What is a Free or Complimentary Sample?
A Free or Complimentary Sample is usually a small, packaged portion of merchandise distributed for free Companies use them as an introduction to their products to potential customers.

What is a Sweepstakes?
When a person enters a sweepstake, he or she must follow the rules. As a rule, winners are chosen at random from among all the entries, not based on skill. Prizes can range from souvenirs and baseball caps to houses, cars, trips, and big cash wins. Usually, sweepstakes offer additional entries for performing different activities like sharing posts on social media, referring friends, visiting a specific website, or watching a promotional video. Sweepstakes involve a promotion with certain rules and requirements that must be followed to win. Winners are chosen at random, and there is no purchase required to enter. Usually, if the participant shares the sweepstakes on social media, refers their friends, or visits a promotional site, they obtain extra entries into the sweepstakes. In a sweepstakes, you cannot ask a person to purchase anything or pay a fee for entry. Winning a sweepstakes depends on pure luck, and no additional skills.

What is a Contest?
A contest relies on a person’s skills. In a contest, contestants compete by doing better than the others, and the results are based on merit, not luck. The entry that is awarded first place (such as best story using your product, best Instagram post that tags you, best YouTube submission, etc.) wins the prize. In some cases, the public is utilized, and votes can be placed by the public to choose a winner for the contest.

What is a Raffle?
A raffle involves buying a raffle ticket in exchange for the possibility of winning a prize. A winning ticket is randomly pulled from a container of other raffle tickets and is based on pure luck. There will always be a winner with a raffle, as everyone who bought a ticket will have a chance to have their raffle ticket pulled (unlike the lottery, where some numbers go unused and there are no winners whatsoever).

What is a Reward Level Giveaway?
A reward level giveaway involves allowing people to earn rewards in exchange for points. You are guaranteeing that the first X (or all) people that reach the required point total will receive the prize that that level. Leads typically earn points to unlock rewards unlock rewards by referring friends with unique links or taking actions such as following you online or leaving a review.

What is a Giveaway?
A giveaway is a catch-all term for sweepstakes, contests, and lotteries. All three of these categories give participants a chance to win prizes. When saying something is a “giveaway,” it can refer to any of the three types listed.