AC Forum - Tutorials: Competition Corner Mon, 21 May 2012 06:22:49 +0000 1800 Articles about competitions where opinions are expressed on the how, where and when of competitions. Full Of Errr Beans? Nescafe Cup Of Rewards promotion because at the time we were purchasing the coffee and I figured being rewarded for it would be a great bonus. The rewards program actually did influence my decision to purchase that particular brand of coffee. I wanted to get enough points to claim a music voucher to give to my daughter for Xmas. I managed to get enough points and put in a claim in November 2010. I got an email giving me an order number for the claim but no unique code needed to actually spend the voucher.
I contacted the website and explained that I had not received the unique code but did not get an answer.

As I was on holidays in Tasmania at the time I had to leave it for a couple of weeks but when I got back home I contacted them through their website a couple of times only to be ignored.
By this time I was getting pissed off with them so I contacted Nestle directly and finally got a phone call back. It was the customer service department. They took all the information and told me they would contact the agency running the program who would then get in contact with me. You know what's coming right?
You got it - nobody contacted me. So I contacted Nestle after another two weeks and told them straight that I would be filing a complaint with ACCC for false advertising and enticing customers to buy with claims of rewarding them when in fact they were not.

Well what do you know - they ignored me.

So I went ahead and put in a complaint with ACCC and then I sent Nestle a copy of the complaint. Well well well - isn't it just a freak of nature coincidence - that same day I got an email from Nestle to say they were looking into it. Within 24 hours the agency running the show sent me an email with my unique code and then rang me to make sure I got it.
Funny how they were not capable of doing that in the very first instance. That's all they had to do - send me the code. It is simply appalling that I had to go to the ACCC to even get them to take any notice of a customer complaint.

I heard back from the ACCC who wouldn't be able to do too much without multiple complaints - but what they did do is make a file of it on Nestle's name. You see they have a system they use that puts a mark on a company name with each complaint. Once the marks start to increase it tells them that there is a pattern of behaviour from the company and then they act. Nestle know this of course, so once I sent them a copy of my complaint to ACCC they would been straight on to the agency running the program and told them to sort it out pronto, That is exactly what should have happened in my first contact with them.

So if you ever do have a hassle with getting a reward or a prize that you won - don't put it in the too hard basket or think that it is too trivial. Companies make big money out of promotions and brand exposure so make sure they live up to everything they promise. You are the one spending money on their brands.

My experience has caused me to search for another brand of coffee (decaf) and has also encouraged me to avoid the entire Nestle range of products where possible because I don't support companies that don't look after customers.]]> Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:49:16 +0000 16 Donna 2 Changing Competitions (more on that later). In early 2003 when I released the Carry On Comping book I predicted that there would be a sharp increase in the amount of SMS competitions and that prediction was correct. We have seen a huge increase in SMS competitions from all forms of media. It was aimed at the tech savvy youth and it worked. It is also more lucrative for a company to offer SMS entry because they get a cut of the profits.

When the SMS comps first started many people (myself included) thought they were too much bother but that was because we weren't up with the text messaging craze. Also many did not like having to pay premium rates to enter. There was also (and still is to some degree) a fear of being caught in the SMS rip off comps where you are charged subscription fees by unscrupulous companies. There was also the fact that the use of coloured envelopes and decorated envelopes were losing their effectiveness because mail in entries were data-based along with the phone entries before the winners were drawn. (Don't let any so called 'expert' kid you that the envelopes never were successful because they were very successful for many of us.) History shows however - change is normally met with resistance yet eventually it is followed by acceptance. So it was with SMS competitions.

So now that SMS comps are pretty much the norm these days the new wave of comping is on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook- and for some, they are annoying while others love them. Follow me, sign up as a fan, find the clues, spend hours searching for things to win seems to be the name of the game and I must say I think they are a pain in the arse. If you are unemployed and have all the time in the world then this new kind of comp is for you! For me personally - unless it's a simple sign up as a fan and you are in the draw to win then the prize had want to be good for me to bother to go to much more effort. Something that bothers me about them is consumer privacy.

When you enter a competition your name is normally recorded in a database along with the details of all the other entrants. That is fine - but with social networking sites, you are listed for all to see. I don't actually get off on everyone else knowing whether I am entering or not. That should be my business unless I choose to tell others. There is also a fine line between being a customer and being a fan of a company. I have signed up as a fan at several sites but some of the others I have avoided like the plague if they play the popularity card - simply because I detest them for so many reasons.

Another problem with social networking sites being used for competitions is that there is sometimes great difficulty in telling the difference between legitimate companies and rip off companies. I have seen a number of so called competitions running on Facebook that are so very obviously aimed at people in USA but welcome entries from anywhere - of course they do, it's all a numbers game in the popularity stakes. Companies should be ensuring the privacy of entrants - not flaunting them. Of course, companies want their brand to stand out and to do that they encourage consumers to flaunt themselves on social networking sites in exchange for a chance to win. It will be interesting to see how it all evolves - right now to me it looks like people are needing to give of themselves a little too much.

Voting competitions have also increased over the last few years. I have no idea why as they tend to bring out the worst in people and they just smack of desperation. They are also more often than not compromised by cheating. Obviously the companies running this type of comp are trying to have an interactive relationship with consumers but the fact that people are spamming everyone they know is really not a cool thing. I can almost guarantee that normally quiet members on any of the forums will all of a sudden be vocal when they are chasing a few extra votes.

Another change in comping has been the increase in effort required to enter a competition - I predict that it won't last too long because the number of entries will reflect that these kind of competitions are not what a consumer wants. Asking a consumer to purchase several items for one entry is bound to turn off a comper let alone a general consumer. Requiring a purchase plus a words or less entry reduces the number of entries immediately because of the effort required. That of course makes it much more enticing to the creative compers (and let's face it, it is normally a comper who wins those competitions!)

Web competitions that require readers to do anything other than play a game, answer a question or have a bit of interactive fun will fall flat on it's face because people just can't be bothered these days. People are busy and they want information fast and they want to have their fun fast as well. It is a very interesting time too for anyone working in marketing because the market is changing and so is the technology.

One of my family members owns a marketing firm and has commented on how marketing methods are becoming much more complex, while another family member who works at top level in another agency stated that with technology it was getting easier to interact with consumers. That is what I am afraid of - that consumers are being conned into having a 'relationship' with the brands they like. While it is all well and good to have interaction with a company - remember that their aim is to get much more out of the relationship than you. Just make sure you go in with your eyes open.

When it comes to shopping competitions (or consumer competitions) there have been some positive changes which is good to see. More and more companies are asking for proof of purchase, proof of identity and limiting the number of entries. While many compers are using methods to count how many entries they are putting into a particular competition - my prediction is there won't be much need for all of that in the not so distant future. I think consumers will be encouraged to enter once or twice and then the relationship with that consumer will be continued by way of special offers, free samples, member only deals and loyalty rewards. With this kind of thing everyone is happy - it's a two way street.

A recent promo that worked for me was Wild Bean coffee - they ran a comp last year to win prizes and you also joined their club. From time to time they email you a special offer or a freebie of the week. Then to kick off 2010 they sent out free travel coffee mugs (good stainless steel ones) along with a voucher for a free coffee. I was very pleased with it and now have a mug that of course can be refilled at my local Wild Bean shop. This is simple but clever marketing - it really isn't rocket science. Sometimes companies just need to stick with the basics and dress it up pretty in technology.

No matter what prizes are offered though, if the brand doesn't stand up to the test of the consumer the brand will fail. So the prize can only be the icing on the cake - the cake still has to taste good.]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:05:46 +0000 13 Donna 2 Your Privacy
Your employer has your tax file number, birth date, address, phone numbers, medical details and names and numbers of some family members. The local council also holds your details such as electorate roll details, name, birthday, address, phone numbers and whether or not you have any pets. Then think about what information your banks hold, your doctors office or your service providers. No matter where you are or what you do - your information is out there. What really matters is how much do you trust all these people to have your information? To be honest I have more concern with the fact that many of our communications providers and banks have their call centres overseas where Australian laws mean - well jack really. So when it comes to competitions should you really be concerned?

To enter most competitions you are often asked for your personal details. However we are increasingly being asked for our date of birth. In my opinion there is no valid reason for this when an age range would be more than suitable. Also many promoters are asking for a copy of your license or passport to claim a prize. I have often questioned this and also requested that if I provide this information (license only as I will not provide passport copies) that it be destroyed due to identity theft concerns. I have never been refused but you can also never really be sure that the information has been destroyed.

Knowing that my details are available in many areas of business I don't tend to care much that I have to give out information to enter competitions. Having said that, I do not like having to give my date of birth online to every Tom, Dick and Harry - and lets face it - all the promoters are just more Toms, Dicks and Harry's. The only thing you can do about it is let them know that you are not happy to give your date of birth. Surely the year of birth is enough? Some compers choose to give the correct year of birth but not the actual date. I am sure that most promoters will accept that when you explain that you are concerned about identity theft. (So long as you are being honest with the rest of your entry and your intent is not to deceive.)

The only thing you can do is make the decision yourself about what information you are willing to share in order to enter a competition. Don't ever give out any information that you are not comfortable with. The important question to ask yourself at the time of entry is how well do you know the company you are dealing with?

All information you give when entering competitions will be added to a database that may be used in future for advertising and marketing purposes. Remember though that you have a legal right to change that information at any time.]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:04:25 +0000 12 Donna 2 Telemarketers - How To Avoid Them Handy Tips To Avoid Telemarketers:

Multi Number: Use a different phone number for competitions. You can pay a few dollars a month to have a multi number (landline) so you would have a private number for personal things and a different number for competitions only. When anyone rings the multi number it will have a different ring tone and you will know it is either a competition win or a telemarketer. You could set it up so that your comping number goes straight to message bank.

Dual Sims: For mobile phones you can have one just for comping - and if you wanted to, you could use a dual sim phone that lets you have two different numbers (even from two different providers) and then you would know when your 'comping' phone is ringing because it will show you on the screen which number is ringing. The dual sim also lets you take advantage of the different pre paid offers to get the most out of your comping mobile phone allowance.

Virtual Numbers: You can purchase a virtual phone number (landline) that goes straight to voice message bank and all message are emailed to you as an MP3 or WAV file.

With all of the above options you get to avoid the telemarketers - if it is a genuine competition win then you will be left a message asking you to call back to confirm your details.

You can of course register on the DO NOT CALL register but the more competitions you enter the more you end up back on the list!]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:03:12 +0000 11 Donna 2 Reporting The Promoters However for some, winning a prize leaves a sour taste in the mouth when the prizes fail to show up. All is not lost though, because there is a growing number of compers who are reporting promoters who don't stick to the rules.

Some people have had to wait for a year to get their prize. Yes one whole year - isn't that just insane! There is something seriously wrong with the industry when it continues to happen on a regular basis. Granted, most people are not having to wait for a whole year but it is very normal to be waiting for many months. More often than not winners are having to spend their time, effort and money chasing up what is rightfully theirs.

The story is nearly always the same, someone wins the competition and then they wait for the prize to turn up. After several weeks they start to wonder what is going on so they contact the promoter and ask. They get told the prize is on it's way, it will be sent out soon or that there is some kind of delay with the supplier. So you sit patiently for another few weeks but then still nothing. It results in you having to make several contacts, get fobbed off with several poor excuses and then finally your prize may turn up - or not.

In steps the anger - how dare they not stick to their own terms, how dare they just ignore your calls, how dare they lie to you each time you call. Sound familiar?
If that does sound familiar I have some sound advice straight from the horses mouth. REPORT THEM. Recently I chatted to a representative of the

It is not your job to chase after the prize. It is the promoters responsibility to make sure that you get your prize in a timely manner. When that doesn't happen you ought to contact them and let them know that you expect your prize. It is then up to you how long you are prepared to wait before reporting them but report them you really should. Once the authorities are involved things happen - and fast.

There have been concerns in the past about being 'blacklisted' if you reported a promoter. Well, enough time has passed and enough reports have been made to safely say that it appears that it is mostly* not true. Remember that more often than not the people you are reporting are just a small cog in a very big wheel - many times it is simply a slack employee not doing their job properly and reporting them means the company can improve. They don't know if there is a problem unless they are told. So tell them!

*I say mostly because there has been one womens magazine that I have never won from again since reporting them over a failure to supply a prize. That's not to say I was blacklisted - but it does seem strange to me.



Report competition problems/scams etc to:

ACT: http://www.gamblinga...ing.act.gov.au/

New South Wales
Department of Gaming & Racing http://www.olgr.nsw....lgr_default.asp
Casino Control Authority http://www.casinocontrol.nsw.gov.au/

Victoria
Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation http://www.vcgr.vic.gov.au/

South Australia
Independant Gambling Authority http://www.iga.sa.gov.au/
Office of the Liquor & Gambling Commissioner http://www.olgc.sa.gov.au/splash.shtm

Northern Territory
Dept Treasury - Racing Gaming & Licensing Division http://www.nt.gov.au...ing/index.shtml

Queensland
Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation http://www.qogr.qld.gov.au/

Western Australia
Dept Racing Gaming & Liquor http://www.rgl.wa.go...t.aspx?cat=Home

Tasmania
Dept Treasury - Tasmanian Gaming Commission http://www.treasury.tas.gov.au]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:02:09 +0000 10 Donna 2 Loyalty Requires Quality
In the current financial climate, every dollar counts and this is where companies such as Greenseas and SunRice have stepped in. They are rewarding people for being loyal. You get points for all the products you purchase and then you can use the points to enter competitions or redeem them for rewards. Now it may not be a new idea but it is very attractive to consumers right now - and when tied in with big give-aways they can generate lots of interest. The aim of course is for the consumer to establish loyalty and to form new habits based around the products and we all know how hard habits are to break.

With SunRice I tend to always buy the brand because it has always had competitions on offer and it actually tastes good too. I am always saying that the product must be able to stand on it's own feet once the competition ends. If it doesn't then it is very easy for the consumer to be swayed by any future competition run by a competing brand. For example Inghams have regular competitions that require you to send in barcodes to enter. I prefer Inghams to all the other frozen chicken products but Steggles is a close second. So when it comes down to making the final decision on purchasing I always choose Ingham because I get to enter competitions as well. I recently won one of their competitions so for me it paid off. Let's face it, frozen chicken products are getting ridiculously expensive to buy so the chance to win is an added incentive.

To help us keep our budget in check we treat the frozen products as our 'fast food' night and I know there are many families like us all striving to save money. Companies will need to realise that families today have a much bigger financial burden these days and products need to compete for our dollar. Competitions and freebies are a great way to attract our dollar and perhaps brand loyalty.

Sometimes though the product gets left behind once the competition is over. One of those for me is Riva Coffee sachets. This was one of the best promotions for the year which sadly was let down by the product itself. Consumers had to purchase a packet of the coffee and then could claim a free double movie pass - you just had to be one of the first 500 which was fairly easy to do in the first few months. Alas it didn't take too long for the eBay Compers to tap into the market and they were getting in and buying up to resell (and getting good prices for them too!).

Anyway I figured that it was easy enough for me to replace my favourite Nescafe sachets with the Riva and score movie passes too! For every three packets I purchased I got to take hubby, myself and our daughter to the movies twice - which is a months entertainment for us. I was hopeful that the coffee would taste as good as or better than Nescafe but sadly for me it didn't even come close. The Riva coffee was watery and too sweet where as the Nescafe is thicker and creamier with a lovely smooth taste.

However for free movie passes I was willing to put up with it and hope that the taste just grew on me. Because I am an AC Saver I wasn't going to let them be wasted - so I persevered. Unfortunately it failed to stack up to Nescafe. So even though the promotion was run well, and the coffee was cheaper than Nescafe - it still was not of the same quality. I was disappointed because our budgeting means that I don't actually get to have the coffee sachets as often as I would like - but when I do, I want the best. So kudos to Riva for a well run promo but in this instance the product let you down.

Have you had a product that failed to measure up? Or perhaps you had one that was everything and more than you expected? Feel free to add your comments below.]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:00:43 +0000 9 Donna 2 When Do You milo
The following message was displayed on the When Do You Milo website:



Quote

Due to a technical error, the competition page for the "When Do You MILO Promotion" was unable to accept entries from 6am - 10pm AEDST on Sunday 7 March
2010. Nestlé sincerely apologises for the inconvenience.

Good news! We would like to invite anyone who was unable to enter on 7 March 2010 to re-submit their entry.

The competition entry page on www.whendoyou.milo.com.au will be re-activated from 6am AEDST Monday 15 March 2010 and close 10pm AEDST on Wednesday 17
March 2010.

All valid entries submitted will be entered in a single additional prize draw to be held on Friday 19 March 2010. The 16 prizes drawn will be those that should have
been awarded on 7 March 2010. Please remember that proof of purchase is required for all entries.

Winners will be notified by email and their names and postcodes will appear at http://www.nestle.com.au/whatsnew

Also, the unclaimed prize draw will still be held on 22 June 2010.


The thing is though, I doubt that many consumers actually were aware of (A) the comp closing early or (B) the comp being opened for extra entries.
It would have been mainly compers (and my hand is up!) that knew about it, complained about it and then entered the extra draw.
All I can say is that I think it was a good thing that Nestle got their act together and did their best to fix the problem. Let's face it - plenty of promos in the past have closed early and it has been a case of 'tough titties' for anyone who was saving one last entry until the final moment.

When we enter competitions, particularly ones that require us to spend money, then it is fair to say that the promoters should have to adhere to their own terms and conditions. It is also common knowledge that there are a growing number of compers who don't think twice about putting in complaints to make sure that those terms are being upheld. However it's best not to get the knickers in a knot over human error. Really - it happens and it happens to all of us. It is how a company responds when they stuff up that matters.

So I also wonder how successful the promo was? Did you buy more Milo than usual? Did you buy it for the first time in a long while?
I purchased it for the first time in a while. Our nightly WARM MILO ritual has been revived for the time being at least and what good timing with Winter coming up.

All I can say is we scored a win from it, enjoyed drinking it and will look forward to the next promo! :)

Hmmm me thinks there needs to be a marshmallow comp!]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:59:34 +0000 8 Donna 2 Why Voting Comps Suck
Since Facebook has become a household addiction, every company and it's dog has created a Facebook page. I don't know if it is lack of originality or lack of available promotion revenue but the VOTE FOR ME plague is growing. Now I know that everyone is different and we all have different opinions but this is my blog so I'm expressing mine. After chatting to a number of fellow compers it has become fairly obvious to me that I am definitely not alone in my aversion to voting comps.

The reasons are as follows:

1. They are nothing more than a popularity contest.
2. They don't actually focus on the brand, the focus is on the spam factor of desperadoes trying to get everyone to vote for them.
3. Many entrants offer incentives to vote which apart from the legalities is more evidence of a farce.

Some people that never have much to do with others in forums troll for votes and then disappear when the voting is over. There was a lively debate just recently about this and there was mixed reactions. A common opinion was that members pay to join so therefore they are entitled to ask for votes and that it is up to others whether they actually vote or not.

Others were of the opinion that they would rather vote for someone who participates in the community. It was also said that people shouldn't be left out simply because they were shy or afraid to post in the forums. It begs the question then, how can you be brave enough to troll for votes but too shy to say boo in any other section of the community? I have in the past voted for members who asked regardless of their activity in the forum. I figured that it might encourage them to be active and not be so shy. But a decade of the same thing over and over has taught me that the ones who generally only post for votes will always only post for votes.


Voting comps simply bring out the worst in people. We all know what it is like to have that pain in the ass friend who always seems to be asking you to vote for them in something or other. You know the ones I am talking about because they enter nearly every voting comp going and then expect you to vote for them regardless of whether the entry is good or not. Let's not confuse them with the friends who only enter and ask you to vote if you think it is a good entry and you are not hassled daily about it. There are lots of people who enter these comps who are always helping others and offering to vote etc - these are the people that, in my opinion should be rewarded with a vote.

I feel sorry for the people who enter with great creativity only to be beaten by the troll who has a zillion 'online buddies' or who are offering prizes. The current Shiels comp is a prime example with one woman offering members of another competition forum a $500 prize to people who vote for her. How this is conductive to a brand promotion is beyond me. The feedback inbox must be overflowing with complaints (normally from other disgruntled entrants that are losing) when a company chooses to run a voting comp. If not, it might be because everyday consumers have already run a mile towards another brand that conducts itself with a bit more class! :lol:

Viral marketing is very clever when done in the right way. Building brand loyalty in these economic times is important and I don't think voting comps encourage real loyalty. Voting comps encourage popularity contests that tends to make a consumer focus on the entrant rather than the brand.

The last Radox voting competition was a good example of why they shouldn't be run. It ended up being not about the brand, but more about which competition website was going to win with members from all of the sites entering and being voted for and yes AussieCompers pushed the winner over the line. Do you really think that is what promoters want?

The things that work for brand awareness is advertising, prize draw or instant win competitions and free offers. These are the tried and true methods. Competitions that leave everyone feeling like they have as much chance as the next person of winning are a good thing for brand loyalty.

Voting comps on the other hand smacks of desperation.]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:57:11 +0000 7 Donna 2 Premium SMS Lookup http://www.19sms.com.au/



Unfortunately when you speak to many of the staff at major Telcos they will immediately warn you off premium services on your mobile. The reason behind this is that there are so many scammy premium services. Ones that will charge you up to $6.60 a message or sign you up for unwanted weekly subscriptions to ringtones, games and trivia quizzes. The difference between those and the SMS comps posted in competition forums is that the SMS comps we talk about are 55 cents a call. However sometimes even the most seasoned comper gets caught out and ends up texting to a wrong number which ends up costing them a fortune. At least with 19SMS you can find out who owns the number and then deal with the company direct if needed.]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:14:00 +0000 6 Donna 2 New to AussieCompers?
Personally I feel blessed to have stumbled on this site not just because of the wonderful prizes I have won but quite often for that kick up the butt we all need from time to time as time and life catches up with us and our loved ones - it's amazing how the touch of a stranger many miles away can lift you and make Aussie Compers what it is a sort of family but mainly a community of positive optimistic people who manage to make some of their material dreams come true. I was a new-bie a year ago and have never regretted joining and sincerely wish you the same. Please bear in mine that it is a community and that you may not agree with everyone all of the time but heh that's families for you got to watch em fall a few times before they really walk.

Anyways Where to start you need to get ROBO FORM - please enter this in the search bar on your top right of this forum. This amazing tool/application allows you to fill in the the entry forms quickly and easily with one click (the stuff they need to know your name your address and your phone number - the boring repetitive stuff that gets the prize to You. It's free too.)

Next you need an email address ideally one just for comping so that you can receive comps and WEM's (winning emails) and not confuse your personal life with comping - that comes later.

Aussie Compers presents lots of different competition in different forums in basically the same manner for all competitions - Closing date, major prize and who is running the comp (eg site or product).
Now I'm guessing you are here because you've won something might have been a shopping comp or radio comp so if I where you that's where I would head too next, basically choose one forum and just get used to it. Then gradually look at the other forums at your leisure - remember this is a hobby not a job, anything won is a bonus not really expected.

If you're really confused then check out FORUMS FREEBIES and check out if anyone is offering samples of products you might like to try - a lot of companies do send real free samples and you will receive something different in the mail.
Still lost then start with FORUMSand click on DAILY ENTRIES (these are comps that allow you to enter every day) - enter just those competitions the first time you visit - using Robo Form of course.
I would stop here and start reading the Winners Realm or Compers Chat - here is the real meat and veg of the site is. Noone will ever tell you what their formula for winning comps is but if the promoter posts the winning entry this is where you will find examples of what won. A lot of people here are willing to share their wins some aren't - whatever works for you is really the important bit. Personally I enjoy seeing the wins because it spurs you to enter more.
A Lot of Aussie Compers talk about comping smarter, this really means being on top of a new comp on day one of the promotion, or reading the terms and conditions properly so you have a valid entry as well as being organised enough to have those POP ( proof of purchases to hand when that WPC (winning phone call happens).

NEW WEB COMPETITIONS these comps require little thought, lots of companies want people to see their website or latest offers and all you have to do is sign up, if you choose to buy their products or or not is your decision but it's pretty amazing what's out there.

Before you do your weekly shop remember to go the SHOPPING comps and just scroll down the shopping list - some of the items you already buy some of it you won't and some brands might be worth a try during the promotional period, it's up to you and your circumstances what you buy. Each competition is listed by closing date so it should be easy to find the specific comps you are interested in and check out their conditions before you buy - quite often entry is a simple as entering the last 4 digits of the barcode into an online form.

Once you have familiarised yourself with these basic forums then you should be able to have a go at the rest of the forums.

When will you win if you start today - my guess would be something within 2 months. It's like everything else in life a little practice and patience when you start will make the wins roll in but if you don't enter it won't happen - your strike rate may be 1 in 100 to begin with but am guessing it will become lower than that with time.Please remember that the greater the value of the prize then the more people who will enter it so the less chance of winning. I'm happy to win something once a week but some people here win much more often than that - but they enter heaps more than I do too.

Most importantly relax and enjoy a very rewarding hobby.]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:40:32 +0000 5 Shamrock 2