Ever since I created my blog, I've wanted to attract more people to it. I guess that's kind of the idea, otherwise, why post one right? This idea came to me to play a game there and maybe that will get people to stay and see what I have to say. My only problem is how do I attract people to where the game is played? I can send my email pals an email asking them to check it out and I can post something on Facebook hoping to attract readers and game players from there. I'm pretty certain I can make the game part work and get some swell prizes to give away.
Back in the 1980's, I became part of an Atari Computer User Group called Starbase. Our group contributed to a joint newsletter put out by all the area Atari groups called PSAN. (Puget Sound Atari News.) We had a pretty decent monthly newsletter. Glossy front and rear covers and good content inside. I remember contacting software makers, telling them that if they'd send me the products they made, I'd make sure it got reviewed in PSAN. One of our club members would take it home for 30 days, knowing that when they brought it back, they had to write a review. We'd then auction the gsame off at a club meeting. A win win situation for the software makers, the PSAN readers and our club.
In the 1990's, I started a trading card club. The computer user group folded, so we met at the same place. Eventually I started my own monthly publication called Trading Card Collector. This time I contacted all the card makers asking them to send me product to review. That opened the flood gates. My publication quickly grew from a 2 page newsletter to a 30 or more page monthly read. Each month I gave away packets of cards that we put together. (The various card companies sent me tons of promo cards and lots of other goodies.) My interest in collecting trading cards fell off when the prices of the packs got so high so I said bye-bye.
Around the year 2000, I got this hair brained idea to take a group of 40 kids to DisneyWorld. My wife and I had a lot of underpriveleged kids hanging out here, so I thought it would be a cool thing to see them all have a great time at place designed for kids to have a great time. Once again, I went about contacting a lot of major companies. Problem with this effort was, I wasn't a registered non-profit organization, so they couldn't really send me much. Heck, I wasn't a non-profit group period! It was Steve and Twila Drake doing this. Some companies contacted me and understood what it was that we were attempting to do, so they'd send us small donations. Things we could auction off and use the proceeds from that. Bottom bottom line is, the trip never happened.
My reason for telling you all of this is, I want you to believe in me when I tell you I can get some decent prizes to give away. I've done it before and am confident I can do it again. Even in these down economic times, I think companies are still willing to help the little guy and get some street cred for their effort along the way. In the meantime, we play some games, have some fun and win some OK prizes. Another win win situation if you ask me!
Now there's one last favor I need from all of you before I can go forward. When you arrive at the page where the game is being played, you'll see the word "Followers" on the right side towards the top. Below that it says "Join This Site" in a box. Please click on that and add your name to what I hope will be a growing list. Of course it would be nice if you'd drop by more than once a month and check out what I'm blogging about, but for now, to get the game going, I need some members to show the various companies I'm going to contact. Don't you think Coca Cola or Campbell's Soup will be more apt to donate something if I have 20 or 50 Followers vs. 2 or 3? Makes sense to me.
There you have it. Please help me give this game thing a try. Maybe you'll be one of my weekly winners of who knows what. This week the prize is a $15 iTunes gift card. Next week something else. Remember........there's strength in numbers!
Steve Drake
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