Contests and Activities, August 20, 2008

From the Editor:

Raffles and auctions are two fun ways to raise Gift Points on Writing.Com. Some are meant to raise funds toward an upgrade, others to raise GPs for various groups, and some are a bit of both. While the best of them look as if they are thrown together effortlessly, they are not. Raffles and auctions take time and thought.

Consider:

Do you want to host an auction or a raffle? If you're really creative you might just find a way to do both!

Who will the activity benefit? Some split the proceeds among several groups.

How much time do you want to spend planning and running the event?

How long do you intend for the activity to run?

Where will you get your auctions items/prizes?


Once you decide on the above, it's time to set up your activity. Make sure all the information is included in your item.

When does it start and when does it end. Include dates and whether the end time is a certain time zone or WDC time. Most use site time. It's much easier for all involved.

Be very clear on rules. Some auctions wish for bids to be a certain amount more than the last. If you have a limited number of items one person can bid on, make that clear. The more detailed and exact you are the less room for misunderstandings.

Lay your auctions out so that they are easy to understand. Make use of spacing, color and font sizes so that your bidders can easily tell one lot from the next. Make your activity attractive.

It's a good idea to have a "bank" to put any proceeds into. This can keep activity funds separate from your own.

Items for bid/Prizes

*item1*Your name is at the top of the page. If someone drops the ball on their donation are you willing to make it right? It's a very real responsibility.

*item1*If you are providing the winning item or GPS in a raffle make sure you have funds set aside to do so. Again the use of a bank is a wise move.

*item1*How will you get donations? Some do it all themselves, some rely on friends and some advertise for donations. All are fine ways to garner donations.


One more note to add: If you are making a donation to an auction or raffle, be sure you can honor your commitment. It not only looks bad on you but the host as well. If you want to help, reviews are always a good donation.


A few basic guidelines will help your activity run smoother. While it is a lot of work, running raffles and auctions can be very rewarding. Remember to have fun!