Weekly raffles are a fun and effective way to encourage your team members to participate each week. Whole Life Challenge affiliates have had tremendous success by choosing an action that qualifies a group of people to be eligible, and then giving away a small, fun, meaningful prize for the winner. For instance, you might enter anyone who enters a score (regardless of what it is) for 7 straight days into the raffle to win a prize donated by a local retailer, or something out of your pro shop. Including a raffle as part of your WLC has three main benefits:
- It brings the WLC “home.” Instead of being an online game, it becomes an in-your-office/in-your-gym game. Announcing raffle winners publicly and in emails and forums keeps your team members more engaged and hungry to win a prize!
- It allows people who have no chance at winning one of the overall WLC prizes the opportunity to win a prize just for participating.
- It encourages people who have dropped out or quit recording their score, to get back into the game and win something for their efforts.
- It keeps your team members more engaged. Prizes are fun!
If you choose to hold a weekly raffle, here are a few ideas:
- Ask local retailers if they will donate products or services. You might be surprised at how quickly retailers will jump at the chance to promote their products/services.
- Let members know that they can donate their services (such as massage therapy).
- Change the raffle requirements weekly. For instance, you might be entered into the raffle if you are one of the top five scorers. The next week might be for the people who remember to log their scores every single day.
- Make a “thing” of it. If you are a gym, announce ahead of time that raffle winners are chosen during the 6 a.m. class on Wednesdays, for instance. Then announce and congratulate the winner in an email, and announce the next week’s prizes. This adds to your students’ conversations, gives them more in common, and allows your community to become stickier.
- Offices might let employees know that a special raffle announcement will occur during lunch on Tuesdays. Rile everyone up. Keep everyone on the edge of their seats by postponing the raffle announcement for five minutes while you take an important call. When the winner is announced, be the person who cheers the loudest. Remember, you lead the team and set the spirit. Then announce the next week’s prize, and encourage your team to play hard.
Raffle Announcement Email Template
Send weekly emails to your team members letting them know who won the past week’s raffle, and announcing the prize for the coming week. Following is a sample email you can use for inspiration. Rather than using the same stock email each week, we suggest changing the email so that it is fresh and from your heart. [Brackets] indicate information that you should add/update.
Be sure to send an email as soon as the raffle is held so your members know what the next week’s raffle criteria will be.
Subject: And the winner is …
Congratulations to [Insert name of team member who won the raffle] for winning this week’s raffle, a [Insert what the prize was]!
In fact, congratulations to everyone who was entered into the raffle this week. [Insert the details of your raffle—something like: “This week, we had 27 team members who earned a spot in the raffle by losing no more than three nutrition points.”]
Okay, onto the next raffle…
Next week, we are giving away a [insert the next prize]
[Insert the details of your upcoming raffle—something like: “Your challenge this week is to stretch every day of the week for at least 10 minutes. Enter a “yes” in mobilization for all seven days, and you’ll be entered into the raffle]
[Insert the details of when the raffle will be held. We suggest holding it at the same time each week. Something like: “As always, we’ll hold the raffle during the 6 a.m. class on Wednesday, so be sure to enter your numbers by then]
Best,
[Insert your name]
P.S. If you can’t make it to class, check your email so you know whether you won, and what the next week’s raffle requirements are. Well send the email ASAP so you get started right away!