"Murphy was an optimist!"
Zappos has me hooked April 27, 2008 10:29 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Contest, Cool Sites, Of InterestThe shoe and apparel company Zappos is making the best marketing use of Twitter I have seen to date. (The American Red Cross still has the best utility usage of Twitter.) The Zappos CEO, Tony, is inspiring awareness of Zappos.com through contests and give-a-aways introduced through Twitter!
Twitter @zappos link 2 ur favorite shoes & ur favorite Zappos core value (hint: @missrogue has blog) by 7 PM Pacific. Will pick 1 winner! [Source, Twitter, @zappos]
They also happen to be avid bloggers! Zappos has given away shoes to random Twitter followers, each month they give away a pair of shoes to people signing up from Zappos.com, and even flew a random Twitter follower to Vegas for lunch with Tony the Zappos CEO. Oops. I was typing up this post and browsing shoes and got my entry into this contest either right on the wire or a few minutes late but I know Tony will have more contests! Right Tony? I chose the Michael Toschi Lorenzo SKU #7415650 and the company core value "4. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded." I have a wide foot. The picture doesn’t look like it would fit comfortably. Fortunately Zappos has free shipping both directions and 100% satisfaction guaranteed with a full refund within 365 days of purchase!
Be sure to follow Zappos on Twitter @zappos. Search Twitter for "Zappos" and you can discover the COO and other Zappos staffers! You can follow me @djuggler. Watch Miss Rogue’s Interview: Zappos.com’s Tony Hsieh and Rachael Brown to learn more about this great company. Btw, the Zappos ten core values are:
- Deliver WOW Through Service
- Embrace and Drive Change
- Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
- Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
- Pursue Growth and Learning
- Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
- Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
- Do More With Less
- Be Passionate and Determined
- Be Humble
Honestly, I’m sold. My next pair of shoes is coming from Zappos! Fortunately for Zappos, this seven family household needs roughly 14 pairs of shoes in the very short term.
Update: Sarah Lacy does not like Zappos but many of her commenters disagree.
2commentsWhich prizes are left? October 7, 2007 3:29 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Contest, Of InterestAre you following Darren Rowse’s Problogger Birthday Bash $54,000 giveaway? Here are the prizes with the ones already offered up scratched out.
Hawaii Stretch DVD – Best Hawaii Vacation Bloghand-beaded lucky gemstone necklaces and a bottle of I ALLOW IN WINS Essential Roll-on Oil – Contest Queen3 domain names from namecheap.com (AWARDED) – Groovy VegetarianCD – Zane Tate – Leisure Lab$100 Gift Certificate – site only (jewelry) – Lisa Marie Dias Designs(3) cleaning solution kits (enviro friendly) – Morris Green Cleanvarious cd’s and dvd’s and posters (11) – On Target Media Group2 winners – pick from bargains on site from – The Bargain Queenone month of winner’s choice of business coaching for writers, artists, or entrepreneurs and one month of group business coaching for 8 winners – Center of Muse(3) t-shirts and coaching sessions – Explore Life BlogSEO/Internet Marketing pkg – Freezing Hotone year membership – coaching program – Jill Koenigone full month unlimited assistance from a virtual lifestyle organizer along with a get-back-on-track basket – Mary Jo Rulnick5 Secure Delivery Pro subscriptions for free, for life – Secure DeliverySEO services – SEO Aware$300 AdWords management package and $300 cash – SmallFuel Marketing1 Month of Wellness Coaching (three 45 minute sessions with a certified wellness coach) – The WellCenter GroupLogitech Cordless Desktop Wave Set – Derek BeaucheminKingston 8GB portable USB drive – Geeky SpeakyIt’s Alive Game – Jer GamesEnSpire Series Stand-By UPS – NetLink WebPeppermint Marshmallow Pinwheel Pastries & photo/art – Nika’s CulinariaFrescobaldi Laudemio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2006 Harvest – Olive Oil Passionbook and soy coffee – Soy CoffeeThe Logitech G5 laser gaming mouse – StarFeeder20 cigars and starter kit – Stogie Reviewtea package (pot, warmer, tea, spoon) – Tea Party Girlcollectibles from Binions Horseshoe Club in Las Vegas, NV – The Collecting Life$100 Gift Certificate to artisanscup.com – Artisan’s Cup (Teas)2G digital video camera ERV – Associated ContentLogitech G15 gaming keyboard – Blogging Tips4 x 1lb bags of Gimme Coffee beans – Time For Coffee and TeaRhinoskin Aluminum HardCase for Treo 700 series smartphones – Treo Today1 truffle tree (first year care & maintenance) – Truffle Tree$50 cash – [Geeks are Sexy] Technology News$300 cash – 1 Cool FileNew blog installation & customized template package (AWARDED) – Angela Wills$25 Amazon Gift Certificate – Another Old Movie BlogMedia Interview Training (AWARDED) – Author Media Training(3) 6 month subscription to both svcs. – Babble Soft1 new 8GB iPod Nano – Back in Skinny JeansBarefoot Bunny Slippers – Barefoot Parties$25 Amazon Gift Certificate – BazPhoto wallpaper measuring 6 foot x 6 foot – Better Wallpaperblog analysis + 125×125 ad (AWARDED) – Blog About Your Blogone hour blog consulting (AWARDED) – Blog Louder$250 cash – BlogFlux400 word review & feedhost PRO (1 yr) token (AWARDED) – Blogging Fingers$50 cash or a Amazon Gift Certificate – Blogging With Cents1 year – Access for your (3rd-12th grade student) – Book Test OnlineCaddy – Water bottle holder + carrier – BVT ProductsFlickr Pro Upgrade – Cheap Shooter$501 cash – Chitika6 art photography prints – 3 each of 2 – Christina Perduedesign and color analysis – office design (AWARDED) – Color ThemesComplete Blog Contest development package (AWARDED) – Contest Bloggerblog header design (AWARDED) – Cory Millercustom logo design (AWARDED) – David Airey2 LG 20-inch FlatronWide L206WU USB-based monitors – DisplayLinkHow to make PR work online ebook (AWARDED) – distilled: pure website expertiseebook, book for entrepreneurs, and press release & dist. on PRweb.com (AWARDED) – Egg Marketing Blogframed sports photo – Eye On The Ball Images2yr subscription to Nylon Mag – Fashionista TV$1000 donation to charity of winner’s choice – Free Money Finance$25 Amazon Gift Certificate – Freelance Writing Jobs$200 cash – Genealogy Reviews OnlinePampered Pooch Package & Doggie Mommy Pack – Good Doggie$333.33 Cash – Grown Up GeekIpod touch with (8GB) – Help Desk Geekcustom logo design (AWARDED) – Holiday for Every Day1 year subscription to Home Exchange Site – Home Based Holidays1GB iPod Shuffle – I Hate Bad Service6×6 Custom oil painting – One custom full color single pet portrait – Intricate ArtiPod Video or Nano-Extreme Makeover (new LCD, front plate, rear plate & battery) – iPod Repair of Memphis8 GB video iPod nano – It’s Write Now10 articles of 500 words each custom-written to the winner’s specifications (in progress NOW!) – JCM EnterprisesJewel Caddy, “NO Tangle” Jewelry Organizer – Jewel CaddyWhatever Wall Clock – Kim and Jason2 entrepreneurial books by Kirsty (AWARDED) –Kirsty Dunphey – speaker, author, entrepreneur, retired at 27assorted baby and kids items – Lille Punkin’ Reviews$20 Amazon Gift Certificate – Lulu3 night stay in FL condo near Walt Disney World – Magic Vacation Villas25 tubes of New & Improved Mederma (AWARDED!) – Mederma for scars15 x 13 Limited Edition art print – Melissa Roberts3 books of the winner’s choice – Meryl Evans – Content Maven10 coffee mugs – Mighty Mugs16 x 24 poster of one of my photos – Mike Cavarocad spot for pet-themed site – Million Dollar Pet Pixpremium design/dev WordPress package (AWARDED) – Nathan RiceThe Google Story (book) + $10 – No Full StopHome Office Virtual Organization Package (AWARDED) – Organize & SimplifyOrganized Outcomes Remote Stylist Prize Pack (AWARDED) – Organized Outcomescustom WordPress theme (AWARDED) – MiloChild Guard – Personal Self Defense$300 cash – Publicity HoundA Little Twist of Texas book + postcards from travels – Raven’s Roadslinkbait boot camp (AWARDED) – Remarkable Communication3 nights in Sedona, AZ – Retreat and Heal$35 Amazon Gift Certificate – Sea Slugs! Anime BlogSeekZap Premium Directory Submissions (AWARDED!) – SeekZap12 copies SEO Book – Aaron Wall (AWARDED!) – SEO Book$150 cash – Simple Kind Of Life(2) $500 cash and free Premium upgrade subscription for 6 months to SKY.fm radio – SKY FM RadioInternet Radio directory and mp3 (AWARDED) – Street Smart Marketing30-45 second theme song for use in a blog site or website (AWARDED) – Tamra EngleThe Essentials of Trading Course DVD – The Essentials of Tradingtwo FREE nights at a Bed and Breakfast in Puerto Rico – the Palmetto GuesthousePro voice production package (theme, voice, music) (AWARDED) – Tim “Gonzo” Gordon$50 Amazon Gift Certificate – Viral Electronics50 pesos, 2 Jamaican dollars, 5 Canadian dollars, 50 American dollars, and an unused NFL Pro Bowl Ballot from 1994 – Wall Street Fighter5 hours writing/editing services (AWARDED) – Zach Everson
I want Problogger to give STAR $1000 October 7, 2007 8:44 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Contest, Cool Sites, Of Interest, Philanthropy, Touchy SubjectsDarren Rowse of Problogger fame and Lara Kulpa are busy giving away $54,000 for the Problogger Birthday Bash. FreeMoneyFinanace.Com has agreed to help them by giving $1000 to the favorite (US tax deductible) charity of a person who blogs about it and has their post linked by from Problogger by 9am Sunday Oct 7, 2007 (50 minutes from now).
I would like Problogger and FreeMoneyFinance.com to give $1000 to Shangri-la Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR). $1000 will cover more than half the cost of a class of 4 riders for 1 session.
STAR’s mission is to foster personal growth and achievement by providing educational, recreational, and physically challenging therapeutic experiences using horse related activities for persons with disabilities.
Our oldest son, Tommy, has Asperger’s Syndrome. We blog about it at Asperger Teen. Tommy has lived a life of being told "never." He did not speak until about age 3. At age 6, we were told he would never read. At age 10, we were told he will never function in society and to lock him away in a home. The nevers go on. Tommy has surprised the world today is a well-rounded, good natured, polite 17 year old. If I never announced his Asperger’s, no one would ever guess. He has succeeded were many expected him to fail. We have STAR to thank in part for that.
Tommy’s success comes from the incredible support system that surrounds him. Shangri-la Therapeutic Academy of Riding is an important part of this support system. STAR has nurtured his love of animals, given Tommy confidence, and really helped his social skills. Tommy is now hoping to go to college to study in vet school!
As an independent consultant, I have broken many of the rules required for success. As such, we live with constant cash flow problems. Without STAR’s Rider Sponsorship Program we would not be able to participate. Whenever possible, I try to encourage donations to STAR because I believe in the program and by encouraging donations I feel I have giving back where they have helped me. I do not have the means to give directly. Whenever possible, I give my time to help STAR through efforts like our Blogathon blog. I have seen many more than just my son touched by their love. It is difficult to drive through Knoxville and not see a license plate with a reference to STAR or see someone wearing a STAR t-shirt. Their success and growth can only continue through the generous donations by people like Darren Rowse, Lara Kulpa, and FreeMoneyFinanace.Com.
Please consider STAR for the $1000 charity giveaway. Thank you!
7commentsIMPORTANT! You can only win once! October 2, 2007 9:07 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Contest, Of InterestProblogger has announced their 3rd giveaway! The first 25 people to send an email receive a tube of Mederma scar treatment. What is important is the eligibility note on the post!
In answer to some questions I received about who can enter and further rules about eligibility: Please keep in mind that the winners of today’s first and third prizes will not be eligible for any other prizes during the duration of the giveaway, and it’s going to be like that for the entire event, so if you’re not really interested in a particular prize, it’s probably best not to enter for it. The reason we do this is to give the greatest number of individuals a chance to win something. By all means, if you’re interested in more than one prize, enter for more than one, but know that if you win anything, that will be the only item you win.
So, think before you jump! Make sure the prize is one you want.
Update: Darren Rowse has a full list of prizes and sponsors.
add a commentProblogger’s 2nd giveaway is up October 2, 2007 4:51 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Contest, Of InterestDarren Rowse is giving away $54,000 in prizes. The 2nd giveaway has been posted.
add a commentThe first 500 people to go to SeekZap at this special ProBlogger submission link will receive a free premium directory listing ($50 value) for their site/blog! [Source]