Here are some general guidelines about contests. They can be as simple or as complex as you want. If your chapter is not used to doing contests, you may want to make them very simple until you get used to having them. What we do is make a simple handout with the rules of the contest, the start date, end date, prizes, what you have to do to earn points, etc. We give each member a copy and also stick one in the secretary's minutes for quick reference. We also bring up the idea for the contest 1 to 2 weeks before the start of the contest and have the members vote on it. (Sometimes they have good ideas to enhance the contest) Also, once the rules are made and voted on, we do not change them. A good way to plan contests is to look for trouble spots in your chapter. Things that your members are struggling with most. Be creative! Work with the seasons of the year to plan your contests Your coordinator may also pass out ideas for contests at her workshops. Try not to have contests that may be embarassing. Some people are very sensitive about weight gains and sometimes if you have a board contest, their gain may be plainly obvious. There is a way you can work around this - give them points for coming to the meeting or other things as well as losing. |
Try to keep things as fair as possible. When giving points for weight loss, try giving one point for just losing weight and not a point for every pound the member loses (this evens things out between those who have a lot to lose and those who just have a little to lose.) Try to make chapter attendance part of your contest. This is also very important. If you have KOPS in your chapter, remember that they have struggles as well. Design your contests so that a TOPS loss is the same as a KOPS under goal, a TOPS turtle is the same as a KOPS at goal or above but in leeway, and a TOPS gain is the same as a KOPSout of leeway. Try having contests with 1st, 2nd and 3rd places to them. Always include some sort of tie breaker rule. (Usually the most weight loss would be good, but if it comes down to a tops and kops tied, I suggest they split the prize) Make sure you stay within your chapter budget when it comes to prizes. Some chapters do have limitations on what they can spend. And try varying what you give for prizes. We give some monetary awards, but most of our prizes are tops charms, etc. Also you could have a contest, when members bring in an item (such as kitchen towels,) and the winner would take home all the goodies. Some chapters charge their members entry fees to enter contests. We don't do this, but this is a matter for each chapter to think about. If you are in a new chapter and they don't have much money, this may be an option. On the other hand, if you have to pay to enter every contest, then we have found that turns some members off.
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FINALLY REMEMBER....... DON'T MAKE YOUR CONTEST TOO COMPLICATED. DON'T MAKE IT TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MEMBERS TO JOIN DON'T HAVE TOO MANY CONTESTS RUNNING AT ONE TIME INCLUDE KOPS IN ALL YOUR CONTESTS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY MAKE THEM FUN
Special thanks go to TOPS Area Coordinator Nancy Hughes for passing out some good tips and hints about contests at her workshops. |
