Reaching the milestone of 50 sales in my Etsy shop was reason to celebrate, and give thanks to my audience. So I created a “Thanksgiving Sweepstakes” post on my ExxoPok Facebook page and ran an ad for it. My $30 marketing budget would be spread out over 27 days, until November 30th.

Instructions were simple: just comment on the post, telling me how you currently carry your cell phone.

The results are now in. Facebook congratulated me with a five star rating for exceptional relevance of my campaign – and told me to run another one now.

My boosted post received a total of 591 views, 45 organic, and 546 paid.
There were 55 clicks on the photo recorded.
I got 36 “likes”  for my post, and I gained 2 new followers for my page.

The big surprise for me, though, was that only 4 people actually read and followed my instructions on what to do to win that free ExxoPok – by telling me how they currently carry their phone!

So I decided that all four participants deserved a prize. I messaged them all, telling them that they are winners, and would they please let me know what kind of phone they have, what color of leather they would like, and tell me their address so I can send them their free ExxoPok.

One person responded immediately. With all the information I had asked for, thanking me for my generosity. The second person answered a few hours later, saying what a great idea my ExxoPok was, but giving absolutely no answers to my questions. It took four more messages to find out what phone to make the pouch for, what color leather, and where to mail the finished product. My third winner replied late in the evening, picking a color for the leather, specifying a phone model that doesn’t seem to exist, and giving no address. I haven’t given up on that one yet, still messaging. The fourth person hasn’t responded yet.

In the meantime a new order came in from my Etsy shop, somebody wants an orange left side ExxoPok for his Moto Z2 Play.  I’ll be busy on the weekend, making at least three phone pouches. Life is good.