Campaign Snapshot
Campaign Title: The first definitive account of the Black Dahlia murder
Featured Giveaway: Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood By William J. Mann
Genre: True Crime, Biographies & Memoirs
Overview
For nonfiction and true crime titles, building anticipation is all about visibility, intrigue, and credibility. With Black Dahlia, author William J. Mann delivers the definitive account of one of America’s most infamous unsolved murders—one that continues to fascinate readers nearly 80 years later.
To reach those readers, Simon & Schuster ran a Sweepstakes campaign on Booktrovert, offering 100 digital copies for readers to enter to win. The newly-introduced Sweepstakes CTA keeps entries open for 7 days, giving readers ample time to discover and enter to win, sustaining engagement over the course of the week-long campaign.
At the end of the campaign, winners were automatically, randomly selected, and all entrants automatically received a confirmation about whether they won (including retail links to prompt purchase if they did not win). Winners received automatic digital access to the book, leaving nothing for the publisher to do except peek at their results!
This structure makes Sweepstakes an excellent fit for discovery-driven genres like true crime, biographies, and memoirs—where intrigue builds over time and awareness translates directly into sales potential.
Why It Worked
Sustained visibility and steady engagement
With seven days of open entry, the campaign maintained strong visibility in the Booktrovert Feed, giving readers ample time to discover and share the promotion.
Built-in post-campaign conversion
When the campaign ended, every participant who didn’t win a copy received an email driving to the retail links for the campaign, turning curiosity into measurable clicks and ongoing sales activity. Plus, no one is left wondering about the result of their entry!
Balanced exclusivity and accessibility
Offering 100 digital winners created excitement and urgency while still keeping the campaign open and accessible. The best part? Entrants don’t need to fill out any additional personal information (like mailing addresses) and publishers don’t need to do anything at all for fulfillment since it’s all automatic, instant, and completely digital. No shipping required!
Publishers don’t need to do anything at all for fulfillment since it’s all automatic, instant, and completely digital. No shipping required!
The Results
1,917 Total Entries | 100 Winners Selected
“The Sweepstakes campaign was a great addition to our pre-publication strategy! The detailed analytics provided helpful consumer behavior insights, which will inform where and how we connect with readers through publication day and beyond.”
– Elizabeth Venere, Associate Director of Marketing
Curious how your results stack up? Check out some benchmarks here: Understanding Your Booktrovert ROI
Takeaway for Publishers
Sweepstakes campaigns are a powerful way to extend your reach and engagement on Booktrovert—particularly for nonfiction titles that thrive on intrigue and discovery. By allowing readers to participate over several days and then guiding all entrants to retail at close, Sweepstakes keep attention high and drive meaningful follow-through. Whether paired with a Giveaway for instant buzz or used independently for steady awareness, Sweepstakes help turn reader interest into lasting momentum.
