Fareham couple put fun back into online prize draws with new competition business Fluttabuzz
WHEN Laura Gilmour was made redundant from her facilities management role after 16 years, it would have been easy to wallow in self-pity.
However, the motivated mum-of-two turned her redundancy into an opportunity.
Together with husband Mike, and inspired to change dull online gaming, the pair set up Fluttabuzz and have gained hundreds of followers in their first few weeks.
Their website offers prize draws and competitions with a range of prizes to suit everyone, including things for the family to enjoy together.
Mike, 39, from Fareham, said: ‘When Laura was made redundant we thought it was a good opportunity to try and do something for ourselves.
‘We thought there was a niche for a competition prize draw site that had a bit more of a fun feel to it. There were a few existing already but these were a bit dull and we wanted to make ours fun, turn it into a bit of an event, and offer aspirational prizes that everyone would be interested in.’
The pair launched the business last month and have run numerous prize draws so far, including for PlayStation 5s, Dyson Airwraps, gift cards, gin, tablets, speakers, and more.
Their Facebook page hosts the draws via a live video, with the winners drawn out by random number generating software.
Mike, who is presenting the draws in his spare time from his full-time telecoms sales job, said: ‘It is very early days but we have been taken aback how exciting it has been and by how everyone has joined in.
‘We are growing really quickly. It has been really popular. With all the doom and gloom around, and with people staying in more, it is nice to give people that bit of excitement and an opportunity to win some amazing prizes.’
All entrants to the competitions have to be 18 or over, from the UK and they must pay by debit or credit card for security.
As entrants have to answer a question to qualify, and as they offer a way to enter for free by post similar to television prize draws, this means the business does not have to register with the Gambling Commission as it depends on an element of skill, knowledge or judgment, however Mike said they have set up a page on their website to allow people to opt out.
He said: ‘We want to make sure that people are not spending money that they have not got. People can opt out when it stops being fun.’
He said they also differ from other less reputable sites as they have always bought the items before offering them as prizes. And they clearly state on the website how many tickets are available so that people can work out their odds.
Mike, who is also captain of Fareham Crusaders Running Club, said he hopes to be able to host charity draws as the business expands.
He said: ‘I was due to run the London Marathon for Mencap this year and we had lots of fundraising events planned.
‘We have not been able to hold those big social events. When we are bigger we will open it up to charity fundraisers, so they can hold their charity raffles and sell tickets, without the need to physically be at events, which might not be possible for some time.’
For more go to fluttabuzz.com or facebook.com/fluttabuzz