Hosting an Instagram Loop Giveaway Without Losing Your Mind (3/3)

If you haven't already read Part 1 or Part 2 I recommend doing so before reading on...

During the Giveaway

I recommend saving a few of your best images for the window during and after your giveaway.  People may be sucked in by the chance to win something, but you want them to stay for your product, right?  So hang a little bait out and see if a few of them don't bite!

Reminders

Schedule a reminder image to circulate during the giveaway.  Don't post all at the same time again, but scatter it so that people who have not entered will be coaxed in without irritating those who have already entered.  Your reminder should be similar to the original image, though it does not have to be the same (example below).

Finding A Winner

Your giveaway has ended, and your new followers are bursting with excitement and anticipation!  Who to choose, who to choose?
There are a few different options for this, but I chose to use Random.org to select a random number, and then used Iconosquare.com to count off followers until I reached the previously selected number.  Then all I had to do was check his/her followers to make sure that she followed everyone in our loop!  I was actually surprised by how simple it was.
After a winner is selected, you will need to send out information to everyone again.  One thing that we ended up doing that worked well for us is that I alone posted the "winner" image.  It meant that I lost a couple of followers right away, but this also prevented us from blowing up of our followers' feeds—new and old.

We have a WINNER!
Congratulations to @______!
Leave your Email address below (or DM) to receive your prize!

A big "thank you" to everyone who entered, commented and encouraged these lovely businesses.

If we don't hear from the winner within 24 hours, another winner will be selected from those fulfilling the requirements.

Now What?

Your giveaway is officially finished!  Send out a final congratulatory message to the other brands, and remind them of a few tricks for keeping their clients:

• Delete the giveaway image(s).  What? You spent so much energy on that image!  But if you delete it, those who followed you just to win may not delete you as quickly—they won't remember why they followed your awesome content and will look around a little further.
• Don't overwhelm your new followers—keep your content classy, tasteful and timely.  Nobody wants to have their feed filled with a brand (even one that they love).
• Introduce yourself.  Share a little bit of history behind the brand for those who don't necessarily know your story.  People connect with the stories behind businesses and want to know that you are real.

I hope that you found this information helpful! I really enjoyed hosting my first loop giveaway and look forward to hosting another in the future.

Any other comments or questions?
Have you hosted a giveaway?  What did you find to be helpful?