Contest Winner and a Huge Thank You!
Last Thursday, I decided to run a little contest to thank you for visiting and reading the Rawmazing blog. I wanted to give some love back so I decided to give out five cookbooks, wrote the post and hit publish. I was not prepared for what happened next.
The comments (entries) started pouring in. And you were not only answering my question, you were taking the time to thank me for this blog and letting me know what it means to you. As I read each and every comment (2,406 by the close of the contest), tears started to form in my eyes. I was overwhelmed. And honored. And so grateful for you all.
You see, when you write a food blog, the only connection you have with your readers is through comments. And commenting is getting less and less popular these days. We are just so busy it’s hard to take the time. I do it myself. I browse other blogs, love what I see but I am in such a rush, I don’t bother to stop and say thanks for what you are doing.
The funny thing is that I see the Rawmazing numbers almost every day. This is not just my passion, it is my livelihood. So I keep track. I know that my little blog, started almost 5 years has grown. I look at the numbers. I study the analytics. I know that we get over 500,000 page hits a month (holy cow…that is over half a million). I know that almost 200,000 unique visitors come to the site every month. And I know that people are visiting from all over the world.
But that is where it stops. I am looking at numbers, not people. I see statistics, not connection. And honestly, somedays, it is a little overwhelming. Because without that human connection, you send your work out to the universe and mostly silence greets you in return. It is a lonely path to pursue. Did I mention I am very grateful to those of you who do take the time to comment? I am. Very grateful.
So, when the comments started coming in, and the love was being returned from all over the world, I broke down. Knowing that my work is reaching so many is humbling. Knowing that I am making a difference? Well that is my life’s goal. I love all the answers because a name and location means so much more than a number. And for all of you that took the time to let me know how much you love the blog, that was priceless.
I set out to send out some love and it was returned 100 fold. So, once again, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The winners are:
Susan from Campbell, CA
Jennifer from Hartford Connecticut
Donna from Anderson, CA
Terry Lee from Gilbert, AZ
Karen from Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
All winners were selected by a random number generator.
Just for fun, these are some of the places that we heard from:
Argentina
Austria
Australia
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bosina
Bolivia
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chilie
Croatia
Czech Republic
Cyprus
Curacao
Denmark
Dubai
England
Estonia
Finland
Fiji Islands
France
Ghana
Germany
Greece
Guam
Hawaii
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Israel
Jamaica
Jordan
South Korea
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rica
Qatar
Romania
Scotland
Serbia
Singapore
Slovenia
Slovakia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
Wales
USA
Jackie wrote on April 2, 2014
Thank you for what you do. I never would have attempted this way of eating without your site. I never would have imagined that raw food could be this good. Lots of food love from Cleveland, Ohio!
Susan wrote on December 3, 2013
Hi, Donna. The cookbooks were sent out last week.
Donna wrote on December 3, 2013
I won one of your cookbooks. When will you be sending them out? I love your blog. Thanks, Donna
Chatelaine wrote on November 22, 2013
Wow, that country list is amazing!!!
I know I can always count on your site for some great tasting meals and ones that I can use to transition friends and family 🙂 thanks for doing all that you do!
Laura Black wrote on November 18, 2013
What an awesome response. I am genuinely happy for you. Being a website owner myself, I can truly appreciate what this means to you. And I am Inspired!!
Stacy L wrote on November 15, 2013
If I am lacking in inspiration, I always reach for one of my Rawmazing cookbooks. 🙂 Thank you for continuing to inspire me!
JUELI wrote on November 14, 2013
HI SUSAN. am also one of those who read your blog and emails without sending back ! Thank you so much for giving me an insight into how it feels when you blog and put in all the work that you do, online apart from your coocbooks and the myriad of other things that you do ie all the new recipes.
I personally find it so inspiring seeing your recipes and most of all the pictures which show how wonderful the recipes look when finished/! Am moving house, and setting up the new kitchen for turning my health over to
as much raw food as possible ie having only the blender, the food processer, the de hydrator and the wonderful array of raw ingredients in the cupboard. Crackers are what I really would like to do most of to be able to put away give to guests etc, and just be able to pull out whenever I feel hungry with other little snacks or dips to put on them. also to take to peoples houses when invited to dinner etc, little sweet balls, or crackers and raw dips or a sweet etc.
I know that one can download e books, however being old fashioned I just love “books”.
is there any way, I can order from you one of every book you have published and have them all sent out to Australia in one parcel. on your website I understand it is not possible to do that. however, I would be sooo
grateful and appreciative if this one big parcel could be sent!
if it is possible, please just let me know the cost total and postage, so we could get started on these books coming to Australia.
thank you so much again for all that you do for the plantet, and for the difference you make with your blogs, your food and most of all your energy that is flowing around the world.
cheers jueli