EPrize Adds Games for SME Sites

EPrize, a Michigan-based promotions fulfillment company that typically works with the likes of Proctor & Gamble and others, is pushing hard to add its games and sweepstakes promotions to small-business Web sites. The “Caffeine” product can get users to register and win repeat traffic from the promotions. They also benefit from the national scale of ePrize, so that prizes aren't cheap iPod shuffles but major goods, like Jeep Cherokees.

EPrize head Josh Linkner says promotions are an SME's “most powerful tool.” But launching them is “way too much pain for small guys,” given legal clearances, 1099s, prize acquisitions, etc. Signing up for Caffeine, however, is free. When leads are generated, SMEs pay $1 per lead.

“It is the Google model. You pay only when you see results,” says Linkner. Additionally, SMEs set their own weekly cap on expenses. The average cap is running about $75 per week. They can also target within a five-mile radius.

Linkner and business development head John Nofs (ex IAC and Switchboard) say they are initially targeting key local categories, including retail, service businesses and restaurants. They expect to partner with the usual local sales channels (Yellow Pages, newspapers, TV stations, etc.) to land them.