Initially comping can be an overwhelming hobby to embark on. So many comps, so little time - which competitions are legit, which do you have the best chance of winning, is it worth purchasing comping magazines, yada yada yada. Below is a brief overview of the main things you should know before you begin, it really is a vast subject so I will go into further detail about each individual point at a later date but this should get you started.
A Comping Email Address
Prepare for the deluge of spam emails comping can and will bring! Signing up to competitions can often mean 'opting in' to receiving newsletters and/or promotional emails from the company in question, think of it as an occupational hazard!
if you require your email address for business or important personal purposes then it will be best to set up a separate comping email address dedicated solely to your hobby. Free email accounts are available from: Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and countless others. Remember to keep checking this account incase of any wins (always check your spam folder - it has been known for them to work there way into there somehow!) and keep on top of the deleting of spam emails to make it easier to spot the ones that need your attention.
Time
Consistent competition entering will undoubtedly bring about results. The more competitions you enter, the higher probability you have of winning. If you can dedicate an allotted time per day to comping all the better. Admittedly this is hard with family/work constraints however some comps are flash competitions or run for one day only, so it pays to try and log on every day to put your name in the draw. This doesn't mean entering for everything going, I mean - when will you really need a life size spider man cut out?! Prioritise your time to comps with prizes you really want or need, yes it's a great feeling getting a winning email but if you won't ever use the win, whats the point?!
Form Fillers
A
pain in a compers bum is filling in the 'details form' that all comps
require, how else are they going to let you know when you've won. If
like me, you don't have the patience to type in time after time, a form
filling programme is the way forward. These programmes sit in the
toolbar of your web browser and by pressing fill form, instantly
transfer your details onto the details box - for the majority of the
time! A quick google of form fillers can throw up various free
programmes for you to try, but I and many other comps are faithful users
of 'Roboform'. This is a password manager and web form filler
programme that can be used free for a trial period, and thereafter a
small license fee per annum is required to keep on using it. Any competition wins pay for the license payment meaning it pays for itself. It really
does save a heck of a lot of time and may save you from developing RSI!
Try it for yourself - http://www.roboform.com/
Another
handy little tip is to save your name and address in your email
signature. This means that when entering email competitions (found via
comping forums) you don't have to keep on typing out this information,
just by pressing the delete button and hitching your signature into the
main body of your email the details are visible to promoters.
Competition Sources
Once you start to comp, you notice competitions EVERYWHERE. Local newspapers, supermarkets, craft fairs, facebook, twitter, the back of the packet of crisps you're eating, on the TV - it's an endless supply! It pays for companies to run prize draws to entice buyers to try their product and the marketing that comps deliver to a wide and varied audience. It works too - I have won items I would never have thought of purchasing, and have been so impressed I have continued to buy from that brand.
My main source of competitions are via the internet.
Plain ole google - If you have time on your hands to scour the vast galaxy that is the internet, google is a great place to start. Simply by searching for competitions on a search engine, comps that others haven't found yet (smaller audience - more chance of you winning!) are sourced. Searches can be tailored to specific items you need i.e. by searching for 'Win Washing Machine July 2013 UK'. Ensure the competition is still current, open to UK residents and follow the competition instructions. So often competition entrants don't read what is required for a valid entry it instantly voids their entry meaning it's a waste of time e.g. some competitions require a question answering, so simply by leaving your name and email address you are already out of the running!
These are a free platform for compers to unite to share and post their competition finds with others. It truly is a great community and selfless in nature - wins are congratulated by all and their are dedicated hardworking compers foraging constantly for the latest comps for all to enter! On MSE comps are in a list layout with the title normally of END DATE: COMPETITION PRIZE format. Once you click on this any terms and conditions and answer to questions required are detailed within. It is polite to click thank you to acknowledge your gratitude to the poster. There is also a handy tick symbol to enable you to click and mark the comp as entered to avoid you entering twice resulting in a void entry in some circumstances. Some compers prefer to enter competitions by 'sorting' the list into date order to enable them to enter all competitions ending that day for example, others enter comps as they are posted. It's all about personal preference, to me it doesn't make much difference - as long as your entry has been made, it should all be very much a random winner selection.
Alongside forums social media has seen somewhat of a comping revolution. Via Facebook and twitter, brands build their loyal following of fans and followers by offering quick and easy to enter comps.
Twitter - 'Rt & Win' retweet to win competitions are the simplest comp I can think of to enter, they may test the patience of your followers as your timeline can undoubtedly become drowned in an endless stream of them but most of my wins have come from using this method! To find these competitions simply search via the twitter tool bar 'RT win', millions of competitions will pop up. You can help filter out irrelevant comps by adding 'UK' to your search. Ensuring you follow and retweet the promoters initial competition tweet, you have pretty much entered! If you don't retweet the promoter's tweet, and retweet a compers retweet instead it can void both of your entries. It takes all of 2 seconds and is a handy comping fix for those on the go! Similarly searching for 'competition' or 'prize draw' or 'giveaway' (insert any comping connotation you can think of!) can throw up a list for you to make your way down. Befriending fellow compers on twitter can also prove invaluable. Besides the benefits of social interaction with compers so you don't turn into a robot, it's a good way of sharing competitions and ensuring you don't miss out on anything. Feel free to follow me - @spritneybeers - be aware that there is a limit of following 2000 people, from this point onwards to follow more you yourself need to build up your followers to 1819 for your follow limit to be upped, so don't go too mad following!
Facebook - When I first started comping it was all about the like & share to enter FB competitions, however facebook has since banned promoters from using this method to run their prize draws, even though the more eagle eyed comper will know - they still continue to do so! Promoters should use an 'app' function for competitions. This involves you - liking the brand's page and then clicking on the competition app, giving it authority to have access to your FB details and post on your behalf (seriously, us compers have no morals!) and then you go on to enter your name/email/phone number or play a game or upload a photo - whatever the entry requires and press ok - job done. Other FB comps include -
* Winner chosen at so many likes
* Winner chosen by particular date
* Comment on photo
* Tag yourself in a photo
* Like on Facebook and on twitter
* Creative competitions - upload a photo/video inspired by a certain theme
Again - befriending fellow compers can be a useful asset (look me up - Cher Waite !!) as comps will appear in your timeline that they have shared and entered. Again a 'like' limit is in place, however with FB this limit is 5000 so just keep this in mind.
Be Savvy
Sometimes competitions can appear too good to be true. For example a facebook company says at 100 likes they will give away a car - it just doesn't make good business sense! so enter at your peril. Sometimes false promises are made to boost likes & followers with unscrupulous folk having no intention of giving away the said prize. Canny compers don't let these go by the wayside and will often stage a mutiny until the promoter changes its ways (!) however if you notice a comp that never announces a winner, or something is amiss, be aware of the following agencies out there to help you. Likewise if you win a competition and wait endlessly for the postman to deliver it, but to no avail, let the people below know!
You shouldn't have to pay to enter a competition. The purchase of goods may be required if you need a code, but that is all. Never, ever give your bank details out to promoters. It's wrong. Make a complaint via the Advertising Standards Agency's online form for it to be investigated - http://www.asa.org.uk/Consumers/How-to-complain.aspx
Remember - you have the best chance of winning a competition when there are the least number of entrants. Sometimes it can be worth a punt to enter a competition with lots of entrants if the prize is worth it, but always be on the lookout for comps that haven't reached a wider audience. I find that regional newspapers and small independent company websites/social media accounts are often overlooked. Be vigilant! If you know companies in your area, why not look them up on twitter, you may be onto a winner!
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