Love Joining Free Competitions? Here Are 7 Tips To Win

Love Joining Free Competitions? Here Are 7 Tips To Win

It surprised me at first. Late one Tuesday night, lying on the couch with only a bottle of wine for company, I decided to check my emails. Somewhere deep in the long list of unread messages, there it was. I’d won a trip to New York!

I couldn’t believe it. It was undoubtedly a big first win for someone new to comping, but the effort had paid off. From then on, I was hooked.

For the uninitiated, comping is the term for hunting down and entering competitions and prize draws. And if you take on this incredible hobby, you can proudly call yourself a comper.

Since that first win, I’ve enjoyed a year’s supply of free ice cream, endless bottles of wine, gift cards for Coles, Amazon, and heaps of Fashion brands. My years of comping have given me some unforgettable experiences and more than my fair share of ice cream. 

Starting out, it can feel overwhelming. Every month I see hundreds of new competitions promoted and it takes time to enter each one. I’ve seen many new compers get burnt out this way, trawling the internet for new competitions and entering them blindly. 

I recently spoke to some fellow seasoned compers, and we found we all had something in common. We have a consistent approach to finding and entering competitions. 

So, here are my 7 secrets to winning free competitions. 

1. Focus on quality, not quantity

It can be tempting to try and enter every single competition. 

But doing so is a fast track to boredom. Winning a competition is a marathon, not a sprint. So it’s important to pick ones that are going to give you good chances of winning and a decent return. I look for:

• Competitions that match my interests
• Look for creative or 25 words or less that typically get fewer entries
• Local competitions on radio or TV
• Prizes that could easily be sold if I don’t want them
• Comps run by businesses rather than influencers 

You’ll quickly get a taste of which competitions are worth entering and which are not. 

Sticking with those run by Australian businesses is generally a good idea as they have to meet certain legal requirements that will help keep you safer online and ensure a prize is paid out. 

2. Save time finding free competitions

I don’t like spending hours every day hunting the internet for new competitions. Instead, I use Competition Cloud which helps me find free competitions in Australia more easily. 

Competition Cloud puts all your competitions in one place. No more hunting around. It also lets you filter by prize and manage your entries, so you don’t waste time entering the same comp twice (it’s easy to forget once you get into it). It also lets you earn points, giving you more chances to win your own monthly prize draw.

3. Speed up your entries

The hardest part of comping is filling in the entry forms. Using an autofill tool or one-click entry service can be used to speed up the process. 

Autofill tools like Roboform allow you to automatically fill in your personal information, such as your name and contact details, saving you time and reducing the risk of errors. 

Competition Cloud also provides one-click entry for selected competitions, meaning you can simply click one button and be entered, rather than having to fill out multiple forms and submit them manually.

4. Be persistent

Taking a slow and steady approach is key to long-term success. 

I tend to enter fewer competitions but spend more time finding them. I’ll usually spend an hour a day finding and entering around 10-20 competitions. I set reminders to form a regular comping routine, using Google calendar notifications, phone alarms, or post-it notes. I’ll listen out for radio comps, do daily instant wins, weekly Google searches, or monthly checks of my favourite websites. 

5. Don’t just go for the easy options

The majority of people who enter competitions prefer easy, straightforward comps that don’t require much effort or creativity. However, these types of competitions offer a lower chance of winning because more people enter them. On the other hand, “creative or effort” comps, such as tweeting a joke, sharing a photo on Instagram, commenting on a blog, making a purchase, doing a quiz, or filming a video, are harder to enter, but they offer a much higher chance of winning. In some cases, you may be the only entrant.

To increase your chances of winning these types of comps, try to make your entry stand out. For photo and video comps, don’t worry if your entry isn’t perfect, as most winners are chosen randomly, and all valid entries have a chance of winning regardless of quality.

6. Develop a prize list

Entering every competition, you come across can quickly become overwhelming and take up a lot of time. To make your comping hobby more manageable, identify specific prizes you want to win and make a wishlist of them. This could include small prizes like vouchers and tickets or larger prizes like a holiday or a kitchen. 

By focusing on finding and entering competitions to win these specific prizes, you’ll be able to make better use of your time and fit comping into your busy life. 

Once you have your wish list, dedicate some time to hunting down those items each week. 

7. Get inspired

Comping can be a solitary hobby, but it can be more fun when done with friends. To connect with other compers, consider joining Facebook groups or local comp clubs in Australia. 

Many comps on Twitter and Instagram require entrants to tag a friend, so asking in a compers Facebook group is a great way to find tagging buddies. Comping friends can also be useful for finding new promotions, and they can let you know if they see your name as a winner. They can also be a source of support during a dry spell without any wins. 

You can also seek inspiration from some of the great comping bloggers who share their experiences and pro tips. One of our favourites is Di Coke at SuperLuckyMe.

Comping can be a rewarding hobby for those with patience. By setting out a clear plan of attack, you can go from blindly entering competitions to sniping out the best prizes and increasing your odds of winning.

Give it a go. You never know when you might get an email inviting you to New York.

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