Tag Archives: BetterBNC

Planning for an easier contest in 2015.

January 2, 2015 karent Leave a comment

How well is your contest platform performing for you? Is it easy and intuitive with exceptional customer service? Do judges and contestants rave about it? As we look to the start of 2015, we invite you to check out BetterBNC and what its powerful contest platform can do for your awards program.

BetterBNC is currently the preferred platform for nearly 200 news media, creative and PR organizations across North America. Among them, the San Diego SPJ chapter which moved to BetterBNC in 2013. Its contest administrator Terry Williams, who had used BetterBNC for the San Diego Press Club since 2011, says BetterBNC has dramatically improved their SPJ contest, “I have had experience with one other platform and believe me, BetterBNC is far superior. Ease of entering, judging, reporting – all. But more than the system itself, the major advantage is expert and prompt customer service. My members with issues are either answered directly or referred to me so I keep in close touch with the process.”

*Click here to read what other customers are saying.

BetterBNC is an affordable and fully-integrated platform created specifically for journalism and media contests. Based on industry contest best practices, it has been designed to handle the complex security, rules and judging requirements unique to journalism , creative media and PR contests. It includes many exclusive features such as Contestant Manager™ which enables organizations to manage entries and monitor employee activity to ensure appropriate entries are made and Open Call™ which allows you to open your contest to non-members and freelancers. New this season is the ability, at no additional charge, to create a customized, branded homepage for your contest.

If you’re interested in a better contest experience in 2015, we can help. You’re welcome to take a look at the platform in a complimentary demo scheduled at your convenience. Simply contact us today.

Opening Your Awards Program to Non-Members

November 6, 2014 karent Leave a comment

As media businesses struggle to address shrinking budgets, many are increasingly turning to freelance talent. They produce great material but often are restricted from participating in local and regional awards programs because they’re not full time employees of a media organization or members of the organization sanctioning the contest.

BetterBNC allows contest administrators to open their contests to non-members and freelancers by using the platform’s Open Call™ feature. Open Call is being used by dozens of contests today to welcome entries from anyone meeting their contest criteria.

It’s great for writers and other creatives who aren’t affiliated with a particular organization and, for many contests, it’s simply an easier way to operate.

Terry Williams from the San Diego Press Club and the San Diego SPJ Chapter says Open Call gives her much needed flexibility. “I use open call because I have only a few administrators who enter for their writers,” she explains. “To keep it simple, I have everyone use the open call option and those few admins use it too, changing the entrant as appropriate. Also, I don’t have to set up the publications – it gets done automatically as people enter.”

To participate, the entrant simply creates an Open Call account through www.betterbnc.com and then they’re able to see all Open Call contests which are available and determine which they’re qualified to enter. The individual can also use the platform’s Scrapbook feature to save material they may want to use as an entry in the future. Click here for the details on the easy four step process:

Create our Open Call Contestant Account
Select Contests to Enter
Make Your Entry
Manage Your Entry

Open Call contestants then have the option of saving material in a BetterBNC-housed Scrapbook for future contests and also managing your own contest profile page.

If you are a contest administrator interested in using Open Call for your awards program, contact Paul Jeffko in our BetterBNC office today at 360.427.6300 or email paulj@smalltownpapers.com.

Why do organizations have awards programs?

October 14, 2014 karent Leave a comment

It’s time consuming and requires dedicated staff to managing the process so why do organizations have awards programs? We polled a group of contest administrators using the BetterBNC awards platform for their print journalism, broadcast and PR contests to get an idea of why they hold annual contests.

The majority of those polled indicated that awards programs and recognition provide member news and PR organizations with a marketing opportunity to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Contests provide individuals with recognition that can help them advance their careers.
Respondents also indicated that they believe the spirit of competition improves the overall news or PR product. (Here’s a great blog on how student contests lead to better news stories)
Ultimately, contests can increase involvement, membership and awareness of the sponsoring organization.

Many contests are beginning to see growth in the number of individuals and organizations entering contests which some attribute to the ease of online entries. (Click here to read more about OCPRA which has experienced 15-20% growth.) Digital platforms are also making it possible to keep entry fees manageable as the much of the processes are now automated and require less staff involvement. Contest administrators who feel their contests have limited potential for growth are now exploring opportunities that can be created by using BetterBNC’s Open Call^SM feature which allows freelancers and non-members to make entries. Contest administrators also tell us that they’re finding it easier to recruit judges when they offer online entry evaluation and rating.

Contact BetterBNC at 360.427.6300 to schedule a complimentary demo or learn more about our contest platform which is now being used by nearly 200 awards programs across North America.

BetterBNC Welcomes Public Relations Contests

September 30, 2014 karent Leave a comment

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.

Two 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

September 25, 2014 karent Leave a comment

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

September 23, 2014 karent Leave a comment

Members 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

September 8, 2014 karent Leave a comment

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.

For 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.

A great question from BetterBNC users.

August 29, 2014 karent Leave a comment

Recently, a contest admin asked us at what point we refer user questions or issues back to the contest administrator. It’s a great question and we thought everyone would be interested in the answer.

BetterBNC works with users to resolve all how-to questions or technical issues. There are three situations where questions from contestants and judges are routed to the contest administrator.

Reset Contestant Manager Account or Contact Email
Assign a Temporary Password
Login Information or Changes

In all three situations, the user is referred to the contest administrator because BetterBNC is not able to quickly determine whether the request is coming from a legitimate contest participant whereas administrators are able to quickly make that determination. This protocol was put into place to ensure contest security and prevent unauthorized or bogus participants from gaining access to BetterBNC contests.

Have other questions about BetterBNC? Email them to Karen@SmallTownPapers.com.

BetterBNC’s Newest Features & Benefits

August 26, 2014 karent Leave a comment

(The article below is an excerpt from our BetterBNC August newsletter. Want to subscribe? Email Karen@Smalltownpapers.com)

BetterBNC’s Admin Advisory Group was formed this summer and is comprised of a diverse group of ten contest administrators representing both print and broadcast media organizations using the platform. The group will recommend and review improvements and additions to the BetterBNC platform to ensure it best serves our customer’s needs.

“Our customers are the most informed users of the BetterBNC contest awards platform,” said Paul Jeffko, whose company, SmallTownPapers, Inc. created the product in 2007. “We will continue to evolve and improve based on the suggestions, ideas and feedback we receive from BetterBNC users.”

The Advisory Group has already made numerous recommendations, many of which are included in the release of version 5.0 which is currently rolling out. “We truly appreciate the time and work performed by this dedicated group of contest administrators. Their involvement will help ensure BetterBNC remains responsive to the needs of its users and the platform of choice for media industry awards programs,” Jeffko added.

Here are some of the upcoming new features and improvements, most scheduled for September release:

ADMIN

Customizable home pages
Direct email messaging and reminders
Improved table behavior, sorting and actions
Monitor Contestant Manager™ use of Authorized Entrant feature including number of sub-accounts established
New & improved reports
Set a flat-rate base contest fee variable by Division and CircGroup
MyContests page streamlined and easier to manage
Entry Table sort and search by Division
Set entry attachment limits by Category
Redesigned Category-to-CircGroup assignments
Redesigned Competition creation
Redesigned Competition assignments
Batch entry Confirmation process
Entry Asset Manager to download all winners’ entry attachments or all entries (optional)

CONTESTANTS

Open Call™ contestants begin making entries immediately
Revenue Manager cart system fully integrated with PayPal
Advanced and allows for mailed-in checks (optional)
Series date range, set by Category

JUDGING

Judging platform backend redeployed on dedicated server ensures performance during peak judging
Redesigned Judges welcome page
Judges see countdown as assignments are completed
Option for admin to display the entry Division to judges
Option for admin to allow “no winner” declaration by judge
Admin selectable winner places (First through Fourth)

CLOUD SYSTEM

Hardware updates include the most advanced cloud servers, scalable to meet demand

Interested in BetterBNC? Contact us for a free demo. Email Carter@smalltownpapers.com to schedule yours.

Admin Advisory Group Guides BetterBNC Enhancements

August 11, 2014 karent Leave a comment

BetterBNC’s Admin Advisory Group was formed this summer and is comprised of a diverse group of ten contest administrators representing both print and broadcast media organizations using the platform. The group recommends and reviews improvements and additions to the BetterBNC platform to ensure it best serves our customer’s needs.

The leading contest platform for organizations sanctioning awards competitions and contests for print and broadcast journalists and other creatives in the media industry. Contact us at 360.427.6300.