I'm feeling pushy reaching out to friends who haven't entered my giveaway but commented on my posts. Should I contact them directly?

Absolutely reach out—you’re making assumptions about why they haven’t participated. Often the answer is simpler than you think: they may not know how to enter, didn’t realize they could win, or missed the instructions. Send a simple text message (under 150 characters): ‘Hey, just wondering why you didn’t subscribe? If you do, you can win the print.’ Most times you’ll be pleasantly surprised—they’ll ask how to participate, and you’ll gain several more entries. This isn’t being pushy; it’s giving interested people a clear path to participate. Artists feel pushy about promotion because you’re trained to create, not sell. You’re comfortable giving work away but uncomfortable asking for the sale. Break through that wall—the results are worth it. Don’t end your giveaway before having these simple conversations.

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Asked by an artist running a giveaway with low participation · Answered by Juan · Office Hours · 2026-05-12