Comments on: Holding a contest: How to get free stuff to give away http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/ Lifehacking, business, development, design, and more... Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:30:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: MaxS http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-3 MaxS Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:12:27 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-3 Nice read! Thanks. Nice read! Thanks.

]]> By: Lifehacker http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-4 Lifehacker Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:03:37 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-4 <strong>How to get free stuff to give away</strong> Blogger and Designer Josh Pigford has an interesting how-to on giving things away via a contest. Specifically how to get those free goodies to pass along. Over on one of the sites I run we’re having a huge contest where... How to get free stuff to give away

Blogger and Designer Josh Pigford has an interesting how-to on giving things away via a contest. Specifically how to get those free goodies to pass along. Over on one of the sites I run we’re having a huge contest where…

]]> By: Anonymous Coward http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-5 Anonymous Coward Sat, 17 Dec 2005 01:13:53 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-5 I love how you left out the actual real crucial bit: what to tell them to convince them they benefit from the contest. I sorta figured you'd have to make a list, and call them, and stuff. Way to go and make a completely useless article. I love how you left out the actual real crucial bit: what to tell them to convince them they benefit from the contest. I sorta figured you’d have to make a list, and call them, and stuff. Way to go and make a completely useless article.

]]> By: Timothy Johnson http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-6 Timothy Johnson Sat, 17 Dec 2005 04:39:29 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-6 The point about "leaving out what to say" to the donating company is a good one -- though I wouldn't have been so nasty about it. ;) Some of the basic info, in fact, was offered. As a marketing and communications type, I humbly offer my thoughts, too: - If your traffic numbers are good, be sure to point out that the donator will have access to lots of readers. - If you have detailed info about your readership, all the better. Primarily females, males, 18 - 25 or 26 - 40? If it matches the donator's/product's demographic, you will have an excited vendor. Be sure to be able to offer some proof. - Offer to place free donor advertising on your site during the contest. Ensure that you're not losing money on the placement, of course -- but offer them something, if you need to. - Remember that sometimes, all the donator needs is the attention that comes with having a picture of their product and a glowing description (they will help you write the copy). - Don't spend too much time on any single vendor trying to convince them -- if you get a hold of a decision-maker, and if you have the right numbers, and IF they still don't agree, move on. There are lots of potential donors out there. - Don't just call a person listed on a vendor press release in the "news" section of their website. Go to the "management" page too and look for a VP or Director-level person in charge of marketing. Write to that person, and cc another (not the CEO) if you need to. One last point -- start a lot sooner than 3 or 4 weeks prior to your contest. This is about relationship-building with the vendor, who is also a potential advertiser, etc. As someone who makes these decisions of behalf of vendors every day, if I'm approached by someone and it's a "rush-rush" situation, I'm immediately skeptical. Hope this helps. Tim tjohnson@vocecomm.com The point about “leaving out what to say” to the donating company is a good one — though I wouldn’t have been so nasty about it. ;) Some of the basic info, in fact, was offered. As a marketing and communications type, I humbly offer my thoughts, too:

- If your traffic numbers are good, be sure to point out that the donator will have access to lots of readers.

- If you have detailed info about your readership, all the better. Primarily females, males, 18 - 25 or 26 - 40? If it matches the donator’s/product’s demographic, you will have an excited vendor. Be sure to be able to offer some proof.

- Offer to place free donor advertising on your site during the contest. Ensure that you’re not losing money on the placement, of course — but offer them something, if you need to.

- Remember that sometimes, all the donator needs is the attention that comes with having a picture of their product and a glowing description (they will help you write the copy).

- Don’t spend too much time on any single vendor trying to convince them — if you get a hold of a decision-maker, and if you have the right numbers, and IF they still don’t agree, move on. There are lots of potential donors out there.

- Don’t just call a person listed on a vendor press release in the “news” section of their website. Go to the “management” page too and look for a VP or Director-level person in charge of marketing. Write to that person, and cc another (not the CEO) if you need to.

One last point — start a lot sooner than 3 or 4 weeks prior to your contest. This is about relationship-building with the vendor, who is also a potential advertiser, etc. As someone who makes these decisions of behalf of vendors every day, if I’m approached by someone and it’s a “rush-rush” situation, I’m immediately skeptical.

Hope this helps.
Tim
tjohnson@vocecomm.com

]]> By: dunebug http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-7 dunebug Sat, 17 Dec 2005 13:19:17 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-7 Thanks for a great idea for kicking off a long overdue renovation on our (sad face) resort's website. The hospitality industry has so many! terrific things swirling around it, I'm sure many would like more exposure. :)=) Thanks for a great idea for kicking off a long overdue renovation on our (sad face) resort’s website. The hospitality industry has so many! terrific things swirling around it, I’m sure many would like more exposure. :)=)

]]> By: Murdock http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-12 Murdock Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:14:09 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-12 Good article, I can see how this would work but does anyone have ideas for the small niche site with less readers etc? Good article, I can see how this would work but does anyone have ideas for the small niche site with less readers etc?

]]> By: The Last Podcast » Blog Archive » links for 2005-12-18 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-14 The Last Podcast » Blog Archive » links for 2005-12-18 Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:34:02 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-14 [...] Holding a contest: How to get free stuff to give away at SpottedWalrus [...] […] Holding a contest: How to get free stuff to give away at SpottedWalrus […]

]]> By: How to get free stuff to give away - Brokekid.net http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-15 How to get free stuff to give away - Brokekid.net Mon, 19 Dec 2005 19:06:17 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-15 [...] (via lifehacker.com) Blogger and Designer Josh Pigford has an interesting how-to on giving things away via a contest. Specifically how to get those free goodies to pass along. [...] […] (via lifehacker.com) Blogger and Designer Josh Pigford has an interesting how-to on giving things away via a contest. Specifically how to get those free goodies to pass along. […]

]]> By: Links - 2005-12-27 at Isaak’s World http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-18 Links - 2005-12-27 at Isaak’s World Tue, 27 Dec 2005 04:17:55 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-18 [...] How to Get Free Stuff to Give Away [...] […] How to Get Free Stuff to Give Away […]

]]> By: The Geeks http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-19 The Geeks Sun, 22 Jan 2006 20:44:48 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-19 One thing you might want to mention that we've notived while running contests on <a href="http://www.gizmosforgeeks.com/" rel="nofollow">Gizmos for Geeks</a> is that the contributors of prizes tend to want your users information including at least their name and email address. If you're concerned about your users privacy this could be a problem. -- the Geeks One thing you might want to mention that we’ve notived while running contests on Gizmos for Geeks is that the contributors of prizes tend to want your users information including at least their name and email address. If you’re concerned about your users privacy this could be a problem.

–
the Geeks

]]> By: Sam http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-20 Sam Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:12:27 +0000 http://spottedwalrus.com/articles/14/holding-a-contest-how-to-get-free-stuff-to-give-away/#comment-20 I know a lot of people would not give out this information - but let's say hypothetically, what would be a decent number of daily visitors that would perk a marketing person's ear? I know a lot of people would not give out this information - but let’s say hypothetically, what would be a decent number of daily visitors that would perk a marketing person’s ear?

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