From The Contest Queen

I am very excited because tomorrow we are going to meet the Barenaked Ladies!

As I have been very busy with the launch of the American Edition of my book, my entries slowed down to a trickle. One Friday I decided I needed to catch up on all my email. Open one at a time and take action upon each one. Many e-newsletters had contest links in them. When I went to the Kidding Around Toronto website, I noticed there were several daily entry contests that I had not entered. The one to meet the Barenaked Ladies was ending that day. I thought, “Darn! I missed the whole thing.” Then I thought, “What kind of a Contest Queen am I if I am not going to throw at least one entry into the hat. It only takes one to win.” So, I entered myself once and my husband once.

The next night Craig and I had a rare date night. We snuggled on the couch watching a movie. Afterward, Craig went to his computer to check his email one last time before we went to bed. He discovered a congratulatory email stating he had won the Grand Prize. I danced around the bathroom for a good 15 minutes while I got ready for bed.

Tomorrow we are going to their CD signing at Chapters. We get a copy of their new CD Snack Time, we get front row seats and an opportunity to take photos with them. I really like the fine print in the rules: All adults must be accompanied by a child.

Remember, it only takes one to win!

Dell Enterprise Server has a new promotion called Are you an IT Hero? There are heaps of prizes to be won on a weekly basis including an Xboxes, home theatre systems and digital cameras.

Launchfire is the company behind the design and execution of the contest. They are very good at building viral marketing into every promotion they create for their clients. You gain entries in several ways. You can visit every day, play a game and gain an entry, up to 51 entries. You can invite friends and gain entries, up to 10. If those friends visit the website you gain entries, up to 10. If they enter the contest from your referral, you gain entries, up to 30. You can post a referral link in instant messages, personal web pages, blogs, message boards, email, etc. and for each person that enters from your link, you gain an entry up to 50 entries. If you opt-in to receive email from Dell, you gain entries, up to 15. If you participate in IT challenges you gain entries, up to 50. So if you were able to gain every possible entry into this contest, you would have a grand total of 216.

I love how Launchfire designs its promotions because they encourage the participant to interact with their client’s product or service on multiple levels. What I am questioning with this one is, what do I care about being an IT hero? I understand that, by law, contests in Canada need to be free to enter to anyone of legal age in their province, plus I would love to win one of the great prizes being offered, but I will never buy or implement any of the products or services being featured in this promotion. I wonder what Dell is gaining by running this contest vs. the similar promotions they run for their notebook and desktop line of computers, to the general public? Contests like this are fairly expensive to run. I hope Dell achieves their marketing goal.

There is a contest for just about everything. ROCK 105 in Charleston WV decided Valentine’s Day isn’t always all about love. They are holding a promotion to win a free divorce.

Thankfully this is prize I never want win. I came downstairs this morning to find a bouquet of papercraft calla lilies in the kitchen. (Calla lilies are my favourite flower.) Then I was covered in hugs and kisses from my daughter.

I hope your life is filled with love from family, friends and even pets.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

How could I not blog about a blog contest?

My Blog Contest is holding two contests. One for people that subscribe to their RSS feed via email and another for those that blog about their contest.

Blogger-based sweepstakes and contest sites are being created at a rapid rate due to the ease of setting up a blog vs. a website. Visit the Resources section of my website for new blog links.

(NOTE: The Resources section of ContestQueen.com, and other areas of the site, will be revamped and updated once the American Edition of You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter goes to printing. It is currently being edited.)

I have read many comments on various online contest and sweepstakes groups that people are winning less. They blame me for their lack or prizes. They feel the more publicity I receive, the more people enter and the harder it is for them to win. I do not believe that to be true. If it is so hard to win then why do I win 5-15+ prizes every month, month-after-month? I believe it is easy to win, so my experience is, it is easy to win. They believe it is hard to win, so their experience is, it is hard to win. Remember, your inner world creates your outer world.

I receive daily inspirational quotes via email from some of my favourite authors and this one arrived this morning from Esther & Jerry Hicks:

When you manage to stay connected to your Energy stream, you always win. And you know what, somebody else doesn’t have to lose for you to win. There is always enough.

There are enough prizes for everyone. Let some into your life today.

Most contestors can spot the word WIN at 100 paces. I was flipping through the Toronto Sun, when the word win caught my eye. There seems to be a contest for just about anything and everything. Apparently there is not enough nudity on the Internet, so Adult 411 is holding a Naughty Hotty Amateur Photo Contest.

The basic rules are: It’s open to Ontario resident only. Your face does not need to be in the photo. It closes January 31^st 2008.

They will be selecting one male and one female winner. Scroll down main contest page for full rules and entry requirements.

The Grand Prize is a $200 gift certificate redeemable at several adult stores plus many other prizes including: hot DVDs, a spa treatment and even photos with a naughty movie star.

Visit the photo gallery, if you dare. Congratulations go out to Dave, the Early Bird winner, and don’t look for my photo. It turns out , I do not enter every contest.

The documentary that was filmed last summer about the hobby of contesting and featured contestors from across Canada, will be airing on CBC Thursday March 6^th at 9^pm on the Doc Zone.

Bonnie, of the T.O. Wanna Winners, won the Name The Documentary contest at the convention. Her winning entry? In It To Win It! Sadly, the CBC chose not to use her entry, and instead called the documentary Winning for a Living. I feel their choice immediately gives off the wrong impression of what contestors are really like and why we enter. Thankfully, the project was lead by an award winning director, Nadine Pequeneza, so I believe the hobby, the people and the convention will only be shown in the best possible light.

So, mark your calendars, set your PVRs, and get set to see this hobby the way it’s never been seen before!

The Passionate Eye documentary that was filmed at the Annual National Contestors Convention is due to air on CBC in March. I am still awaiting a final name and air date. I will be sending out the documentary information as soon as I have it.

In the meantime, to satisfy your craving to watch fellow sweepers and contestors on TV, pop The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio in your DVD player and haul out the tissue box.

When I won a year’s supply of pizza my husband asked my daughter, “What’s better than pizza?” The answer?  “Free pizza!”

Free is good. That is why many people enter contests and sweepstakes as a hobby. Sometimes you don’t even have to enter to get something for free. If you are looking to do something a little different without spending a lot of money, get tickets to the taping of a local television show.

Living near Toronto I have been to many of the shows taped in the city. There is something for everyone’s taste and schedule. Check out your local TV station’s webpage to see what is taped near you to get your free tickets.

If you are planning a trip to L.A., New York or Chicago go to your favourite TV show’s website and see how to get free tickets. You may get a chance to be in the audience for Oprah, Ellen, Leno or Letterman.

In the GTA:

STEVE & CHRIS

THE HOUR 

THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES

HAVE FUN!!