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***** 1,000 POSTS *****
Hi All,
As you may have guessed, today marks the day that I post my 1,000th post on this site, and I am running a huge competition to mark this historic triumph.
Before we get in to the mix with the competition, please allow me two minutes to bask in this glory. When I first set out creating this site almost two and a half years ago, I had no idea that it would quite go so far. Having now reviewed well in excess of 1,000 products I have to say I am nowhere telling you what the best chocolate bar in the world is (although the Hotel Chocolat 85% still holds the lead of course!), but I guess that is half the fun and it is a never ending process.
Going forwards, I want to make the site even bigger, even better and that can only happen with your continual input. Your requests and comments are what make the site so enjoyable to run - so please continue to contribute to this ongoing project.
It is at this point I would ask for you to do two things for me, through any method you wish, be it e-mail, comment, smoke signals, twitter ... can you please tell me two things ...
1. What you enjoy about the site
2. How you think I can improve it
Thanks for all your contributions to the site so far - I appreciate each every one of them. Please keep reading and adding your input. Now I have blabbed on for long enough let's get on with the competition.
JIM
**** COMPETITION TIME ****
Over the past 2.5 years Hotel Chocolat have been a key supporter of this website. They have sent samples of their latest products for the majority of this project, and given me the license to say what think whether it be bad or good.... it has to be said it is mostly good :D
In yet another example of amazing goodwill, Hotel Chocolat are sponsoring this 1000th post spectacular competition, and are offering a Mini Chocolatiers Table as 1st prize (See HERE), as well as three boxes of Sleekster Chocolate Selections (See HERE) for three lucky runners-up.
All you have to do is send an e-mail to Jim{@]Chocolatemission.net with the answer to the following, please include 1000th post competition in the subject, as well as your address for potential prizes to be sent ...
Q. Hotel Chocolat have recently just released a product named the 'Peepster - Summer Sizzler'. What four mini slabs are contained within this selection?
Winners are to be drawn at random from all correct entries. Please ensure entries are received by May 8th 2010. Please lets make this as big as possible so plaster this competition over facebook and twitter ... there will be an extra special small prize for the person who best exemplifies that they have got the competition message out there :D
Usual competition rules apply...
1) One entry per person
2) UK entrants only
3) Anything I say goes :)
GOOD LUCK!!
JIM
Posts
32 comments:
WOW awesome Jim :D.
My entry is sent and im keeping my fingers crossed :D.
Great work on the past 1000th post, im trying to slowly work my way through each and catch up with ya :P, think Ive got along way to go though haha.
Matthew
Excellent competition Jim! :D
I love everything about the site but I think the shop idea you had is a really good one and also the forum one too, I think that would be fun, and even a way for readers to perhaps 'chocolate swap' with readers in other countries, a possible way of trying some of the bars you've reviewed but arent always easily available :)
I bet you never anticipated the site to grow so big when you started but it's awesome, keep up the good work! :D
Like:
* everything
Dislike:
* nothing
Please keep up your services to the chocolate world Jim. You do an amazing job.
Don't change anything please.
1000 reviews? That is crazy. Are you not sick of chocolate yet?
Great competition. Just sent my entry :-)
I'm not just saying this to suck up but this site is genuinely one of my favourites on the net. It is one of the ones I load up straight away everytime I browse the internet.
I can't think of any improvements you could make? Sorry.
Congratulations Jim :) I have to say I really enjoy this site and think it's great that you take the time to read and respond to all our comments, considering the amount we all talk! lol.
I also like the shop idea (maybe you could do it via ebay), and think maybe you could have a section for readers to do their own mini-reviews of chocolate products they have found? Like for example say if I find some odd one-off foreign product, it's nice to let others know about it and have it documented. It doesn't matter too much as I know it'd make extra reading for yourself, I'm happy leaving it for the requests section.
Keep up the excellent work Jim, I'm sure we all very much appreciate it despite the occasional trolls (who seem to think you hate Nestle/work for Hotel Chocolat/love Thorntons/hate Thorntons/review too much Ritter...LOL!)
That HC prize is amazing btw! £45 worth of chocolate, wow!
YOu need to review more things that people can get hold of easily i.e. thing from the uk.
Oh BTW Jim,
My only suggestion would be for a good forum :D we could get some good conversations going then, also have a members review section where you could maybe get a different view on something you have already looked at. We could all have ago at being as good as you then :D.
Matthew
As far as improvements go, I think you should try and create a fancier design / have one made for you. Maybe something more chocolate-themed.
The site is great apart from that, content is, as ever, king.
Having just come out of hiding, congratulations on your 1000th post Jim - way to go!!
Keep it the same. Don't change anything.
Are there any prizes for those of us who have read all 1,000 posts and still have all our teeth lol?! Phil's eBay suggestion is great, the PayPal link could also include donations, and best of all the shop could ship internationally...unlike these competition prizes :(
Thanks for saving the world daily from chocolate disaster.
Dear Jim,
I am really proud of your upkeep of this website and especially your dedication to keep it running and clean, with a wonderful variety of chocolate. I think it's a huge deal and wish to be around for the 2,000th! You're an example for all food bloggers. Congratulations!
I love everything about the website but one thing- although I realize shipping can be exorbitant, is there any way you can put in at least one contest a year for your US readers? Loving your selection so, I'm always sad when I can't enter them!
Aside from that, I love the website and I eagerly come back to see what witticisms and wonder you have to offer.
Jess
You don't need to change a thing you do an amazing job with this site.
I don't think you need to change your design. It looks unique to this website.
Congrats man. You deserve a medal or something for 1000 reviews. You obviosuly bring joy to a lot of people. You should feel really proud of what you have achieved with this site.
I have to have that chocolatiers table :) It looks soooooooooo good.
I wish you would allow US entries! What if I paid the shipping, in the case that I win?
Please?
Congrats on 1000!
Keep em' coming!
Great competition. I just sent you my entry. Congratulations on your post.
Terrific prized for the competition
. I hope I win lol.
So you have tried over 1000 different chocolate things? I wish I had your job.
You do a good job of keeping your reviews interesting as well. You manage a balance of reassuring familiarity and passion in your writing. You should carry on your good work.
God dammit this is one competition I need to win. Do we get to choose what sleekster chocolates we get?
That would be awesome if we can.
Congrats on your 1000 posts you must never have expected things would come to this huh?
Wow, 1000 posts is certainly something to mark. Love the sound of this prize - each one sounded just like the very thing I wanted to eat right now. Restraint is not my middle name.
Congratulations jim on 1000 posts,phew...
The questions u ask,I enjoy the site for the yummy pics & reviews & you couldn't do anything better it's fantastic.xxx
following on Twitter hi I'm @katiemack12
*good work! (oops)
Congrats, Jim, I admire your dedication!
I agree with the others, I think a forum would be really great... and maybe you could implement a system where visitors can "thumbs up" their favourite chocolates, kind of like digg.com but for chocolate. :) Don't ask me how to create something like that though!
Keep up the
enter me plz im a chocoholic!!!!!
check out my blog for a fab OPI giveaway!!!
:)
Everyone
Hi All,
Thanks for all the kind words and suggestions.
Rather than me go through all your suggestions now, I am going to waite until next Saturdays '7 Days of Chocolate Reviews' so I can fully reflect on all your suggestions and then give guys some feedback on them all. Remember to keep using facebook and Twitter to promote the competition. Where you have done please tell me about it so I can get an idea as to who has done the best job :D remember there is a prize for the best promoter!!
Be sure to check in for the reviews this week ... upcoming there are more Japanese goodies, Hotel Chocolate and a special Ritter Sport review.
Thanks for all your reponses so far! If you have anymore suggestions please don't hesitate to add them!
Have great weeks.
JIM
Dear Jim!
I shan't make a wally of myself and ramble on about how awesome a job you're doing (if only to avoid you smothering yourself/nearby loved ones with boredom). You can feel the love though, can't you? I think you can.
In all serious-ness and formality, it has been an absolute pleasure watching this site progress into its current sophisticated state. And your undwindling passion on the subject leaves me in a constant state of awe. Oh the genius! You're like the freaking chocolate-oracle now :P
So to sum up, congratulations and keep doing what you're doing. If I had the authority, I'd give you some sort of badge of honour or..celebratory hat, maybe. As it stands though, you'll just have to be content with my silly little ramblngs.
Your pal,
Lottie
Well done on the 1000th post.
I love your site, I'm a chocoholic so love hearig about chocolates, new ones etc. I don't think you can improve on perfection so don't go changing
new to your site... its great! you have my dream job!
seriously though congratulations on reaching 1000 posts and creating a fab source of choccie information
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