How to use spin-to-win opt-in forms to grow your email and SMS lists

People are tired of the same old pop-up opt-in forms.

Standard pop-up forms are easy to ignore, they add friction to the experience, and shoppers often perceive them more as a nuisance than a benefit.

For B2C brands that are ready to shake things up, spin-to-win opt-in forms are a fresh alternative worth exploring.

These gamified experiences not only offer a more engaging and rewarding interaction for customers, but can also significantly boost SMS and email sign-up rates. In fact, a 2024 study published in Behavioral Sciences found that gamified marketing has a measurable impact on purchase intent compared to traditional approaches.

Here, we break down why spin-to-win forms are so good at building stronger customer relationships and driving more sales—and the steps you need to take to put them into action.

What is a spin-to-win form, and why does it work?

A spin-to-win form is a gamified opt-in form where customers enter their information for a chance to win a prize by spinning a digital wheel. The wheel entices visitors with a different incentive—think discounts, free gifts, or complimentary shipping—on each slice, encouraging them to share their contact information in a more exciting, less transactional way.

Spin-to-win forms use gamification to capture attention, which is why B2C brands often see higher conversion rates with them compared to standard opt-in forms. According to 2025 data from Wisepops, spin-to-win pop-ups have a 125% higher conversion rate than traditional pop-ups.

It’s simple psychology, says Elliot Scott, founder and CEO of London-based retention agency ElliotDigital: “If you work for something, you’re invested. When you’ve earned the reward, you’re more likely to use it—especially if there’s urgency attached as well. People want to feel like they’ve earned something, instead of you just throwing money at them like every other brand in the whole world does.”

The tl;dr: spin-to-win forms work because they make signing up something fun and rewarding, rather than merely transactional. With proven performance data and a stronger emotional hook than standard forms, they’re a smart, high-impact way for B2C brands to grow their lists and stand out in a crowded market.

When to launch a spin-to-win form

Timing matters when launching spin-to-win forms. While these gamified opt-ins are known to outperform standard forms, using them strategically based on traffic patterns, campaign goals, and audience behavior can make the difference between a short-term bump and sustained list growth.

Whether you’re trying to re-energize your subscriber base or capitalize on peak shopping periods, here are the best times to launch your first (or next) spin-to-win opt-in form:

When your subscriber list growth slows

There are a few reasons why your subscriber list growth may be slowing:

• You’re experiencing a slump in sign-ups after a holiday rush. After an exciting purchasing period like BFCM, customers may be less active. A spin-to-win promotion offering a percentage off a future purchase may entice casual browsers to re-engage.
• Your once-reliable opt-in forms are no longer delivering. Perhaps people are simply not signing up because of pop-up fatigue. Spin-to-win forms may feel less disruptive because they’re offering a fun transaction, not just asking people for something.
• Your form has too many fields. If it takes someone too long to fill out your form, they may decide it’s not worth the effort. Streamline the process with a spin-to-win form with simple fields.
• There’s no compelling incentive to sign up. Your biggest fans may be interested enough to sign up for your list with no reward, but most people expect something in return. A spin-to-win form makes signing up not only fun, but rewarding, too.

During high-traffic periods

Since spin-to-win forms tend to drive higher conversion rates than regular pop-up opt-in forms, trying them out during high-traffic periods can be a great way to attract new subscribers for your list. That might mean:

• Black Friday Cyber Monday
• Other holidays throughout the year
• Major product launches
• When you have an upcoming press feature
• As part of a larger omnichannel campaign

To target people leaving your site

Use spin-to-win forms to re-engage visitors who show exit intent. If people are leaving your site because of other general distractions, a spin-to-win form may be able to better catch their attention than a regular opt-in pop-up. If people are leaving your site because they’re going elsewhere to shop, a spin-to-win form offering discount or free shipping incentives may be enough to keep them interested.

In an A/B test

While studies show that spin-to-win pop-ups have higher conversions, you can—and should—test it for yourself to find what works best. Compare the impact of the spin-to-win gamified opt-in vs. a standard opt-in form by running an A/B test.

You can also A/B test your spin-to-win forms by:

• Trying out different offers to see what works best
• Testing the timing or placement of when the form appears
• Experimenting with probabilities of winning different rewards (more on this next)
• Comparing different headlines or call-to-action buttons

8 spin-to-win form best practices

To make your spin-to-win form an effective tool for growing your list, here are a few best practices we recommend:

1. Decide which audience to target

You could target everyone, experiment with one audience segment or several, or run a test between segments. Perhaps you want to focus on shoppers who live in a certain state, or those with a specific purchase history. Think about where your audience is in the customer journey as well to help you choose the right offer.

2. Choose the right offer for that unique audience

Your wheel could include variations on a single offer, like different percentage discounts. Or it could include a mix of offers, like percentage discounts, free shipping, a free gift with purchase, BOGO deals, etc.

The exact mix of offers should reflect what’s most relevant to your target audience. For example, first-time visitors might respond best to a discount, whereas repeat customers might be more interested in early access to your next product drop.

3. Include an attainable prize on every slice of the wheel

To maximize brand affinity, make everyone a winner. In a B2C CRM like Klaviyo, you can determine the probability of winning each slice on the back end. Make sure you put some thought into which types of prize winnings align best with your brand values and goals.

4. Follow compliance rules

Spin to win is considered a sweepstakes promotion. To make sure you’re compliant, review local laws governing sweepstakes and prize promotions. As with more traditional sign-up forms, you must also follow laws governing the collection of implicit vs. explicit consent for sending marketing messages to consumers.

5. Customize the wheel to match your branding

For a seamless brand experience, you can customize your wheel pop-up to match your company’s branding. Edit the styling and colors, and consider using a visual or photo on your spin-to-win form to align it with your brand voice and style. Klaviyo makes it simple to customize components of your wheel to choose the sizing, coloring, and label text you prefer.

6. Select appropriate page placement and timing

In general, you want to give your customers a bit of time to explore your website before your wheel pops up. A Wisepops study found that people dislike pop-ups most when they appear too early.

With Klaviyo, you can use AI to test multiple versions of your form and find the highest-converting display time. Forms display optimization will then automatically set the highest-converting form live.

7. Make the form mobile-friendly

According to Klaviyo’s 2025 future of consumer marketing report, 53% of ecommerce and retail consumers shop on mobile websites. That means your form must display and function properly on both mobile and desktop.

Make sure your spin-to-win forms:

• Adjust to any screen size.
• Use tap-friendly buttons and fields.
• Only ask for essential information.
• Load quickly with a lightweight design.

8. Implement safeguards against multiple wins

Your wheel should be able to cache coupon codes, which will prevent customers from getting multiple unique codes for the same dynamic coupon. It’s great to make every spinner a winner, but you don’t want people gaming the system.

After the spin: maintaining customer relationships through email and SMS

Getting a customer to spin the wheel is just the beginning. What happens next—how you follow up, deliver value, and nurture the relationship—will determine whether that new contact becomes a loyal customer or just another name on your list.

That’s why it’s critical to have clear post-spin processes in place. You’ll need a seamless way to deliver the promised reward and get the customer’s contact information, like their email, directly into your marketing platform or B2C CRM. That way, you can automatically trigger follow-ups, personalize future offers, and maintain a unified view of each customer across your marketing stack.

Here are the essential steps to plan for after the spin:

1. Display a custom success message

The customer should see a tailored on-site message or reward based on which wheel slice they land on. It’s important that you customize this messaging to align with your brand tone so the experience feels consistent for the shopper.

Aim to include the following elements in your success message:

• Confirmation of success: Use celebratory language like “You’ve won!”, “Success!”, or “Congratulations!” This reinforces the gamified experience and creates a sense of excitement that can help encourage follow-through.
• The reward: Clearly explain which reward the customer has won. Be specific—“15% off your next purchase” is much clearer than just “You’ve won a discount!”
• How to redeem the reward: Make it clear how and where the customer will receive their reward—via email, SMS, or an on-screen code. If there are any extra steps (like copying a code or checking their inbox), be sure to explain them briefly.
• Call to action: Encourage the customer to use the reward, and clearly state if there’s a time limit on redemption. For example, “Use your 15% off code at check-out—valid for the next 48 hours!” adds urgency and clarity.

Whether it’s a simple message like “Congrats! Here’s 20% off your next order” or something more playful like “Wheel of Wins says YES! Your free shipping is just one click away,” make sure it includes all the key elements—and stays true to your brand voice.

2. Deliver the reward

The moment of reward delivery is your first chance to build trust with a new subscriber. Whatever you promise should arrive quickly and without confusion.

Depending on whether you’re building your email or SMS list, deliver the reward through that same channel with a clear message. This trains people to expect, look forward to, and engage with your marketing messages.

As long as you’re also sending the welcome email or text confirming the consumer’s sign-up, you can also display the reward code immediately on-screen.

3. Build a welcome series for new customers

The reward delivery constitutes the first message of your email or SMS welcome series—a key moment for your brand to make a great first impression.

According to Klaviyo’s latest email marketing benchmarks, a welcome series is the second-highest converting flow overall, and the top 10% of welcome flows convert 5x as many people as the average.

After the initial email or text, consider rounding out your welcome series with:

• Educational content about your brand, origin story, and mission
• Details about your bestselling products
• Social proof in the form of customer testimonials and user-generated content

4. Keep the conversation going

Tech stack integration is key to scaling the impact of your spin-to-win form on sustainable list growth.

When contact info syncs automatically, your system can trigger more than just welcome messages. It can also deliver cart abandonment and back-in-stock reminders, rewards and loyalty messaging, personalized product recommendations, and more—all based on each customer’s unique actions, and all without your team lifting a finger.

Unlock faster list growth with spin-to-win forms

Adding a spin-to-win form can be a game-changer for your list growth strategy. These forms not only consistently outperform traditional pop-ups, but can also create a more memorable and rewarding experience for your visitors.

With Klaviyo B2C CRM, you can launch your first spin-to-win form quickly, with best practices built in. The only CRM built for B2C offers:

• Fully customizable spin-to-win wheels
• Built-in post-spin support that seamlessly integrates with email and SMS sign-up flows
• Compliance guardrails to help you feel more confident

See for yourself how easy it is to build a spin-to-win platform with Klaviyo in this 1-minute overview video. It’s not just about getting more form fills—it’s about creating personalized experiences your customers will love.