Idea Exchange: Pet photo contest bonds clients-and is fun

I wanted to gather pictures for advertising, so I initiated a camera phone photo contest for clients. Pictures had to be of pets, preferably taken with a camera phone, and could be submitted by e-mail or texted to my phone. The prize was a camera (cost $89). I advertised the contest with posters I created on my computer and on our hospital's Facebook page. We received 153 entries. The staff met for lunch and judged the photos.

We received so many good photos that we loaded a large digital frame with all the entries and hung the frame in the lobby. It has been a big hit. Clients are still asking for their photos to be added to the frame a month after the contest ended.

Our out-of-pocket expenses for the contest were small (camera, lunch for staff, printer ink and paper), but the bonding with our clients was priceless. And I now have a lot of photos to use in our advertisements. Our staff had fun judging the entries, and we fully intend to do this again.

David M. Dunbar, hospital administrator

Prospect, Ky.