Setting up your draw

The builder takes about ten minutes. Every choice you make has a recommended setting, and you can preview the whole thing before anyone sees it. Here is what each step does and what we suggest.

1. The basics

Give the draw a clear name and a short description. The name shows at the top of your entry page and in the link when it is shared, so make it about the prize, not your campaign. "Win a weekend in the Lakes" works. "Spring 2026 engagement drive" does not.

2. The prize

Describe the prize and what it is worth. Be specific and concrete. A clear, named prize with a real value converts better than a vague one. You can add an image by pasting an image URL. This single choice does more for your result than anything else, so read Choosing a prize that converts before you settle it.

3. Dates and closing time

Set when the draw closes. Most draws run for two to four weeks. Shorter than that and your marketing has no room to build. Longer and the urgency drains away. The page shows a live countdown, and it turns urgent in the final 48 hours, which is usually when most entries arrive. When the closing time passes, the draw closes itself automatically.

4. Entry actions

The email entry is always included and always free. On top of that you choose the bonus actions that earn extra entries. As you add each one, the builder shows you a rating:

• High value actions build a lasting connection: a follow, a subscribe, a LinkedIn follow. These are the ones worth rewarding most.
• Medium value actions still grow your audience but matter a little less.
• Low value actions, like a one-off like or a page visit, are easy but do little for you long term. Keep their entry values low.

Pick three to five actions, not ten. A short, focused list converts better than a wall of tick boxes. Weight the high-value actions more heavily so people are pulled towards the things that actually help you. There is a guide to the thinking behind this in the marketing section.

5. Referrals

Turning on referrals lets each entrant earn extra entries by sharing the draw with people who then enter. You set the bonus per referral and a cap so no one can run away with it. This is the single most powerful growth setting in the platform, because it turns each entrant into a marketer. We recommend leaving it on for most draws.

6. Preview, then launch

Before you launch, use Preview to see the exact page your entrants will see. Tick through the actions, watch the entry counter climb, read the generated terms. Nothing is live and no entries are recorded.

When you are happy, launch. The draw goes live, the link works, and entries start being recorded. You can still edit the prize details, the look and the closing time while it is live, but the actions, the referral settings and the number of winners lock at launch, because changing them mid-draw would not be fair to people who have already entered.