I am looking to issue a project competition, where you can submit a video and writeup of your ODrive related project. The emphasis will be on the demo video, and the primary purpose will be to advertise what kind of cool stuff you can do with ODrive. However a writeup can be nice too for people who want to get some how-to inspiration.
The winning demo video and/or writeup would be showcased, so an implicit benefit is some attention towards whatever stuff you are working on.
I am looking to pick a winner and hand out a prize periodically. So I need to figure out what the period should be, and what the prize should consist of.
Ideally the prize is something that I ordinarily have markup on, i.e. items from the ODrive store, since that will be the most cost effective. But maybe someone who has built a cool project with ODrive will already have all the gear they need? The size of the prize would directly affect how often I can call winners, as determined by my advertising budget.
So I want to directly ask people who have bought an ODrive and are already making a project: what kind of prize would motivate you to make a short demo video and/or writeup about it?
- What value cash prize would motivate you to do it?
- What value ODrive Store credit prize would motivate you?
- What are some other kinds of prizes, benefits or services could I offer as reward?
Any input on this matter from anyone is appreciated, thanks.
Ok I will get the ball rolling.
- For me personally a cash prize would be the least motivating. I work on projects because I enjoy learning new skills, building interesting things and sharing my creations with other like-minded individuals. So for me at least, its not about money.
- Receiving store credit is not that different to receiving a cash prize in my mind and so would also not be very motivating. I like to work towards a goal that I can visualise.
- What would take my interest is if the prize was a specific bit of hardware. If the prize is a singular object like an odrive kit (board + a couple of motors) then I can’t help but start thinking about what interesting thing I would build next if I had those items. This would then motivate me to finish my current project and publish the results with the hope of being selected for that prize so I can work on the next new thing. This also has the added bonus in that if I don’t win I might just end up buying another odrive anyway. You could also give early versions of unreleased products as a prize. This gives you valuable feedback about the product from someone who likely knows what they are doing and who also won’t mind as much if there are bugs and other teething problems. Lastly, by giving hardware you are likely to get follow up content as they make something else with their prize.
I might also suggest that you consider running this as a monthly promotional giveaway rather than a competition. As a promotional giveaway you are actively rewarding people people of your choosing for spending their time filming and editing content about their projects in an entertaining way. This gives you flexibility to select whoever you like and as often as you like without the need for strict rules or entry cutoff times. Also, running it as a competition means you run the risk of having only a single mediocre entry, or the same person wining over and over. What if there are two equally outstanding entrants? Is the community large enough to do a poll and what would the rules be? Don’t get me a wrong, a competition is a great marketing tactic if done right. I’m just trying to play devils advocate.
Anyway, I hope that’s of some help.
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