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  • Author Author: dougw
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How Motivating Is Swag?

There have been polls in the past to find out what items members preferred to receive as swag, but I am curious to know how it affects participation.

I assume everyone likes to receive free swag, but how does it affect participation? Do you post a blog note when you receive swag?

If swag was often given to each participant in a Project14 or specified in specific Project14 contests, would you be more likely to participate?

I know I sometimes do a project on a Project14 topic, but my project is not very impressive, so I may or may not go to the trouble of blogging about it. Clearly these projects aren't aimed at winning the contest, but are probably still of some interest. If there was some swag up for grabs it might tip the scales towards blogging about some marginal projects.

If there was a possibility of swag for blogging about a project that is not part of any contest, does it increase the likelihood that you would blog about more independent projects?

How could the impact of swag be increased?

By the way, in case it isn't clear, swag in this context means free handout promotional items supplied by element14.

Parents

  •   I love the question.  In my opinion, swag works.  It increases participation - even if it's just in the hopes of a random gift from Tariq and the e14 team.

    I'm commenting mostly because the phrases "...but my project is not very impressive..." and "marginal projects".

    :-(

     

    I know that you intended no harm in these statements, but some of us struggle mightily with these thoughts.  I have to keep reminding myself that we all have different skill levels.  What may be simple for some isn't quite that way for others.  I was so thrilled when I made A Crystal Clock with 1 Transistor - the Pierce Oscillator.  I've read about JFETs but never used one - until then.   Victory!!

     

    If swag makes the difference... BRING ON THE SWAG!  I absolutely remember pondering. "What can I do to get one of those sweet element14 breadboards?" - to the point that I purchased one from Newark.com and was contemplating adding my own e14 sticker.  Thankfully, Tariq and the e14 team saved me from myself.  Whew!

    I wear my e14 t-shirt with pride in hopes that someday someone will recognize it and say "Hey!  I'm part of e14 also!"  Nerd nirvana - without shame!  Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!    <thumbs up emoji>

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  •   I love the question.  In my opinion, swag works.  It increases participation - even if it's just in the hopes of a random gift from Tariq and the e14 team.

    I'm commenting mostly because the phrases "...but my project is not very impressive..." and "marginal projects".

    :-(

     

    I know that you intended no harm in these statements, but some of us struggle mightily with these thoughts.  I have to keep reminding myself that we all have different skill levels.  What may be simple for some isn't quite that way for others.  I was so thrilled when I made A Crystal Clock with 1 Transistor - the Pierce Oscillator.  I've read about JFETs but never used one - until then.   Victory!!

     

    If swag makes the difference... BRING ON THE SWAG!  I absolutely remember pondering. "What can I do to get one of those sweet element14 breadboards?" - to the point that I purchased one from Newark.com and was contemplating adding my own e14 sticker.  Thankfully, Tariq and the e14 team saved me from myself.  Whew!

    I wear my e14 t-shirt with pride in hopes that someday someone will recognize it and say "Hey!  I'm part of e14 also!"  Nerd nirvana - without shame!  Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!    <thumbs up emoji>

Children
  • in reply to kmikemoo

    Doug always comes up with the best questionnaires image

  • in reply to kmikemoo

    Good point about the struggle. Most contests are not set up to reward struggle, they tend to reward performance.

    One way to set up a contest to reward struggle would be to set a topic that members apply to do projects on, choose say 10 participants at random from the proposals and provide a prize for each participant that completes 2 blogs on their project. This ensures that participants do some work (struggle) to complete their blogs, but it doesn't matter who has the most experience.

    Would this type of contest appeal to those who struggle to compete with experienced makers?

    What would be a good title for this type of contest? (Struggle Contest?)

    This type of contest would be relatively easy to administer since there is no judging needed, but would still result in lots of content being generated.

    Incidentally Design Challenges have finisher prizes which are struggle based, but there is still a lot of competition in the choosing of participants.

  • in reply to dougw

      Wow.  This one got me thinking hard.  I couldn't shake it from my mind.

    The title for the contest should be The Arena.

    It sounds intimidating but I encourage you to read the following quote from Theodore Roosevelt.

    https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7-it-is-not-the-critic-who-counts-not-the-man

     

    I don't like giving a participation award to someone who hasn't tried but I do like acknowledging those who are willing to step into the arena and put their heart into the struggle.  The e14 t-shirt could just say "The credit belongs".

  • in reply to kmikemoo

    The Arena makes sense after reading the quote....image

  • in reply to kmikemoo

    ROFL - "the arena" reminds me or ThunderDome and the Octogon. :-) 

    I agree with you tho, an E14 T shirt / polo with Project Engineer on the back (or front of a polo) like a nametag would be pretty cool recognition for a well done project submitted amongst a field of really great projects. 

     

    I previously stated about wanting to win, really meaning more as you stated, being doggedly persistent and following the project thru to the end.