Originally Posted by Gonzalo 
Talking by my personal experience, contests have helped me to make new clients, and some of them have become very good and keep hiring me.
It is true that the risk exists but if you do this as an extra and not as your main business, it is something you can deal with.
Also if your design is not chosen you can use it some other time or sell it somewhere else.
A solution could be that TF receives the money before the contest starts and in case there is no winner, that money can be used to promote internal contests or maintenance.
Just ideas  |
This is very true. I submit many designs for SitePoint contests and some the contest holder will just never come back or picks a different designer but a couple days later I get emails and PM's from other people asking to hire me for jobs. Also if you dont win the contest or the contest holder leaves you can just collect your designs and then have a sale latter on! I look at it as a win, win situation. Every time you make something you just get better at it. So think of it as practice!