Let Me Tell You About #ScottSentMe 2019 In Case You Haven’t Heard

We are just a little over a week into September and the #ScottSentMe2019 Challenge is still in its infancy as it ends at the end of November. What better time than now to bring you up to speed and also to have you help me spread the word to make sure that everyone in our quilting world knows all about it?

For starters, if you click on this link, this is a great starting point if you are a consumer or a shop owner. For CONSUMERS, when you click on that link above, this is what you want to be looking out for:

1. For the rules, you can either click on this link or you can use the link up top and when you get to my website, click on the word “here.” That will redirect you to all the pertinent details for the contest that you will need to know. Please read the details carefully before asking questions as I tried to be as thorough as possible and cover all of my bases.
2. We have also created a proof of visit form that you can find on my website using the link up top or you can click here. For consumers, you can print this form out, write some details on it and include it in the photo that you are using as proof that you went to the shop that you said you did. An image of the proof is below. Also, keep in mind that if you post on Instagram and select the location where you are, that will be good proof too that won’t really require a proof of visit form. See my example below where I visited Lone Star Quilts. Instagram gave me the option of selecting this store as my location. That’s pretty foolproof if you ask me.

3. If you go to the original link up top, you can scroll down on that page and find all the special offers from brick and mortar retailers that have opted into the contest. These are just some added incentives for you that may sway you to one shop over another. With that being said, if a shop is not on the list, that DOES NOT mean that they are not in the contest. Every shop in the US and Canada is a potential shop to visit whether they know about the contest or not. As long as you have the proof that you visited said shop, that is what matters. If a shop doesn’t know about the contest when you run in screaming, “SCOTT SENT ME” like a lunatic, please take a moment to explain so we can broaden the reach and the contest will get even better next year and also a little better this year. In other words, I need you to help me spread the word. Thanks in advance for your efforts.

4. As discussed in the rules blog post, this contest is only on Instagram. Therefore, you must follow me at scott_fortunoff. In addition, you need to make sure that your shop visit photo proof is posted on your Instagram page and it must say #scottsentme2019 in the description. That way, your image can be in the gallery with everyone else who is playing, including ME! (I have visited 8 shops already so watch out.) If you want to see what the competition is doing, you need to hit the search button that looks like a magnifying glass and write in #scottsentme2019. Make sure to select the 2019 version as that is where all this year’s proof needs to be for all competitors.

5. Regarding the prizes, I wanted to remind you that I recently added the opportunity for 5 consumers, that I pick at random, to win a $100 credit to their favorite Jaftex shop. I did this because I wanted to be as inclusive as possible and I didn’t want to disincentivize people from participating because perhaps they live in a remote area or are slightly immobile.

6. Unfortunately, online stores are not a part of this contest, but I am working on a contest especially for them at another time. In addition, if you are at a show or festival, visiting booths is not the same as visiting a brick and mortar shop.

SHOP OWNERS

That just about sums things up for consumers. Now, if you are a SHOP OWNER, here is how that main page helps you get into the fray of this challenge.

1. In the first paragraph, when you go to this link, you will see there is an opt-in option. By opting in, all it really means is that you want to let the quilting world know that you know about the contest and are also offering a special to entice more visitors. If you don’t opt in, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t participating, it just means that you aren’t offering a special. If you opt in, your submission does not go up automatically. My team needs to approve it. Therefore, you need to check back in a day or so and not on the weekends. If it isn’t posted, please email me at scott@jaftex.com and just tell me in a brief message and I will make sure it gets up.
2. Like consumers, the proof of visit form can also be used by shop owners however they deem appropriate. Shop owners should also feel free to make some sort of their own signage. Also, shop owners, please make sure to spread the word. This contest is only as good as we are in spreading its existence. Moreover, it will get better each year as we are only in our second year.

That’s what you need to know in a nutshell. If you have any questions, please ask them here in the comments and I will answer in a day or two. Not only is this a great opportunity for me to give away over $3000 in prizes, but this is a great way to motivate you to see what else is out there in the quilting world. This is no different than travelling to Europe or Asia or wherever to see what goes on in other parts of the world. This time, you are just checking out all the different shops in the US & Canada and not sights and statues and stuff.

Have fun. Be safe. And don’t forget that this is being sponsored by all my companies under the Jaftex Corporation umbrella (A.E. Nathan Co., Inc., FreeSpirit Fabrics, Henry Glass Fabrics Co., Inc., Studioe Fabrics, The Blank Quilting Corp. and 3 Wishes). Hopefully, if you are buying something, you will consider supporting my companies. Just sayin’. Have a great week and let the games continue. Bring it!

Scott of #scottsentme2019

P.S. Last year’s winners visited 40 plus shops.

P.S.S. Please share this post as much as possible with everyone that you know that loves fabric and fabric stores.