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Contest is Working!

Posted by pillownaut • 10/29/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: nasa space contest apollo shirt pillownaut astronaut

I started a contest for a NASA employee T-shirt, not expecting much, but I have been pleasantly surprised with 102 entries in the first week! I offered entry categories on a separate web page:
www.pillownaut.com/contests/shirt1.html

It had a link back to my blog and asked people to do various activities to help my reviews and rankings, then I return the favor and also send folks goodies. I initially thought maybe people wouldn't go to the trouble, but folks actually seem to like doing it! They're practically competing with each other, and I'm kicking myself for not trying this sooner, LOL...

Thought I'd share the format with other folks who might want to try contests Or have other folks had success with other formats? Please share. I hate it when people run contests just to harvest your email address for spam, so I’d like to see what other creative ideas people come up with...

User Comments

10/29/09

amybyrd21

Well I started my first contest for a company that is giving away something to a reader. People are not really intrested. This will probably be the last one I do. I am just not into it and neither are my readers.

[reply]
1. 10/29/09
  
  pillownaut
  
  What was the level of participation, and what did you give away?
2. 10/29/09
  
  amybyrd21
  
  4 entries and coconut oil I have a cooking/farming blog It is virgin first press coconut oil/
3. 10/30/09
  
  pillownaut
  
  i went looking for this so i could enter and help support ya, but it seems like it's gone. or did it move?
10/29/09

polybore

Cool prize.

[reply]
1. 10/29/09
  
  polybore
  
  Nice blog as well right up polybore's street. Actually have tried a polybore contest recently although not nearly as organised as yours (in fact barely even a contest as everyone is potentially a winner).
  
  Basically polybore offers to make an animated video based on participating blogs in return for a bit of publicity (in this respect our contests are similar).
  
  So far we have "winners"
  wagerwitch www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgT1zoXvcUc
  Cookingfora**holes www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB_qPCcdk7k
  truelyskewed www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsiwlxBnb6A
  
  and more in the pipeline (although wagerwitche's was made previously and sparked the idea.)
  
  Here is the discussion that people can use to enter.
  
  www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/want-a-video-exclusively-starring-your-bl...
2. 10/29/09
  
  pillownaut
  
  excellent!! very creative! now that i've gone searching for contests in various websites, I'm seeing that how they are conducted and what they ask of participants is quite crucial.
  
  i suppose some might think yours or mine is too complex, but i had to laugh when one entrant emailed me that his "natural OCD tendencies" demanded he perform every activity in every category before he could stop, LOL...
10/31/09

benmaxime

comment removed due to link dropping.

[reply]
1. 11/01/09
  
  pillownaut
  
  great, i'll check yours out... this is a great place for cross-promotion. i'm surprised i haven't seen more contests on BC...
11/03/09

PirkleFiend

comment removed due to link dropping.

[reply]
11/03/09

pillownaut

o sweet... I have two buddies with foodie blogs, I'll send them this link

[reply]
1. 11/05/09
  
  PirkleFiend
  
  Pillownaut:
  
  I am running a quite simple contest on my food blog but not getting much of a response. Any Suggestions?
11/05/09

Hetro

comment removed due to link dropping.

[reply]