To increase electronic bill payment usage, both Digital Insight and Online Resources are sponsoring holiday usage sweepstakes that client banks can offer to end-users. Modeled after similar programs at MasterCard and Visa, the promotions provide an incentive to pay bills online. By pooling the entries from all participating banks and credit unions, the prize pool is bigger than if a single financial institution sponsored it individually.

Some highlights of the two programs:

Digital Insight <www.diproductsite.com/q4_05_pay_anyone/splash/splash.html>

• One single prize of $30,000 across all participating financial institutions
• Three-month duration: One entry after paying 10 bills between Dec. 1 and Feb. 28
• One additional entry for each payment greater than $10 (maximum 10 additional entries)
• No more than one payment per payee per month counted towards total

Online Resources <www.orcc.com/sweeps/holiday05>

• One grand prize of $5000, two first prizes of $250 gift cards, plus one second prize of $100 for each participating financial institution
• Two-month duration: One entry for every bill paid between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2005

Analysis
We like the concept behind both programs. Fourth quarter usage sweepstakes and bill pay marry very well. The Online Resources program is easier to understand with virtually no fine print (click on screenshot right for a closeup); however, it featured a stingy $5500 prize pool (not including the $100 for each participating bank/credit union).

In contrast, Digital Insight offered an eye-catching $30,000 grand prize, but offered no smaller consolation prizes (click on inset left for a closeup of the contest rules). It also required 10 payments before the user was entered into the drawing, a detriment to lower-volume, casual users.

Other Bill Pay Sweeps

• RBC Centura <centura.com> is offering a total prize pool valued at just under $10,000, with a grand-prize trip to the ACC basketball tournament (valued at $3500) and 100 runners-up earning $50 in ACC merchandise. Users receive one entry each day they pay a bill between Dec. 2, 2005, and Feb. 17, 2006 (click here for screenshot).
• In another basketball-themed promotion, University Credit Union <ucu.org> in Southern California is giving away tickets to UCLA basketball games, and a grand prize of a John Wooden autographed ball, to members using bill pay in Oct/Nov/Dec. Users receive one entry per bill paid (click here for screenshot).
• PNC Bank <pncbank.com> has been running a bill payment sweeps for its business customers since mid-year. Each month, one out of every 100 new bill pay customers receives their choice of an iPod, $300 Marriott travel card, or $300 Staples card. In addition, each month the same prize choice is awarded to one existing customer who paid a bill that month. The sweeps ran from July 1 to year-end. (click here for screenshot). 

—JB