whoadie WELCOME TO SA!!!  

Since you've been a snail sweeper the transition to entering online should be fairly easy, but if you have questions, we cover the usual ones in the various stickied threads in the Newbies forum:

How to use the *TOOLS* to get the most out of SA Features
http://www.sweepstakesplus.com/smf/how-to-use-the-tools-to-get-the-most-out-of-sa-features-t31956.0.html

Getting use to the layout
http://www.sweepstakesplus.com/smf/getting-use-to-the-layout-t22754.0.html

How to get started without overwhelming yourself  
http://www.sweepstakesplus.com/smf/how-to-get-started-without-overwhelming-yourself-t62145.0.html

And in the Questions & Answers forum:

Click Here and Other Questions
http://www.sweepstakesplus.com/smf/click-here-and-other-questions-t18815.0.html

As to notification? It could be email, by phone, or mailed to you - same as for snail, but you need to keep an eye on your email too.

And of course, if they don't answer your particular question, you can ALWAYS ask!!!  

I wish I knew - I'd win on all the IW's then, lol!!! 

Some do swear by early am/late at night since there are usually fewer playing then - you still have to play at the *right* time though. 

Ways I deal with the frustration of a dry spell:

1} I get outside of my own head by helping others. Either by voting, answering questions, or just getting a little silly. 

2} I avoid the winners circle. It's not that I'm not happy for other members, it's just that I don't need the constant reminder that I'm not one of them - for now. 

3} I hard charge on sweeps, going through all the categories and getting a sense of satisfaction/accomplishment when I get all caught up.

4} I take a break from the computer, since it's gone from being fun to being a chore.

If you keep pushing yourself to enter and things don't change, you will most likely burn out and quit, whereas if you make a decision to take a break for a day or 2, you are still in control.

I *usually* find I return after my mini "vacation" that I'm refreshed and can see things more clearly, so the little things don't get to me, and I enjoy instead of dreading entering my sweeps. 

Thanks I really needed this. I have been at this everyday for 3 months and havent heard anything and I am starting to get down about it. I will hold my head up a little longer now!!

Thanks re: luck, arrtup3.

I will definitely post a win, however small.

Hi again, Amy. Thanks again. I didn't see this response until this afternoon....but it sounds a lot like the attitude I am developing. It's all good! I am excited at the potential!  

Congrats on the BIGGIE!!!!!!!! That's awesome

So yes in my spam i get alot of notification#, but it also wants me to participate in purchasing. Is that what a win looks like or are those emails just spam?

I thought I responded to this, but I see you already answered it yourself, YAY!!!

Right back at ya 

There are all kinds of sweeps, with short entry period types being somewhat rare.

Some swear by entering 1x's right at the end, no matter how long they run for, while others say it doesn't matter.

I do know that waiting until the last day can backfire if they end early in the day!  

If you like the essay sweeps, that opens up more opportunities for you!

Just remember, some of the essay/recipe/pic/etc. sweeps will require you to get the most votes, so you might want to become a regular voter in our vote forum:

http://www.sweepstakesplus.com/smf/referral-and-vote-requests-b8.0/

So people will be happy to vote for you knowing you will return votes.  

As to local sweeps? That's where you need to dig them up on your own - SA is {mostly} focused on listing sweeps that are national. Radio stations and local stores are good places to start.

The sweeps on SA are legit.  Sweepsadvantage just lists the promotions, they don't control how they are run. Many sweeps have loose privacy policies, and we are all responsible for reading them, along with the rules, before we commit our info. Just like SA/SP doesn't control how sponsors/JA's run their sweeps, neither do they judge legitimate sweeps that post winners.

I keep in mind that when a sponsor chooses to use their advertising money on a promotion {sweepstakes, contest, etc.} that they are looking for new customers and/or trying to keep the ones they have.

Some choose to ask if you'd like to subscribe to their newsletter, while others require that you subscribe. Some will ask if they may share your info, while others will require that you allow them to to enter.  

We are free to decide what our comfort level is on every sweeps we enter, and it's on us to check out their privacy policy and decide when they go above that level.

Magazine sweeps: To get to the no subscription form {their form(s) won't allow a direct link} Look for: "No purchase is necessary to enter. If you'd prefer to enter the sweepstakes without starting a trial subscription to *** or if you are already a subscriber, click here."


I've found that when people go through a dry spell they tend to focus on things that may be preventing them from winning - it's a natural reaction, especially when you used to win so easily!!! But, all the reasons people think of that may be preventing them from winning (more sweepers/cheaters/etc.) have minimal impact - it's really all about timing - either you have it or you don't.

Spam is *unsolicited" email. If, while entering a sweeps, you fail to catch a checked box that says you will recieve email from 3d parties, or agree to a privacy policy that states you will receive email from 3d parties, any resulting emails would NOT be spam. It's fine to comment that a sweeps has a very loose privacy policy, or to warn that they pre-check a box that says you will recieve email from 3d parties - that's what comments are for, but please don't post people will receive spam. Thanks.

If you get "already entered" when you try to re-enter a sweeps , it means your entry probably DID go through, but the page just didn't render correctly so you couldn't tell.

ALSO - when I started out, I learned the most by reading the COMMENTS under the individual sweeps  

Thanks I am not giving up the big one is on the way