Pre-orders for the American Edition of You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter are now being accepted. The book is $19.95. As an incentive to pre-order, all books ordered by March 31st will be autographed, and the shipping is FREE. Order your copy online today! (You can also order by mail.)
If you are wondering about the book’s progress, the first edit and layout edit are now finished and has now gone for its second edit. Once complete, any final changes will be made and then it’s off to the printer. It takes about two weeks for me to get an author’s copy, to ensure it is printed correctly before it is made available to the general public. Once I approve the author’s copy, it will be immediately available for sale on Amazon.com. At the same time I will be placing an order for books. I will receive my copies 2-4 weeks after that. All orders should be shipped between April 15th and April 30th.
The reason You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter can be available for sale on Amazon.com before I get my copies is because the book is listed with Amazon’s POD service (Print-On-Demand). Unlike the days of old where companies had warehouses full of books, companies now only print a book when someone wants it. POD means if you go to Amazon and order my book, they will print your copy and ship it to you.
I just finished reading And The Lucky Winner Is… (subtitled The Complete Guide To Winning Sweepstakes and Contests) by Carolyn and Roger Tyndall with Tad Tuleja published in 1982.
It seems some things never change.After interviewing dozens of very successful contestors and sweepstakers, some of which had been entering since the 1930s, they came up with three principles they believed to be the core actions the big winners always took:
Principle One: Enter often
Principle Two: Follow the rules
Principle Three: Think “win”
I find it fascinating that their three principles are the same tips I give new contestors. Good advice remains consistant.
I especially find the third principle interesting because these people were promoting the law of attraction, aka The Secret, and didn’t even know it.I say, “Half the hobby is in your head and if you do not think you will win, you won’t.”Carolyn, Roger and Tad confirm my statement and that positive thinking has been prevalent in the hobby for decades.My advice is not “New Age” thinking, but a thought process all contestors must embrace to be truly successful.
The book focuses on contests versus sweepstakes, features interviews with contestors and judging agencies (including some I interviewed for the American Edition of my book) along with having many tips and tricks, still applicable today, sprinkled throughout.
The final line of their book is almost identical to mine: REMEMBER: FOLLOW THE RULES-and have fun!
As I stated in my last posting, for the most part, I liked the documentary. When I was asked to be in it, I knew all I could do was put forth my vision, state my message, and hope it didn’t end up on the cutting room floor. Frugal Shopper has had and interesting online discussion of the various aspects of the film. It seems that most people feel that our hobby has been shown in the worse possible light and, I agree, that my message of fun, excitement and fellowship did not come across as strongly as I would have liked. What was remembered by most was, how the hobby turned to an addiction and ruined a family.
Then (coincidentally?) yesterday ABC ran an online article Sweepstakes Addicts Win Big. I think Sandra at about.com (re)stated my feelings on the misconceptions of the hobby in her posting Why Are Sweepers “Addicts”?. To me an addiction is something that must be done no matter what and comes before everything else. I do not put my hobby before family or work. I only spend 1-2 hours per day entering, and on busy days 10-30 min. On my busiest the reason I can squeeze in 10 min. is because I use RoboForm Companion, otherwise on those busy days, contesting time would be zero. On those days I also affirm to myself, I win what I am suppose to win and it only takes one to win.
The day this hobby isn’t fun anymore, is the day I quit.
Overall I thought the documentary was very good. I feel they showed a bit too much of the compulsive aspect of the hobby versus the fun side. But, how interesting would the documentary be if they just showed the average contestor sitting in front of the computer clicking away for an hour? They needed to show the various extremes of the hobby. Also, the director had hundreds of hours of film to condense down to 45 min. along with ensuring she told a very compelling story.
There were questions and aspects I wish they had time to show. For example, when I meet new people that don’t enter, they don’t because; they don’t think they will win, they think no one wins or they are afraid of spam, scams and identity theft. What are the marketers doing to overcome those fears and perspectives to increase their dialog with the average consumer? The UGC (User Generated Content) contest they showed costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to create and execute for the sponsor. The reason many companies have simple form-based promotions is the cost.
What about the radio stations? They didn’t explore the fact that many parent companies are now blending the marketing budgets of all the stations they own in one market, or possibly the country, decreasing the odds of their loyal listeners winning a prize. How many contestors need or want to win a $20,000 wedding? Had it been a promotion for a car or trip, there would have been far more competition from the contestors.
What did you think?
NOTE: I am waiting to hear back from the production company to see if they will be selling the Winning for a Living documentary as a DVD as I have received many emails from those not within the viewing area. I will keep everyone posted.
FOR the average contest entrant, the odds of winning are miniscule. But for professional contestors, who make a living off of their winnings, expectations are always high. From ballot stuffing, to garbage picking, to simply praying for luck, these contest junkies will do anything to circumvent the system and win big prizes. Contestors are always after another reward, regardless of the damage their lifestyle inflicts on friends and family. Sadly, what these freeloaders really need to win is rationality.
This documentary mini-review that was posted on the Sympatico website today. Brian’s take on our hobby is, contestors are all greedy people willing to stop at nothing to wrestle our next big win away from the poor average Joe who doesn’t stand a chance at even winning a free cuppa coffee.
Perception is reality. My perception of the hobby is; that entering and winning is fun. I follow the rules, share my enthusiasm (and sometimes prizes) with others and have enhanced my life in ways that I could never have conceived when I submitted my first entry. My reality is; I have travelled to exotic (and some not so exotic) locals, had some unforgettable adventures (like sumo wrestling), and made life-long friends (at club meetings and conventions). My life is better because a marketer, a long time ago, thought a contest would be a fantastic promotional tool to increase sales.
What is your perception of the hobby and what is your reality? Do you believe it is easy or hard to win? Be conscious of those thoughts the next time you enter a contest and remember, your perception is your reality.
On a slow TV night last week I caught the last half of Rumor Has It. Kevin Costner’s character Beau Burroughs has a great line in the movie, “Life has to be a little nuts sometimes. Otherwise it’s just a bunch of Thursdays strung together.” It’s why I encourage people to take up sweepstaking as a hobby. It adds the “little nuts” to life, in a good way.
“There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from.” Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Yesterday morning I went out to run one errand, but at the last moment decided to run a few more. As I pulled into the parking lot of the Feel Good health food store, Pamela Jackson, a peer from Toastmasters, pulled in beside me. I greeted her thinking we would be shopping together, only to discover she was working in the store. Pamela had just started her own business, The Quantum Connection, and as an added-value to its customers, the store brings in holistic practitioners.
Pamela offered to show me what she does. She hooked me up to a bio-feedback machine and gave me a full body assessment. It was very thorough, confirming that I do need to exercise more, to stay hydrated and I left the store with a few items I had not planned on buying.
So, was it a coincidence I ran into Pamela, or did The Universe orchestrated our meeting so I would get the information I needed to improve my health? Be open, listen to your inner voice and see what “coincidences” occur in your life.
Sandra Grauschopf writes the Contests & Sweepstakes section on about.com and was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the documentary. She is one lucky lady. I was in it, and I have to wait until it airs on TV next Thursday! Sandra wrote a review of the film I thought you may enjoy.
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