Monthly Archives: September 2014

BetterBNC Welcomes Public Relations Contests

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BetterBNC is excited to welcome public relations contests to the list of organizations using our online contest platform.  This year, the Oklahoma and Tennessee College Public Relations Associations became the first public relations contests to use BetterBNC and we are now seeing increased interest from similar awards competitions as they prepare for 2015.

OCPRALogoTwo years ago, Oklahoma College Public Relations Association (OCPRA) board member Adam Calaway had an epiphany after participating in the state’s SPJ awards program which uses the BetterBNC platform.  Adam felt taking the OCPRA contest online would save tremendous time and energy.

“I really liked it, I thought it was so simple,” Adam said of his experience with BetterBNC. “For seven or eight years, [OCPRA] had been doing everything in paper. You fill it out, use a PDF, print it out, mail it in. At an awards ceremony, I asked about doing it all online and that got a roaring round of applause.”

Adam secured approval from the organization and began the process of working with BetterBNC to set up the now digital college PR contest.  “I have to say the customer service was spectacular… easy to work with, so polite and our requests were taken care of immediately.”

The online contest won over entrants who have praised the new process for being convenient and cutting the entry time down to just an hour or two.  The numbers back that up. “In the past, we had 500 entries at most and this year, we went up to more than 700 so a 15 to 20 percent increase. I’m excited.”

Contest judges were also sold on the new platform since they’re now able to sit down, relax and go through entries online from the convenience of a computer or mobile device.  Adam tells us that one of the judges is now working to get BetterBNC for his organization’s contest and his message to other college PR organizations is to act now.

“You cannot ask for a better, easier and more comprehensive way to run your public relations contest. They’ve thought of everything and your entrants and judges will thank you.”

BetterBNC was designed specifically for media-related contests and is currently being used by a growing list of organizations including press clubs, news associations, AP and SPJ chapters, broadcast groups, public relations organizations and more.  Visit www.TCPRA.org and www.OCPRA.org to learn more about the Tennessee and Oklahoma Public Relations Associations. Want to see a demo of BetterBNC? Contact us today – call 360.427.6300.

A Better Experience for Your Contest Judges

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Contest administrators repeatedly tell us that it is critical that their contests are easy and intuitive for busy judges who volunteer their time to review and evaluate entries.  BetterBNC works to ensure a smooth experience for judges like Jack Dvorak who has used the platform to judge contests.  Jack tell us, “I find {BetterBNC] easy to use, efficient and effective.”

Now, BetterBNC is going even further to improve the experience for contest judges.   Judges have said they want an intuitive and easy way to review their assigned entries and ultimately select category winners.  As well, they want to be able to judge from any device.

BetterBNC has now placed the judging platform on a dedicated server to ensure performance during peak judging periods.  Linking to entries saves judges the time of downloading files to review and contest administrators are able to adjust settings so judges can choose first through fourth place or no winner.

Also part of the newly released BetterBNC 5.0, the judges welcome page has been redesigned and now includes a countdown reminding them which assignments have been completed.

Learn more about BetterBNC and the newest features added to the platform. Contact us today at 360.427.6300.

BetterBNC Now Offers Customized Contest Homepages

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BetterBNC_graphicMembers of BetterBNC’s Admin Advisor Group got a first look at the new Customizable Homepage feature this morning. It allows contest administrators to quickly and easily build a branded homepage for their media contest. They can select a URL, color palette, add images and graphics, and insert text (simply copy & paste) about their contest. The new feature is part of the BetterBNC contest platform’s newest version, BetterBNC 5.0, and will be available to BetterBNC contests in the next few days. It’s a free and optional feature that takes only a few minutes to set up. There are currently two templates to select from.

The Advisor Group, which reviews and provides feedback on BetterBNC’s new features, said they appreciate the ability to drive contest participants to a branded webpage for information about their awards program and the ease with which they can create the page. Several suggestions from today’s demo are being explored and we hope can be added to the platform in the future.

Want to know more about BetterBNC and how it can help you manage your contest? Contact BetterBNC today for more information or to see a demo of the platform. You can email Karen Tarica at Karen@smalltownpapers.com. BetterBNC is currently being used by nearly 200 media organizations across the US for their print, broadcast, PR and advertising contests.

Broadcast Orgs Turning to BetterBNC for their Awards Programs

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The BetterBNC online contest management platform is pleased to announce it is approaching the signing of its 40th broadcaster contest.  Increasingly, broadcast organizations are seeking online solutions for their awards programs which must accommodate the various digital video and audio files being used by television and radio stations today.

The BetterBNC platform, used by nearly 200 news media awards programs across the country today, is becoming the preferred platform for broadcast organizations since it was designed and built specifically to address the unique needs of print and broadcast journalism contests.

MABLogoFor broadcaster awards programs, BetterBNC transforms the contest experience by saving time for all involved.   “It cuts down the upload time on the television side of things, the time it takes a station to enter and also for judging,” explains Mary Worland, the Awards and Projects Coordinator for the Michigan Association of Broadcasters which this year presents its third BetterBNC contest. “Rather than waiting to download, [judges] just click a link to view.  It’s so user-friendly, just drag and drop, and it’s also so much easier to download and export reports for ourselves and the auditors.”

Rather than shipping entries or uploading numerous pieces onto an awards program server, BetterBNC allows organizations to simply link to their broadcast entries which can be on a station’s website or published on sites including YouTube, Vimeo and Tindeck.  This reduces issues resulting from an increasing number of different file formats or slow server speeds and it is improving experience for judges who are now able to more easily view and evaluate entries online.

Launched in 2007, BetterBNC offers media organizations an online and fully integrated contest for entries, judging and administration.  The robust platform includes features designed to ensure contest security and integrity such as a fully auditable record of activity.  The platform allows for easy admin report generation, offers a suite of customization options and full tech support is included at no additional charge.

BetterBNC is committed to ongoing improvements and regularly adds new features, many of which are recommended by its Admin Advisory Group comprised of ten representatives from media organizations currently using the platform.  Program updates address new technologies and the evolution of the media industry.  Recent additions allow contests to accept PayPal for entry fees or open contests to freelance on-air talent, reporters and photographers.

Broadcast organizations can visit www.BetterBNC.com for more information or email carter@smalltownpapers.com to schedule a complimentary demo.

Nearly 200 Organizations are using BetterBNC Today

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Of the nearly 200 organizations currently using BetterBNC’s awards program platform, a growing number are coming from broadcast and public relations organizations.  They tell us that they’re attracted to BetterBNC by the entirely online experience and ease of linking to broadcast stories and PR campaign materials.  The result is that customers are saving time on the administrative end and are still able to promote and grow their awards programs.

We appreciate our current BetterBNC users who are sharing their experiences with other contest administrators.  Most of our new customers say they contacted us after after hearing about positive experiences from their peers in other chapters of their groups including AP, SPJ, press clubs, broadcast groups etc.

For more information about BetterBNC’s platform created specifically for the journalism industry or to schedule a complimentary demo, contact Carter Cheston at carter@smalltownpapers.com.