There are three steps I take at the beginning of each year to ensure bigger wins:

1) I start with a fresh Annual Wins Tracker.  (It is a spreadsheet I use to track every prize I win in any given calendar year.) It always feels fresh, like the first day of school when all your notebooks have yet to be written in with all your new knowledge and adventures. This is a very handy tool as it:

  • helps me to ensure I get every prize I win,
  • if I am eligible to enter again within a certain time frame (specifically those hosted by radio stations),
  • lets me see which entry methods are garnering me the most prizes.

Download yours here. Scroll down to get your free copy.

2) I review my contest entry system to see if anything needs tweaking.  As entry methods are always in flux (for example, look at the explosion of Facebook contests over the past two years), it is best to ensure one maximizes the number of entries that can be garnered within the shortest period of time.  (I only spend an hour or two a day entering, with the occasional Sunday of indulgence thrown in for good measure.)

3) I set new prize goals.  What do I really want to win this year?!  It ensures I focus on entering those contests first.  This year I would like to win the following:

  • a trip for two somewhere sunny and sandy, where flip flops are au rigor, and I can enjoy the salty sea air and a pina colada at the same time,
  • new kitchen appliances, big and small,
  • updated tools for my business: a new cellphone and a new computer.

What do you do to ensure you will have a winning year?