Give-Away Dilemma: 18 Comments

1. Sarah wrote,

   Eh, it’s your blog, you can make any rules you want. Who is going to know who’s name is in the proverbial hat anyway?

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 11:40 am

2. Sarah wrote,

   P.S. I do know that there are blogs that are set up specifically to list blog give aways. There was some mention in a magazine (Family Circle I think) that said something to the effect of:

   “Whats your christmas money saving secret?”

   “I follow ‘giveawayblog’ and last Christmas I won enough give aways that I didnt have to buy any presents!”

   I found it pretty shocking, but perhaps I am a damn fool.

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 11:42 am

3. jan wrote,

   I think it depends on the purpose of the giveaway. Some give lots of extra chances to win for spreading the word. Those seem targeted for increasing readership, so if a new reader wins, that is a mark of success. If the giveaway is a celebration, I think of it like a birthday party – you want to celebrate with your friends.

   After my sister turned me on to blogs, the one that I read most was Pioneer Woman (other than my sister!) She routinely had ‘contests’ that required creativity to enter and she picked a winner from the entries that she liked best. (Now that she has a hundred gazillion readers, she has had to modify that approach) In that way, a ‘lurker’ might win, but still had to earn it.

   I am with Sarah – it is your blog, you can adjust the rules as you like!

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 11:53 am

4. Ann wrote,

   Wow – I feel like a babe in the woods! I know that some people like to enter allot of giveaways, but never considered that there were database sites out there to direct people to giveaways and that there are giveaway pros.

   I’ve been thinking that I would like to do a giveaway for my one year anniversary, but I must say that it would take the fun out of it if I felt the prize went to someone who just wanted a freebie, ANY freebie!

   I’m with Sarah and Jan, it is your blog and you can make the rules or revise the rules as you see fit. I think you should do what makes YOU feel the happiest!

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 2:09 pm

5. mickie wrote,

   Martha: Your blog, your rules. I wouldn’t be comfortable with this either. I can’t belive you found her out! Well done!

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 2:51 pm

6. kathie wrote,

   from now on when I do a giveaway I will only let one of my regular visitors to my blog win
   its your blog you do what you want to do
   let them all enter but YOU can chose the winner.
   Kathie

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 3:35 pm

7. Evelyn wrote,

   I don’t know… I think there are a lot of people who “lurk” – they read blogs and get a lot of inspiration from them, but don’t necessarily post a lot of comments. For example, I’ve been reading your blog for months, and I’m not sure I’ve made very many comments… But I do love to read it all the same!

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

8. Pamela wrote,

   I had a similar event happen on my blog. I was having a drawing and received dozens of comments from people I had never heard of before. Now I know a lot of people read blogs and never comment so I figured a few were from those, but couldn’t account for all of them. I looked at the tracking from my blog reports and it turns out there is a blog that does nothing but posts giveaways and drawings that other blogs are having.
   I e-mailed that person and asked them (very politely) to take my blog giveaway off their list. That I really wanted it to be for people that normally read my blog. My gosh, I was not expecting the flaming e-mail she sent me back.
   I decided if I ever did another giveaway, I would state that it was specifically for regular readers of my blog. To be honest, it left me with such ill feelings I just kinda stopped blogging altogether.

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 4:15 pm

9. paula.thequilter wrote,

   I have had several giveaways in the past and found that people come out of lurkdom just for giveaways. It saddened me so much that I am not going to do giveaways anymore. I found a different solution: I am just doing Freebies and offering them to anyone and everyone. So far I have done knitted hat and scarf patterns, fleece fingerless mitts and an embroidery pattern.

   Link | December 19th, 2009 at 6:05 pm

10. Bunny wrote,

    I love giveaways as much as the next blogger, but it’s only polite to comment here and there elsewhere on one’s blog. I would feel uncomfortable in this situation, too. I don’t know what to tell you, it’s your blog and you should do what feels right! I’m glad you brought it up though, I’m sure many others feel the same.

    xoxo

    Link | December 19th, 2009 at 7:36 pm

11. Wendy Lister wrote,

    I am moved by this to actually leave a comment. I read probably 20 blogs. It’s my version of the morning newspaper. I wake up an hour before my family so that I can be inspired by all of these amazing, crafty mamas out there. I never, ever leave comments. This is the second comment I’ve ever left. It’s just not my thing. So it was a little off-putting – just because I don’t comment doesn’t mean that I haven’t seen every adorable quilt you’ve ever made, the fabulous embroidery is exquisite. I think there is an easy solution to your problem. You can only win from your blog once – after that you are no longer eligible. There will be some people who are serial giveaway stalkers, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that all of them don’t also read your blog. There are plenty of us “non-commenters” who really love all that you do. Keep it up, and I’ll look forward to seeing all the adorable quilts.

    Link | December 19th, 2009 at 8:55 pm

12. Holly wrote,

    Dunno…like many commenter said – It’s your blog and your give-away. Who is going to argue if you decide you don’t want to include her name in your give-away?

    On the other hand – I know that there are lots of people who enter on-line give aways and contests as their hobby (my husbands Grandmother is one of them). Perhaps the prize itself may not be as meaningful as it might be to a regular crafty follower, but the win would still be thrilling and likely brighten that person’s day.

    That said – I put my name in the hat for your great give-away…removing that other person’s name just makes my chances one person better!

    Link | December 20th, 2009 at 12:31 am

13. Anne wrote,

    I subscribe to a lot of blogs, including yours and I enjoy reading them, but don’t always leave comments due to time constraints, so leaving a comment for a giveaway doesn’t necessarily mean that the person doesn’t read your blog regularly. If you want it just to be regular commenters, how about doing what one blog friend did and don’t announce the giveaway ahead of time. Just choose a day that you put up a regular post and then pick from the people who leave a comment that day? Or say that to be eligible you must have already commented on a previous post.

    I guess you just have to figure out whether you want the giveaway to be a way to introduce more people to your blog or whether you just want to do a giveaway for regular commenters and set it up so that you get the result you are looking for. Either thing seems fine to me!

    Link | December 20th, 2009 at 7:38 am

14. Becky wrote,

    This is a hard question, because I have had readers de-lurk for a contest, which is fine, and really the point. The last contest, though, was posted on one of the give-away sights, and I had several entry’s from non-readers. Which is not really the point.

    And from my site statistic monitering, and limited readership, I can usually tell a difference.

    It’s a funny thing, and I am not sure of the answer. I felt lucky that a regular reader won.

    Link | December 20th, 2009 at 8:04 am

15. Ingrid wrote,

    Oh my goodness I had no idea….. I checked out one of these blog sites that only list giveaways and was really surprised. There were a few blogs that interested me and I will go back and read them (I am not interested in giveaways, I have more than enough stuff in my life). So your blog being listed on these sites might be a good thing. I personally would enter her name in the giveaway and perhaps change my rules for the next giveaway that you do.

    Link | December 20th, 2009 at 2:04 pm

16. Lisa wrote,

    I’m a little behind, but just had to add my two cents worth! I read your blog faithfully by subscribing to the feed, but for some reason (I suspect my stinky internet service), I’m not always able to click over to your actual blog. Maybe because your pictures are so large? This one was easy, no pictures! I think it’s your blog, you should do it however you want, just know there are some of us out here reading, but not able to comment! I never could get over to that wonderful quilt you made out of the old California tablecloth!

    Link | December 21st, 2009 at 9:05 am

17. Donna wrote,

    One question before I read up on your next entry to see how this played out ..

    . . is there a way to check to see if someone has commented in the past? I like the idea of a regular commenter/reader (acknowledging that that not all readers leave comments) winning a giveaway too . .we just held a giveaway recently as part of Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day and I have to say, it was a bit crazy how many people entered . . at the same time, we did gain tons of new readers and subscribers during the process, which was great. I have entered contests on blogs that I stumbled upon while surfing, and much of this was before I got on board with reader so I didn’t always find my way back . better now that I can subscribe!

    Interesting conversation . ..

    Link | December 27th, 2009 at 5:46 pm

18. talitha wrote,

    have stumbled into your blog (from the flikr hexagon picture search)

    never knew that there were sites that just listed blog contests!!

    …although Australia current affairs shows sometimes run stories on people who enter hundreds of contests

    Link | January 9th, 2010 at 5:16 am

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