Rodney

We're going to be giving away a free Roland GX-24 from Imprintables.com as our next contest.

Last year we gave away a Phoenix Phire heat press in a sweepstakes, as it seemed to be the most "fair" type of contest.

This year we thought it would be good to get some input from you guys.

I'm still leaning towards the sweepstakes because it would be most fair and get the most entries, but I'm open to suggestions and ideas

kind of contest do you think would work to win a vinyl cutter?

Your mission: come up with contest ideas that you think sound interesting. Some things to think about:

* What is the contest?

* How will entries be submitted?

* How will the entries be scored?

* Who will score the entries?

* When/will submissions be viewable by everyone?

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DAGuide

Rodney - That is a pretty nice offer. How about this or some variation?

* What is the contest?
The contest could be based on the best tip / technique for printing or cutting or applying transfers / vinyl to an item. It could be open to traditional digital inkjet transfers, dye sub transfers, plastisol transfers, dtg printing or heat applied vinyl.

* How will entries be submitted?
I think the entries would have more of an impact if they were done by video, but not everyone has the ability to shoot video. So, the entry could be written out (and would perferably include pictures) or done by video.

* How will the entries be scored?
Could have the entries be posted in a new forum and make each one a poll that ranks it 1-5. Take the top 5 to 10 entries and have a final round of voting. Top one gets the prize.

* Who will score the entries?
All the members of the forum by giving the ones that they like higher ranking. To keep things impartial, you could prevent others from posting comments (that could slant things one way or another) under the post like you do with the classifieds. Not sure if the forum software will allow you to do this.

* When/will submissions be viewable by everyone?
Immediately and Absolutely. There are a lot of great tips spread out in the forums. Putting them into one forum made specifically for tips would be beneficial. This concept could help create this list and I think it would be a forum that many of us would check on a periodic basis to see what is new.

There are several other options that could come out from this concept. For example, anyone that submits a tip gets put into the drawing and the winner is selected from the pool of enteries. Something to consider. Looking forward to whatever you decide.

Have a great weekend!

 

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Fluid

I agree with Mark on the video tutorial. Not everyone is set up for video. So from the poll Sweepstakes would be the winner.

Plus I hate writing

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Rodney

Quote: Originally Posted by DAGuide How about this or some variation?

Wow Mark...those are some great ideas (which gave me even more ideas )!

Quote: There are a lot of great tips spread out in the forums. Putting them into one forum made specifically for tips would be beneficial.

That's actually what the T-Shirt Articles section of the forum is for...but that's a good idea for growing that section.

There's also the cool tags feature where any member can "tag" their post with a keyword so it can be easy to find later.

Like if you check the video tag, you'll see video tutorials posted. If you click the tips tag, you'll see a few tips posted. For those members that are posting real detailed help, it's sometimes nice to find their great posts by name, so there's a "fluid" tag or a "badalou" tag for easy access to some of their "highlight" posts

But ideally, the articles section would be where the posts that start of as a great tip or tutorial should be posted.

Quote: There are several other options that could come out from this concept. For example, anyone that submits a tip gets put into the drawing and the winner is selected from the pool of enteries.

I like this idea as well. Especially as an ongoing type project/contest.

Anybody else have some cool suggestions?

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John S

Mark's idea is very good.

If you want a different twist, instead of the 'best single tip' contest, give it to the most helpful member. Even though Badalou has the current title, can we find another member who helps people solve their problems, contributes to the knowledge base and makes this forum a better place?

Members nominate the first round (in secret), then the top 5 are voted for in a poll.

 

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Solmu

Sweepstakes is probably the most popular (since it gives a lot of people who would otherwise have no chance of winning a chance), but it's not really the fairest (well... it is obviously, but it also isn't).

Something skill-based would be good, but it brings in the dreaded subjectivity, so that's something to consider. I think a popularity contest (like MHM) is a bad idea for something so high stakes - we don't want to turn the forums into a campaigning ground (besides, if we were going to do that we should just give it to Jasonda and not bother with the competition ).

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by DAGuide * What is the contest? The contest could be based on the best tip / technique for printing or cutting or applying transfers / vinyl to an item.

I strongly disagree with this concept. I think "best tip" could work (although is extremely hard to judge - probably impossible), but I think the competition should be open to all members. If you were in a position to provide a tip on applying vinyl, you don't need the plotter as much as someone who isn't

A graphic designer or a screenprinter or an embroiderer might be interested in expanding into a new area, and I don't see why they should be excluded.

Quote: Originally Posted by DAGuide * Who will score the entries? All the members of the forum by giving the ones that they like higher ranking.

I'm kind of torn on this. On the one hand it seems the most open/fair, but on the other hand it's also the most partisan and the easiest to rig. In general I like things being open and democratic, but there's also a lot to be said for Rodney and Josh deciding the winner between them.

Quote: Originally Posted by DAGuide * When/will submissions be viewable by everyone? Immediately and Absolutely.

Definitely not. That puts whoever submits first at a big disadvantage, since those who go after know where the bar is set and what they have to beat. Unless you meant "immediately after the cut off date" in which case I agree completely.

Quote: Originally Posted by DAGuide There are several other options that could come out from this concept. For example, anyone that submits a tip gets put into the drawing and the winner is selected from the pool of enteries.

That's a really interesting idea actually. It means the only subjective part would be deciding what the minimum contribution needed to constitute an "entry" would be (probably not that hard), and then it's objective from there. It combines some of the advantages of the sweepstakes, with the advantage that the winner has to have "earnt" their prize. It doesn't disadvantage new members who want to take a stab at it as a completely skill based competition would. I think this idea might be particularly worth exploring.

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freebird1963

As a newbie the tip idea kinda leaves me and many others out as we don't have the experience that many of you have.
Also if the contest relates strictly to vinly those of us that haven't expanded into it yet are gonna be out also.
This is a great chance for us newbies and wanna be vinyl cutters a chance to move into that areana if we are able to get into the contest.

How about we meet in some game room and play texas hold'em for it :-)
lotto type contest. ?
bingo ?

Sounds great but please try to make so us newbies can get in.

THanks
Mark

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Rodney

Quote: If you were in a position to provide a tip on applying vinyl, you don't need the plotter as much as someone who isn't A graphic designer or a screenprinter or an embroiderer might be interested in expanding into a new area, and I don't see why they should be excluded.

I didn't read it as the tip had to be vinyl cutter based.

Just a tip based on something you know about.

A screen printer could post a tutorial about how to apply discharge.

A dye sub printer could post about how to press a coffee mug.

A plastisol transfer printer could post about the steps involved in making a transfer.

A new member could post the step by step process they went through in setting up their company, etc...

Just thinking out loud

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Vtec44

IMHO

* Writing contest will leave a lot of the ESL members out.
* Tutorial contest will leave a lot of new-to-the-business members out.
* Video tutorial will leave the N2TB and the O2TB w/o camera members out.
* Video tutorial on a particular subject will leave most people out

That's all.

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JoshEllsworth

Quote: Originally Posted by Rodney I didn't read it as the tip had to be vinyl cutter based. Just a tip based on something you know about. A screen printer could post a tutorial about how to apply discharge. A dye sub printer could post about how to press a coffee mug. A plastisol transfer printer could post about the steps involved in making a transfer. A new member could post the step by step process they went through in setting up their company, etc... Just thinking out loud

I think the "tips" idea to get entered into a sweepstakes is a good idea. And I agree that the tips should be about anything related to t-shirts. Surely, everyone could contribute something - beginners and experts alike.

Here are the advantages of doing this way (thinking out loud as well):

• Further qualifies the 11,000+ members to those who are active and interested in winning
• Further encourages the so called "lurkers" to come out and post - We won't bite
• Allows for more sharing of information that everyone can reference - newbies tips could be just what we need more of
• And the sweepstakes method of choosing the winner seems to be popular based on the current poll

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Jasonda

I also like the "submit a tip and be entered in the sweepstakes" idea. Everyone has something to share, no matter how new they are.

If not that, then I think a regular sweepstakes would probably be the next best thing. Just make sure it is open to US and Canada (at least) this time.

 

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BillFogarty

People that can give good tips probably don't NEED a new vinyl cutter...random drawing sweepstakes all the way...

 

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Rodney