InstantSpot Staff

Happy New Year from the InstantSpot staff!  We hope you all had a prosperous 2006 and are looking forward to 2007 as much as we are.  Since our birth four short months ago, InstantSpot is now chugging along and growing every day.  The maturation of InstantSpot is due in large part to all the people that have been faithful users and have provided us with suggestions and feedback as we try shape and mold InstantSpot into exactly what our users want and need.
So how can we thank you?  How about a Free iPod Nano!

We are going to try our hand at having a contest.  Keep in mind that we are programmers, not marketers, so this is new territory for us!  But here is how the contest will work:

Starting today, when you log into your control panel you will see a referral link on the landing page.  The link will look like this:

http://www.instantspot.com/referral?c=[yourcode]

We want you to send this to all your friends and family, and see how many new InstantSpot users you can generate.  At midnight January 31, 2007 this month's entries will be closed, and shortly afterwards we will tally up the number of *active* new Spots that each Spot has referred.  The Spot with the most active referrals will receive an iPod Nano compliments of InstantSpot.  In addition, we will put your Spot on the main homepage throughout the month of February and show you off!  As you send referral requests to people, let them know that as soon as they join they are included in the contest as well, so they have an opportunity to win the iPod Nano too.

You may have noticed we used the term *active* in the text above.  At the time of this posting, that means people that have not only created a new InstantSpot site, but have activated and began adding content to it.  We reserve the right to interpret and redefine "active" as we see appropriate at anytime during the contest to ensure that the intent of the contest is safe from abuse.

Also, please keep in mind that we don't want to become notorious for our users spamming people they don't know. We will immediately disqualify people that take this approach, so be on your best behavior and don't make us look bad!

However, here are some good suggestions for getting your link out there:

• Put the link in your email signatures (ex: Free iPod Nano!!!  http://www.instantspot.com/referral?c=[yourcode]) and send emails to all your friends and family begging them to help you get your iPod.
• Create a new page on your Spot with your referral link begging people to sign up! 
• Add it in your blog postings.
• Add the link to signatures in forum postings across the internet, or post it where it is appropriate.
• Rent a billboard along a major highway.
• Two words:  Forehead tattoo!

Well, you get the idea...

So, now that you know the rules, run - don't walk - to your control panel and get your link.  If you have any problems or questions, you can always contact us using the form on this blog and we will respond as quickly as possible.