Radio stations give away fascinating prizes in their call-in contests – from overseas trips and thousands of cash to restaurant vouchers and football tickets.
If you wish to receive giveaways and gain an opportunity to speak on the air, you are in the right place. In this article, we will discuss how to win a radio call in contest, so you can maximize your chance of succeeding.
Find the best tips for winning from our radio experts below.
Tips to Win a Radio Call-in Contest
What to prepare
Winning such games depends on a matter of seconds. So, before attempting any radio competitions, gather and lay down all you might need in front of you. Prepare:
- Your radio
- Your phone (preferably a cellphone as you can save the station’s contact and redial faster on it)
- A note and pencil
Moreover, put on an enthusiastic and optimistic manner. Stations look for exciting conversations to grab the audience’s attention, thus increasing their popularity.
Tip #1. Select the contests you want to join
Try listening to several radio stations, figuring out the timing of their contests, and doing research on the rules if necessary. Then, choose two to three competitions that suit you (it has the prize you long for; it occurs in your free time; or it gives away tickets to a local event.)
Once you have come up with the best radio contests, note down the information. You can write it on your calendar or cellphone. The information of each contest should include its name, host station, time, and contact number.
Remember that it can be more difficult to win call in contests that grant huge prizes, such as expensive cars or abroad travel tickets, because numerous participants will compete for such tempting prizes.
Local radio contests, on the other hand, might be easier to win because only a limited number of people can go to a local football match or restaurant. When you spot a prize like that, don’t miss out.
On Reddit, a former radio DJ advises participants to choose contests that take place at midday, during late nights, or weekend afternoons to increase their chances.
Tip #2. Make a plan
When you gather enough information about the contests, spend time coming up with a strategy before the date. Without preparation, your chance of winning is almost zero. You might want to:
- Save the contacts to your speed dials
A trick to win radio call in contest is to save the contacts to your speed dials or favorite list. You don’t want to waste time entering number after number when the contest begins and risk dialing the wrong contact. The point is to call a radio station faster.
On your iPhone, add the station number to your contact list. Then, go to Contact, select the station name, scroll to find Add to Favorites, choose Call and the phone number. Now, the contact is in your favorite list. You can access it quickly and easily.
- Ask a friend to join you
If the station is giving away two plane tickets or a luxury dinner for two, don’t hesitate to ask a friend or partner to join you when calling radio stations. Your chance of winning doubles when two people enter the same contest.
Tip #3. Call at the right time
Now that you have everything you need, wait until the date they open the contest, turn on your radio 1o to 15 minutes in advance, and listen carefully.
When the DJ declares the start of the competition, you can start calling. To win radio contests busy signal, you need to be patient. As you call the contact, four scenarios might happen:
- If the line keeps returning your phone with busy signals, quickly hang up, wait for 2 or 3 seconds, and redial. Otherwise, the remaining signals might block your call and you will continuously get a busy line.
- If the radio contest phone keeps ringing, try to wait until the DJ picks up. But if you sit for a while and nothing happens, you might be too late. The lines might already be close, and they are announcing the winner on the radio.
- If the DJ picks up your phone but says that you are not the one (for example, you are the 5th caller while they only grant the prize to the 10th caller), don’t be discouraged. You should hang up and continue calling.
- If the DJ picks up and announces that you are the right caller on a radio station, give yourself a pat on the back. You have done excellently. But what happens next?
Tip #4. Talk excitedly when the DJ picks up your call
When the DJ shouts out to you, don’t ruin your chance by being dull on the air. The host gives you the prize in exchange for growing their station, so you must give them excitement and interesting conversations to keep the audience listening.
Remember that being the correct caller doesn’t guarantee your winning. Some DJs might even discredit you if you sound impolite or bored. Practice in advance if you need to. Talking to a large audience can feel scary and overwhelming, especially if this is your first time.
You will also need to provide your name, email, and address, so the station can send you the prize when you win tickets.
Tip #5. Don’t try to trick the hosts
Are radio contests rigged? Yes, some are. A few stations might write down funny scripts, hire professionals to act as winners, and go live on the air. It is to make sure the broadcast is interesting and worth listening to.
But that doesn’t mean you can rig the system to win. Many stations have restrictions for their winners. For instance, you must be over 18 years old, or you haven’t won a prize from them within 30 days.
If the DJ clearly stated the rules, don’t try to fake your information or pretend to be someone else to claim the prize. Most of the time, it won’t work. Stations have their methods to find scammers.
FAQs
How do you get through a busy signal for a radio contest?
There are many participants in each radio contest, especially when stations are giving away money. So, don’t be surprised when the lines constantly reply to you with busy signals.
The key is to keep redialing as fast as you can. You can do so by saving the host’s number in your speed dial contact. This will increase your chance of getting through.
How do you win radio contests advanced tips?
Apart from the five tips we mentioned, try this advanced one – pick contests from smaller stations. Many major stations have sister channels, which are often less popular, yet they might share the same call-in contests and prizes as the main channel.
You can win more easily on such channels, which have fewer listeners and participants.
How do radio contests work?
From time to time, radio stations hold call-in and text contests and give away huge prizes to engage their listeners.
To win a call-in competition, you need to contact the provided number when the DJs announce that the contest lines are open.
They will also reveal which caller can receive the giveaway prize; it can be the 5th, 9th, 10th, 20th, or another number, depending on each station. If you are lucky, your call might be picked up at the right time, and you become the winner.
To win a radio contest text, you send a message to the number provided by the host. DJs might ask you to type your name in the text. Then, they will pick the winner according to an ordinal number system. For example, the person who texts fifth wins.
Conclusion
To sum up, how to win a radio call in contest? First, you need to study your odds and choose the competitions smartly. Then, develop your strategy and save the station’s contact in your speed dial lists.
When the date finally comes, stay enthusiastic and positive. You can even prepare a comedy bit to make your on-air conversation more interesting.
Nonetheless, contests are meant to be enjoyable. So, don’t forget that aspect of the experience. You might be the incorrect caller, but you may have a minute talking to your favorite DJ. We wish you the best of luck!