So in light of my promotional marketing background, and as a way to promote the event,  we've developed the BlogPaws or Bust Sweepstakes which we just launched on Monday. We're giving away two grand prize travel packages to Columbus which include round-trip airfare from anywhere in the continental U.S., two nights hotel accommodations at the Westin Columbus (where the event is taking place) and a pass to attend BlogPaws 2010. We've also thrown in three second place prizes which are free passes to the event.

Now we're using a web-based application tool to run the BlogPaws or Bust Sweepstakes which enables us to launch the campaign simultaneously on our website, on our Facebook Fan page and on Twitter all at once. This app creates a micro-site that can be either embedded or linked to a website or blog and added to any Facebook fan page. The Twitter option gives extra entries to people who tweet about the sweepstakes and are successful in getting their followers to enter. I've now used this app several times for a few of my clients and have been happy with the results, but this is the first time I've used the Twitter option.

The application, called Wildfire, is included on Facebook’s Preferred Developer list and is in compliance with Facebook’s promotional guidelines that they recently released in December. Facebook now states that you need prior approval to run a sweepstakes or contest on their platform, however, by utilizing this app prior approval is not necessary.

So this is a very cost-effective way to get a promotion up and running on multiple platforms quickly and fairly easily. This makes it a great tool for anyone who wants to integrate a promotion with their social media efforts, what I call Social Sweeps promotions. The app offers a premium or standard version that helps to fit within most budgets. We're utilizing the standard version for the BlogPaws or Bust Sweepstakes.

So whether or not you want to join us pet enthusiasts in Columbus, please check out the sweepstakes and go ahead and enter and please let us know what you think about the promotion. Follow any of links above to get to the entry form.

Oh yeah, we're also having a Twitter Party tomorrow night where we're giving away some great prizes. Please join the fun if you can for a #blogpawspawty on Thursday, March 4  @ 7 pm EST. You can get more info on this here.

Hope to meet some of you in Columbus!