What's It Really Like Running a Competition Website?

One question I get asked quite often is:

"What's it actually like running a competition website?"

The honest answer is that it's probably very different to what most people imagine.

Many people see the live draws, the prizes, the winner announcements and the social media posts. What they don't see are the hundreds of small jobs that happen behind the scenes every single week to make everything work.

I thought it would be interesting to give you a genuine look at what goes into running True Prizes.

Every Week Starts With Finding New Prizes

Before a competition ever appears on the website, a lot of thought goes into choosing the prizes.

We spend time looking at what our customers enjoy entering, what offers good value and what creates excitement.

Sometimes a prize sells out quickly and everyone loves it.

Sometimes a prize that we think will be popular doesn't perform as well as expected.

That's one of the challenges of running a competition business. You're constantly learning what your audience enjoys.

The Website Never Sleeps

One thing I've learned is that websites don't stop when you go to bed.

Customers enter competitions at all hours of the day and night.

Orders come through while we're having dinner, watching a film with the kids or even while we're asleep.

There is always something happening.

That means there is always something to check, update or improve.

Live Draw Days Are Always Busy

Sunday draw days are usually the busiest day of the week.

By the time the live draw starts, there have already been hours of preparation.

Checking entries.

Making sure competition pages are correct.

Responding to customer messages.

Preparing winner announcements.

Testing equipment.

Making sure everything is ready to go live.

Most people only see the draw itself, but there is a lot happening before we ever press the "Go Live" button.

Customer Support Is A Huge Part Of The Business

One of the most important parts of running True Prizes is looking after customers.

We regularly receive questions about competitions, entries, instant wins, postal entries and draw dates.

We try to respond as quickly as possible because we know people want answers.

Good customer service isn't the most exciting part of the business, but it's one of the most important.

Trust is built one conversation at a time.

The Reality Of Social Media

A lot of people assume social media is simply taking a quick photo and posting it online.

The reality is very different.

Photos need to be created.

Videos need filming.

Graphics need designing.

Posts need writing.

Comments need answering.

Messages need replying to.

The amount of work involved in creating content every week is far greater than most people realise.

But it's also one of the best ways for us to connect with our customers and show the real people behind the business.

Family Life And Business Life Often Mix Together

One of the things I enjoy most about running True Prizes is that it's a family business.

At the same time, that can sometimes be one of the biggest challenges.

There are days when family time and business time overlap.

A customer message might arrive while we're out for the day.

A website issue might appear just as we're settling down for the evening.

A delivery might arrive while we're trying to enjoy a family meal.

That's the reality of being a small business owner.

The business becomes part of everyday life.

Not Every Week Goes To Plan

Social media sometimes performs badly.

Competitions don't always sell as quickly as you'd like.

Technical problems occasionally appear.

Marketing campaigns don't always work.

Running a business means solving problems every day.

The important thing is learning from mistakes and improving each week.

That's something we're constantly working on.

Why We Continue To Do It

After reading all of that, you might wonder why anyone would choose to run a competition website.

The answer is simple.

Seeing winners.

There is something genuinely rewarding about calling someone to tell them they've won.

Watching reactions during live draws.

Seeing photos from happy winners.

Receiving messages from customers who enjoy being part of the community.

Those moments make all the hard work worthwhile.

Looking Ahead

True Prizes is still growing.

We're always looking for ways to improve the website, offer better competitions and create a better experience for our customers.

This blog is part of that journey.

I want to be open about what happens behind the scenes and share both the good days and the difficult ones.

Thank you for being part of the journey so far.

Joe

Owner, True Prizes