*Updated* How to Hold a Giveaway with an Announcement!

Each Giveaway is now CLOSED.  Thank you for your comments.

Kimberly of Mom in the City fame won the Stationary Set from Visual Smiles.

Mrs Soup won the set of Thank You Cards.

Nadia won the set of Note Cards.

You have one more day to win the Valentines Set!  I’ll post the winner on Tuesday!  ~Cathy

Tonight, while searching for some shoot-em-up drama for my Friday night down-time, I found instead, the Hope for Haiti fundraiser.  The music was SO amazing that I got sucked in.  Of course, it brought me to tears.  I have been carefully avoiding the coverage of this, feeling like all of us – quite helpless.  I’m sure that I’m in good company with this attempt at avoidance.  (not that avoidance is altogether a bad thing).

I don’t need you to think about Haiti or what is going on over there right now.  I need to give you some stuff!! But I need to tell you my story first - It was shockingly difficult to find a way to donate via paypal (as opposed to a credit card).   I did eventually find links in ebay and Canadian Red Cross (where the government will match dollar for dollar), paypal where you CAN actually donate directly from paypal account.   But what I discovered in my searching is the Hearts for Haiti shop on etsy!

Since Etsy is the coolest place anywhere to shop for homemade stuff, and since I suck at marketing, and since I wanted to make a donation towards helping the people of Haiti, and since even I’m not dense enough to miss THAT writing in the clouds, I present to you:

How to Hold a Giveaway on Your Blog

1. If your item is sponsored or donated to you, somewhere in the announcement post, you must have a disclosure statement. See this post for some snarky creative  pics you can use.

This giveaway is not sponsored.  These items were purchased by me, with prejudice.  (I’ve always wanted to say that)

2.  Describe the item as you have agreed to within your sponsor- publisher arrangement.   And just because you receive compensation doesn’t mean that you have to sell your soul – be authentic!  Be honest!  If you find that you cannot promote an item, go back to the publicist and tell them so.  In most cases they will be grateful for the feedback and make other arrangements with you.

I am giving away a stationary item for small businesses every day this week. Each item was purchased on Etsy, and all the proceeds will go to the Hearts for Haiti fundraiser which is supporting Doctors without Borders.  Yay!!  I’m soooo happy to be involved with this.  I have snapped up all my items already.  If  you want to hold a giveaway and have 1o0% of your purchase go to Doctors without Borders – go check out the Hearts for Haiti shop on Etsy!!   If you can’t use the items yourself, give them away on your blog!!  Raise awareness with your readership, and maybe they will go shopping at Hearts for Haiti too!!

3.  Be sure to state who is elligible to win the item(s).

Everyone over 18 years of age, anywhere in the world can win these items.  Shipping is covered.

3.  State when the giveaway opens and closes.

I will open the giveaway each day this week, and close all of them at Friday at Midnight Eastern Standard Time (New York).

4.  And how the winner will be chosen.

Please leave a comment to enter the giveaway, and DO let me know if you are holding giveaways of Etsy Hearts for Haiti items.  I will link you up on my front page so we can all drop by and enter to WIN!

All the winners will be chosen by random.org and will be published Saturday after my morning coffee.

The more transparent the entire process is, the more ethical and trustworthy you will be to your readers.  See?  Aren’t I trustworthy?

Come back on Monday for the first giveaway!!