Don’t just keep holding contests all the time

hello again
I have a few topics today that I’d like to bring up, so please don’t be mad at me. Contests are basically a fine thing—you can win something, they’re exciting, participatory, interactive, etc. etc. But, purely subjectively, personally, individually, this is just my opinion: I feel that here on Crazypatterns it’s getting a bit overdone by now. There’s a contest around every corner, and somehow I have the subjective impression that people’s interest in the contests has somehow waned.
The contests where you’re supposed to upload photos of finished handmade items and then, with a bit of luck, win store credit still go pretty well, as far as I can tell. But the ones where you first have to buy a pattern, make it, upload a photo, and then can win another pattern don’t go so well. It may also be that they somehow get lost among the sheer number of contests.
I saw the moderation thread over there, this one https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/forum/topic/4736/aktuell-laufende-wettbewerbe-auf-crazypatterns-info-fuer-alle-die-mitmachen-wollen
and my first thought was, really, seriously, even more of them?

I mean, I totally understand that designers would like attention for their own shop; where attention goes, there may also be more sales, and that’s always good for a designer. I’m very well aware that there are people who always and at any time think contests of every kind are great and who absolutely love taking part in them; I’m not one of them and am probably an exception here on Crazypatterns. I just think it would be pretty good if designers had other things to offer in their repertoire of PR measures besides contests. For example, entering into a dialogue with customers, showing a presence that way, doing special promotions that follow a different pattern than “make it, upload a photo, win, and get another pattern.”

I hope I’m not making myself too unpopular with this, because it is absolutely not meant in a nasty way. Recently I talked with the mod about putting expertise in the foreground, getting attention through expertise. I think the mod did something with that, or wanted to do something with it. She had ideas about it too.
There are just so many designers of patterns; if you want to stand out, you somehow have to find a niche and offer something that the others don’t have, or don’t have in that form. And then also run a PR approach that the other designers don’t have or don’t use. If everyone always does or has or wants or offers the same thing, then you can hardly stand out from the crowd—but that is exactly what you need if you want attention.
but well, I don’t sell patterns either, so I don’t have the insider knowledge there, but personally I will either not click into the contests at all anymore or only extremely rarely. I don’t really know how other people feel about it.

as they always say so nicely on the internet
please don’t stone me. exactly. I wanted to say this back in the summer, but I thought that if everyone else is having fun with it and always happily taking part, then it must be all right.

Maybe there could also be a way to design the contests differently somehow? Bring in a new twist?

Dear Mützekatze,
You’ve taken the words right out of my mouth. We should focus more on exchange and communication here. That would be nicer for everyone.
Best regards, Petra

Hi
we could do a few other things in addition to the contests, which I actually think are pretty great:
For example, themed evenings where we bring together experts on a specific topic, promote it on the blog, Facebook, the forum, and everywhere else, and then spend an evening or an hour or two discussing that topic. Participating sellers can share their expertise and present their relevant patterns. (=Promotional benefit) Interested readers can ask questions and get comprehensive information. (=Informative added value)
What do you think?

Hello Josefa,
can't we just use the forum the way it's used everywhere else? People write, exchange ideas, ask questions, get annoyed, or are happy about things.
I’m not interested in ADVERTISING EFFECTS or INFORMATIVE ADDED VALUE at the moment at all. I feel like I’m back in school here.
Sorry, but I just had to get that off my chest. You keep posting things here nonstop that are certainly interesting, but definitely not for everyone, and not in this quantity.
Have a nice evening,
Petra

Then I suggest you simply click past my posts.
I know from a reliable source that there are people who find my posts interesting.

Well, I have to say, as a moderator you’re doing a great job.
Bye....

Thanks for the compliment. :-) I noticed the irony and am just going to ignore it.
As a mod, you don’t need to win a popularity contest, and no matter what you do, there’s always at least one user who won’t like it.

Hi Petra,

I think we can all chat freely here and be nice to each other. In other words: on the forum, people are usually allowed to write whatever they want, as long as they’re nice to each other and don’t insult or hurt one another, etc.

Best regards
Alexander

HI, I’d started a contest to encourage interaction—all you had to do was give some feedback, and 5 winners were drawn at random to receive a prize. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any feedback.... No idea why that was... Anyone could participate. I thought it was a real shame, and the winners who were drawn were totally surprised when I messaged them. They were really happy about the prize, but it seems like nobody was interested in the contest—or at least, it didn’t get any attention. But what was the reason?