The documentary filmed last summer about the hobby of contesting will be airing in March. Winning for a Living will be shown on CBC’s Doc Zone on Thursday March 6th at 9pm.

I mentioned in a recent email announcement that Bonnie had won the Name the Documentary contest at the convention and the CBC chose not to use her winning entry, In It To Win It! Even though they chose not to use her fantastic title, she did win an iPod for her efforts and, I imagine, is listening to it at this moment while dancing around her house in her skivvies.

For the past two weeks I have been having fun posting to, and generally mucking about with, my new blog. If you have not checked it out yet, go to From The Contest Queen.

There are two new sweepstakes websites: USA 1 Sweepstakes and Sweepstakes Forager. I have also added a few new blogs to the Resources section: Contest Beat, Contest Radar and The Prize Blog.

HAPPY CONTESTING,

carolyn@contestqueen.com

Have a great story to share? Send me your story to share with the contesting community. winner@contestqueen.com.

Sign up for RSS feeds from contest blogs, websites and publications. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It is a great way to get sweepstake and contest information coming right to you.

You need to use an RRS reader. You tell the reader which RRS feeds you wish to receive and you will be notified when new information is posted. You then read the new post, blog, and so on, right in the reader. It is a big time saver.

For more detailed information, Chris Sherman wrote a really good three part series on RSS: What is RSS and Why Should You Care?, RSS Search Engines and Choosing an RSS Reader.

TIP: Always scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the RSS feed logo to sign-up if it is not readily apparent.

Have a great tip? Send me your best tips to share with the contesting community. Remember “You Can’t Lose Helping Others Win”. tipsandtricks@contestqueen.com

The Issue 27 Winning EDGE subscriber winner of a set of Winner Wear Baseball Caps is: Mary of Kitchener, ON! Congratulations!

Get The Winning EDGE on Today's Contests!
Win a copy of You Can't Win If You Don't Enter in our next draw.

If you are receiving this e-newsletter directly from me you are already entered! Please forward this newsletter to your friends so they can sign-up and have an opportunity to win too!!

Many new subscribers are asking similar questions to ones I have already answered. To read those answers, check our 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, archives of Your Questions Answered.

Hi Carolyn,
What we often see is that even though it says "Open to U.S. and Canadian markets" does not necessarily mean that it is. One way to find out is when we see the contest form where it says STATE. When it says State/Province then its O.K. otherwise, even if it says in the rules that it's open to Canadians, which state are we to chose especially if there is no QC or ON?
Hope this helps.
Ed
Montreal, QC

Hi Ed,
That’s due to inexperienced marketing staff or poor QA. If it is open to Canadians, then the drop down menu should include our provinces. I have seen online entry forms updated once the Canadians spoke up. If they still don’t respond, I chose the closest state to me which is NY.
GOOD LUCK,
Carolyn

Hi Carolyn,
Another thing, even if you write NY, you cannot enter your postal code because it only accepts five numbers. What if they mail the prize or a free sample (freebies), what then? Cheers!
Ed

Hi Ed,
I always just use the first five digits of my postal code and it usually accepted. If not, I enter in five zeros. Remember to always read the full rules. Canadians may have to enter via an alternate entry method. I sent the following email out just before Christmas:

I decided to send out this contest and sweepstaking tip after I received many emails regarding Issue 26 of The Winning EDGE.

Always Read the Rules
My number one tip is always read the rules, the full rules.

I stated that the Good Housekeeping Sweepstakes was open to both Canadians and Americans. Many wrote me stating the sweepstakes was only open to Americans. I thought I had made an error and today I rechecked the rules.  It is, in fact, open to both Canadians and Americans.

What I assume most people were doing was reading the first paragraph's first line regarding the online and text message entry methods which is only open to Americans.  If you did read further down, you would see the following statement:

Sweepstakes open to legal U.S. and Canadian residents and to residents of other countries and U.S. territories and possessions only where offered & permitted by law.

and

Canadian residents, to win, must first correctly answer, unaided, a time-limited mathematical skill testing question administered by mail.  Any litigation regarding the conduct & awarding of a prize in this publicity contest by a resident of the province of Quebec may be submitted to the Regie des alcools, des courses et des jeux.

If you read the first paragraph very carefully, you will then discover the Canadian entry method:

You may enter by mail in lieu of online or via text messaging by hand printing your name, address, daytime telephone number, & the Internet or other location where you found these instructions on a postcard & mailing it to Sweepstakes Entry, PO Box 5772, Ellenton, FL 34222-5007.

I hope this clears up any confusion regarding the Good Housekeeping promotion. Remember, GOOD LUCK & HAVE FUN!!

NOTE: The sweepstakes webpage has moved since I sent out that email (you can find it here) but the tip still applies: Always Read the Rules!
GOOD LUCK,
Carolyn

Send me any sweeping or contesting questions you would like answered. questions@contestqueen.com

The American Edition is scheduled to be released on February 29th 2008. We will begin taking pre-orders soon.

The Canadian Edition of You Can't Win If You Don't Enter should now be in your local book store. If not, you can take in a copy of my sell sheet and ask them to order you a copy.

Please send all your comments and suggestions to feedback@contestqueen.com