So. It Has Come To This
I've been thinking. Which is a dangerous pastime for me.
My contests I spring upon you every once and a while just don't get as many entries as I'd like them to. Maybe you really just hate me, and that's okay, but I've realized that the main problem is that people forget. No matter how many little reminder posts I do, and no matter how many elephants I put on people's doorsteps, the contest always slips their mind.
Which brings me to my topic. How can I get more people to enter? I thought maybe giving you all more time to send an entry would help, but I think that this made it worse, actually. It gave that feeling of "I can do it later." I could try possibly doing one of those scary, "THE CONTEST ENDS TOMORROW! ENTER NOW OR YOU LOSE YOUR CHANCE......FOREVER!" announcements...
So what do you think?
My contests I spring upon you every once and a while just don't get as many entries as I'd like them to. Maybe you really just hate me, and that's okay, but I've realized that the main problem is that people forget. No matter how many little reminder posts I do, and no matter how many elephants I put on people's doorsteps, the contest always slips their mind.
Which brings me to my topic. How can I get more people to enter? I thought maybe giving you all more time to send an entry would help, but I think that this made it worse, actually. It gave that feeling of "I can do it later." I could try possibly doing one of those scary, "THE CONTEST ENDS TOMORROW! ENTER NOW OR YOU LOSE YOUR CHANCE......FOREVER!" announcements...
So what do you think?
Well you could certainly try, I mean it might work, but if people forget anyway, they still would forget no matter how many reminders you give. Even "threat" reminders like that.
ReplyDeleteBefore I forget, you and I have to HPMM and make a recipe for our mini Creative Clique "contest"
I could also try just making the entries due the next day or so, but I feel like people would feel pressured then...
DeleteProbably not like the next day because some people may not even see that you have a contest at that rate, you never know.
DeleteThat's true....hmm...I'll have to think of something else.
DeleteLOVE the new background and design by the way :D
ReplyDeleteThanks. I felt like I needed something not so...Christmas-y.
DeleteI confess, I don't often participate in your contests, or any for that matter. I apologize, but it's the way I am. If it's a comment contest like the ones I do, the winner is pleasantly surprised by it. If it's something that everyone knows about and is striving for, and especially if you're choosing between entries, people will be discouraged. Since I don't want to be discouraged, and since my work would be better off on my own blog anyway, I'd rather just go for contests based on chance.
ReplyDeleteAlso, putting up a deadline, though it seems like a good idea, is actually a bad one. It puts pressure on the reader to finish by a certain time, and that's quite depressing, especially if the prize is just a guest post or a special mention by someone.
My two cents. Heed, disregard, or incinerate at your pleasure.
Hmm...no. I won't incinerate it.
DeleteI see what you mean about the pressure, and that's usually why I stick deadlines up that are weeks later. I might try doing more chance contests in the future, though.
Thanks for your two cents. It's appreciated.
To be honest, I think that the usual reason is lack of time. Because when you have multiple things to do - or even when you don't - you're usually not going to spend your free time working hard on something for a competition run by someone you've never met on a different continent when winning it won't even give you an actual prize. (That came across as a bit negative. Sorry. I'm talking about competitions in general here, not just yours.) In truth I only really enter competitions if you're giving a writing prompt ie a picture or a title and something sparks an idea in my head. Maybe you should try that: give us a bunch of titles. I think that stimulates people's imagination more then when you just say "Do whatever you like!" (Once again, not aimed at you.)
ReplyDeleteI totally see what you mean. (Not to worry, I've taken no offense at your comment). I think I just might try that. I really appreciate you telling me what you think, Emily! It helps so much!
Delete