Interview with AMANDA ADAMS of CashNet Sweeps

Contests, Sweepstakes, Prizes – the words lure us to the web’s most popular Contest site, CashNet Sweeps.

When netizens were hunting for websites to strike it rich, there was actually someone who was planning to make it easier for them by bringing all contests to one place.

AMANDA ADAMS, our ‘Dot Com Woman of the Month’ for January 2004 has built a wonderful resource online and managed to balance her work on a busy website along with her family and friends.

What is it that makes her so successful in her personal and professional life? Read along to find out.

 

“Your business should reflect your interests and your values. ” Amanda Adams

1. Tell us about your life before the computer stormed into it?

I wasn’t long out of high school and was busy trying to find that elusive ‘perfect fit’ between a person and their chosen profession. The majority of the jobs I held all somehow involved computers, in either sales roles or, later, in helpdesk and technical support roles. By then I had discovered that computers and I ‘just clicked’ so I was studying computing at college. I wanted to be a Network Administrator. 

2. And how did the date with your computer come about?

I was given an old 386 computer by a relative back in 1995. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of the potential for computers (with the rise of the internet and the world wide web) to make an amazing difference to the way people lived, worked and played.3. What led to the launch of ‘CashNet Sweeps‘?

One position I held was in a fairly unpleasant office, which left me with a vague idea that I didn’t want to spend my working life in an office. That experience sowed the seed of the appeal of a work-from-home lifestyle that later became CashNet. I’ve always enjoyed entering contests and winning prizes, and found at the time (1997) that there weren’t any quality resources available to people who enter sweepstakes – so I set out on a mission to create one!  

4. CashNet Sweeps is at the top of the Online Contest Websites. Please share with us some tips for successfully promoting and managing a website.

To begin with, I spent a lot of time approaching other sites and requesting reciprocal links. I also undertook took a self-taught crash course in search engine optimization to get CashNet listed in the top 10 in the major search engines, as this is where I expected most of my traffic to come from. Today the majority of visitors to my site still come from the search engines, and also word of mouth. I don’t tend to invest a great deal in advertising, but occasionally hold small promotions which bring people back on a regular basis.

With a directory-type site such as CashNet, investing in a program to manage the sweepstakes listings was one of the most rewarding steps I took. It allowed me to update the site in less time, and keep the pages up-to-date which is important to visitors.

I’ve also incorporated some great features into CashNet that members really appreciate, such as a way to track contest entries to help sweepers avoid disqualifying themselves by inadvertently breaking entry limit rules.

5. What difference did you find between doing business online and offline?

My only experience of running my own business is with the online variety, but I think the internet opens the door for the everyday entrepreneurs who might otherwise not venture in. The internet is a great equalizer with the set-up and ongoing costs being affordable for almost anyone. One of the great things for me is being able to set my own hours and work whenever it’s convenient for me. That’s important with a young family.

6. What do you think is the most essential tool for success in an online business? A quality webhosting company – if your site is slow, or the server is down, visitors will get a bad impression of the site before they’ve given it a chance and won’t come back! 

7. Did Lady Luck smile on you almost immediately or you had to struggle for it?

A bit of both. Recognition is the main thing and it’s gratifying now to be approached by companies and advertisers who want to host competitions and advertise on CashNet.

8. What were your experiences as a WOMAN in the Online business?

That’s a tough question. I’ve never really thought about this, so I guess my being a woman doesn’t really enter into it. I don’t think CashNet or people’s response to it would be much different if it was run by a man (but I’ll never know for sure)! People have often been surprised that CashNet is a one-woman show, but definitely not because I’m a woman – just that it’s not a company with a large number of staff.

9. Who are/were the people who are/were instrumental in your success?

It may sound corny, but my family. Without their continued support I probably would have given up on the online business idea before it got to the stage of being rewarding.

Credit also has to be given to my visitors, I have received heaps of great suggestions for improvements over the years which have helped to make the site more successful.

10. What is the real ‘Amanda’ like when she is not a ‘business woman’ and is with her family?

I’m just a regular person. I do all the normal things that other people do, like spending time with my family and catching up with friends. I’m in the process of buying my first home which is keeping me fairly busy as well as being a very exciting time. My daughter, who is 3 ½, is looking forward to having a pet of her own.11. What lies ahead? Your future plans, goals and missions. At the moment, I am developing a new CashNet, and my goal is to launch the new site early next year. With the launch of the new site, I am hoping that some of the more time-consuming tasks can be sped up or eliminated which will give me more time to spend with my family.12. May we have Amanda’s final word on ‘Women’ and ‘Business’?

I’m a bit egalitarian – for me it’s more about people and business. I think your business is kind of an extension of yourself – it should reflect your interests and your values. My rules? Be nice, play fair, have fun.