Let the Great Online Scavenger Hunt Begin!

(The Scavenger Hunt is over – but you can check out the results right here! – This post still has the list and rules, so if you’re interested in how the whole thing worked – read on!)

Come one, come all – because the Great Online Scavenger Hunt is about to begin!

I know you want to get going right now – but you must bear with me for a few moments at least – because I’m going to tell you how it’s all going to work, what you could win, and who the wonderful people who are making it all possible are.

But first, a little reminder: what’s going on here?

This will be a five week event with over 100 challenges to complete for points, skills and glory. We’ll be taking you through the paces of networking and guest posting, mastering the social web, multi-media, writing, researching and maybe even stepping away from the computer and into the real world once in a while.

If you start and stick it through, by the end of the hunt – even if you don’t win a prize – you will have expanded your reach online, made new connections, deepened existing relationships, learned new skills and generally levelled up your business.

Does that sound okay?

Good, let’s get going!

What’s at Stake?

We mentioned before that this was going to be the biggest, most impressive prize package we’ve ever put together – and that was no joke. Check out the prizes:

First Place

• 1 Web Copy Coaching Package from Tea Silvestre ($500 value)
• 3 1-on-1 Consulting Sessions with The Numbers Whisperer ($600 value)
• 3 Borrow-my-Brain Sessions with Danny Iny ($1041 value)
• 3 Blog Post Reviews with Megan Dougherty ($150 value)
• 1 Podcast set-up and content consultation with Lindsey Rainwater ($190 value)
• 1 Blog Strategy Review ($397 Value)
• 1 Copy of How to Be a Finance Rockstar , signed by the author ($20 Value)
• Dinner with the Mirasee Team (You’ve got to get to Montreal – but dinner is on us!)

Second Place

• 2 Borrow-my-Brain Sessions with Danny Iny ($694 value)
• 2 Blog Post Reviews with Megan Dougherty ($100 value)
• 1 Podcast set-up and content consultation with Lindsey Rainwater ($190 value)
•  1 Blog Strategy Review ($397 Value)
• 1 Copy of How to Be a Finance Rockstar, signed by the author. ($20 value)

Third Place

• $250 cash
• 1 Borrow-my-Brain Session with Danny Iny ($347 Value)
• 1 Blog Post Review with Megan Dougherty ($50 Value)
• Access to all training materials from Lindsey Rainwater ($120 Value)
• 1 Blog Strategy Review ($397 Value)
• 1 Copy of How to Be a Finance Rockstar, signed by the author.  ($20 value)

The Killer Beginner Prize

This is a special award for the player who accumulates the most points, completes the most challenges and shows the best effort – even though they don’t have a website up and running yet. We know it’s going to be harder for you to complete some of the challenges, and we respect that you’re going for this anyway. Thanks to Tea from Prosperity’s Kitchen, we have for you a complete Basic WordPress Site Set-up/Install ($750 value): includes home page + 4 other pages + basic starter plugins + 1 hour customized training. If you think you qualify for this prize – send us a note.

The Above and Beyond Prizes

We want to encourage excellence in the challenges – and so we’re going to be picking two contestants each week who go above and beyond with the challenges – who use creativity, skill and enthusiasm to really knock our socks off. We’ll be giving them each $100.

Who’s making this possible?

Our Glorious Gold Sponsors

We’ve got Tea Silvestre from the ever popular Prosperity’s Kitchen. You may remember her as the winner of last month’s Awesome Engagement Strategies Contest – so you know she’s got the good stuff for you.

Nicole Fende, otherwise known as the Numbers Whisperer takes the fear out of finance and even make it fun – for anyone!

Our Stunning Silver Sponsor

Lindsey Rainwater, a finalist in the Awesome Engagement Strategies Contest, is ready to help the winners get creative with their audio content in no time flat.

And let me not forget the GamesMasters. These are the few, the brave, the possibly crazy who are going to be keeping track of all you players!

• Megan Dougherty of Mirasee
• Amanda Durepos of Mirasee
• Robyn Crump of Mirasee
• Mary Alice Murphy of Grant County Beat

GamesMasters have the authority to hand out bonus points, correct point tallies and decide if provided “proof” is acceptable.

Talk Rules to Me

Okay – are you ready for the rules?

The Great Online Marketing Scavenger Hunt
Ancient and Honorable Rules

1. All items on the list, except those in the section “Mandatory Challenges” are optional. You do not HAVE to do anything (except those challenges labeled  mandatory) but you are ENCOURAGED to do as many as you can.

2. Playing Name. You must decide on one name to be used throughout the game. This will be the title of your Tumblr (more on this in a moment), who your points will be attributed to, and how you will be referred to in the OFFICIAL TALLY LIST, and OFFICIAL QUESTIONS GOOGLEDOC. You are welcome to use your real name, your business name, or a made up name. For example, Megan might decide that her playing name is “Megan from Mirasee”. Alternatively, Megan could call herself: “Grand Empress of All That is Good and Kittens”. Totally up to you. 😉 Yes – you can link it back to your blog!

3. GoogleDocs. There are a couple of different Googledocs you need to be aware of.

a. Official Questions GoogleDoc. This is where you submit any questions – and answer any too!

b. Official Tally List. This is where you enter the scores for the people you’re keeping track of – and check your own! This list will be made available on Monday – we’ll email you the link.

4. Play Nice! No cheating. No mis-reporting. No sabotage. No name-calling. No backtalk on decisions made by the GamesMasters. (Of course, this doesn’t really need to be said – we’re all grown-ups and here to have a good time, and learn a bunch of new stuff!)

5. Questions are all to be submitted through the OFFICIAL QUESTIONS GOOGLEDOC. We’re not going to be able to respond to questions about the scavenger hunt, because there are hundreds of players – and every question in the Googledoc will be able to help many people at once. If you see a question in the OFFICIAL QUESTIONS GOOGLEDOC that has no answer – and you know how to fix the problem – go for it! If you see that an answer is incorrectly answered, alert Megan, Robyn or Amanda through email.

6. Earning Points. You earn points for every challenge you complete. The point value of each task is included on the Official Challenge list. In order to earn the points for each challenge – you must post the “proof” to your Tumblr. Proof could be a picture, a screenshot, video, audio or text.

7. Label Everything. Label every submission you make, question you ask or email you send with:

a. Your Player Name

b. The Challenge List Category and Number. (ie: Social Media Mastery #6)

c. For emails – Put the Label in the subject line. On your Tumblr, use the label as either the title, or the caption of the post. So an email subject might look like this: “Megan from Mirasee General #5.” And a post on the Tumblr may look like this: “Megan from Mirasee, In Real Life #4.”

d. Unlabeled challenges will not be counted for points.

8. Mandatory Challenges. There are a few challenges that we absolutely, 100% need you to do ASAP in order to be able to effectively run the game. If we notice that a week or two goes by and you have not completed the mandatory challenges – we will be booting you out. No hard feelings. The mandatory challenges are:

a. Create a Tumblr titled with your playing name. (This takes about 5 minutes)All of your “proof” will be posted here. The GamesMasters will periodically be going through your Tumblr, choosing excellent challenges and posting them on the Mirasee Tumblr. GamesMasters and your co-contestants will be checking your proof there.

b. Submit your playing name and the link to your Tumblr.

c. Screenshots or it didn’t happen. Screenshots will be your proof of pretty much everything. Emails sent (with names blurred for privacy! Use and image editor) Twitter shares, Facebook likes, comments you left – everything must be captured via screenshot and posted to your Tumblr or it will not be counted.

d. Scorekeeping for 3 co-contestants. Yep, this is a little extra work – but there are some good reasons for it:

i. You’ll get to follow some of your competitors really closely – and that’s a lot of fun.

ii. You’ll learn and practice some nifty organizational skills doing this.

iii. There are hundreds of you enthusiastic folks. Hundreds! We straight up need your help to make this work.

iv. Scorekeeping Guidelines. As a scorekeeper, you must periodically (once a week) check in on your three “scorekeepees,” and tally how many points they have accumulated. Once you have done so – you head on over to the OFFICIAL TALLY LIST, find the playing name of the person you’re scorekeeping for and enter the date, and their new TOTAL score in the spaces provided for you. Don’t leave us hanging! Remember – if we don’t see any scorekeeping activity on your part – you’re outta here. If you don’t understand how to keep score for your assigned players – write to us.

9. Mistakes on the part of the GamesMasters. There are probably going to be a couple. If you think a mistake has been made by you or about you, you may send an email outlining, with as much detail and visual proof as possible. A GamesMaster will take a look, and make corrections as necessary.

10. Bonus Opportunities. Occasionally there will be a bonus activity or chance to win some points announced on the Mirasee Blog, Megan’s Twitter Account,  AND Mirasee’s Twitter Account. The only way to win these extra points is to be paying attention and acting fast. GamesMasters will be responsible for counting bonus points. The official Twitter Hashtag for the contest is #FPMScavHunt!

Download your own copy of the Ancient and Honorable Rules here.

Now that you’ve read that… are you ready for the challenge list?

Almost.

The Spirit of the Games

I’d like to remind everyone that The Great Online Scavenger Hunt is for fun, for learning, and for getting to know each other – it’s going to be hard work, and I’ll be expecting you to consult with your fellow hunters and use the OFFICIAL QUESTIONS GOOGLEDOC to figure things out. This is meant to push your boundaries, challenge you and expand the range of what you feel confident doing. If you’ve got any questions about how the contest is going to work – pop them in the comments below the post.

And without any more ado…

Here you go: The Great Online Marketing Scavenger Hunt Official Challenge List.

(And if you aren’t registered yet, but want to be, you can sign up on this page.)

On your marks.

Get set.

Go!