contributor’s giveaway itself with no purchase required or it often is designed to get the visitor to buy something first and then once purchased, will take the visitor to the contributors “giveaway boxes”.

6.       Next, the visitor decides which of the offers they want. They push a button or a text link on that item which takes them to the contributor’s website OR opt in page (often called a “squeeze page” as it “squeezes” that person’s contact information out of them before they can proceed.)

      So yes, the offers are free, but are in effect, an exchange for information. It’s the part that entices the contributor to give something away in the first place

Some people get upset about giving out their info, but they needn’t worry. The CAN Spam laws require that people be allowed to “unsubscribe” from a list, even after they have collected their free gift, so there really is no risk AND if they’ve done their due diligence, stand to greatly benefit.

Join us tomorrow to finish up with the other 5 steps of Giveaway Events and a hint of a Cool Giveaway coming up very soon.