Angling for a new line!

Without a doubt, words are the tools of your trade. Watching anglers on riverbanks, I liken entering competitions to fishing. You throw in bait for the fish and sooner or later you'll hook one. Just like entering prize draws.

Post enough and sooner or later your entry will get picked. It’s the luck of the draw!

After a day's fishing you may come back laden with small and medium size fish, perhaps one 'whopper',  unless it was the one that got away!

Similarly, you win small prizes or the big fish - the car or holiday.

As many compers, as people who enter competitions are affectionately known, only enter prize draws to win the 'whoppers', there's not so many entries for 'tiddlers', so there's more chance of you netting these prize fish.

The serious angler doesn't leave his hobby to chance. He carefully selects his bait. He studies the fishing ground and all other factors likely to enhance his chances of 'landing the whopper'.

Even after careful planning he's not going to hook every fish he goes after, but he has increased his chances of success.

You as a comper can be like our mythical angler. You prepare your bait, i.e. words to use in your slogans. You select your best fishing grounds, i.e. finding your entry forms, especially those elusive ones which may be hidden on tops of shelves or tucked in between display cabinets. Just because the entry forms aren't displayed in prominent view with an eye catching WIN to attract you, doesn't mean to say there aren't any competitions in that store.

You’ll find yourself becoming a 'Sherlock Holmes',  tracking down the best competitions to enter and the thrill of the chase.

When our angler takes up his rod and settles down to a day's fishing, or our 'Sherlock' comper sets out on an entry form safari, attitude is everything.

With a negative 'the waters too high, temperatures wrong, won't catch no fish today', or 'expect I shan't find any forms today', 'not in the mood to write tiebreaker slogans', 'I never win anyway', one thing is certain. You're right, you won't!

Armed with a positive 'What a wonderful hobby, I've won a first prize in a tiebreaker competition and I can do it again', or a 'I WILL win a car', one thing is certain. You will win. For you will put enthusiasm into your entries, spending time writing and perfecting - and eventually the prizes will come.

We often hear of people talk about 'The Law of Averages'. Send in enough entries and sooner or later you win.

You may win one prize a month for a period, then not win anything for six months. Just when you wonder what you're doing wrong, low and behold, three prizes could arrive almost at once.

Following a lean spell, I won a five star spa health break, a holiday to Miami and a gleaming bright red car – all within ten days. By contrast, I went a full year without winning a prize.  On 'average' the prizes even themselves out. Just don't give up.

Interesting then, how many 'compers' loose enthusiasm, feel defeated or just give up when they feel the postman has deserted them.

Take a tip. Enter every competition with enthusiasm. Give it your best shot. Post it. Forget about it. Move onto the next one and do the same. Do this and you increase your chances of success.

Must dash. Off to play the 'pools' and 'reel' in a few prizes!

© Copyright Lynne Suzanne www.win-with-lynne.co.uk