Giveaway Disaster!!!!!

You see, where I live there are very few people who know what henna is, but I'm trying to change that. I absolutly love doing henna and would like to make it a regular part of my buisness. So I decided to hold a giveaway for my facebook friends for a henna party for 6 with the condition that it was held in my hometown of Harrisburg, AR (which is where most of my facebook friends live). There were a lot of my facebook friends that really loved my henna and wanted to have a party. So, i thought it would be a good idea so that more people could see what it was and fall in love with it like I have. I posted all the rules on my website and started the contest. Well, there well I had quite a lot of my friends enter and they spread the word where I got several people that I did not personally know enter. One of which didn't really follow all the entry conditions in the first place, but I allowed her to enter anyway. She was the one who won (she was chosen at random) I informed here via e-mail that she had won on the 25th of september and I haven't been able to get in touch with her untill tonight.
She informed me that she wanted the party for her daughter
ok
then she said that she wanted to have the party next saturday
I already had one event in a nearby city (jonesboro) but if I hurried back I could still make it back in time.
Then she said that she wanted it for her 6 yr old
I let her know that henna wasn't really apropriate for a 6 yr old.... I should have left it at that.
But after some discussion I agreed to do face painting instead.
Then she informed me that she lives just outside Wynne which is on the oppisite side of harrisburg from jonesboro. She said she's have to think about if she was having the party that day and she'd get back with me when she can.
She has frustrated me so much! She obviously didn't even bother to read the rules on my website. She didn't even know what she was trying to win. She didn't follow the rules and she doesn't seem to have any regard for them either!
I'm thinking about telling her she is disqualified and pick another winner. There were so many more that really wanted the party and followed the rules to the t. but I've already told this woman that she has won.
What do you think? I really need some advice here!!!

I don't know how far your discussions with her have gone... but you sort of dropped the ball here.

1. you've told her she won
2. you agreed to fp instead of henna
3. you appear to have agreed to do it this saturday even though inconvenient

Not sure if you telling her she was disqualified would be valid since YOU informed her she won and conceded on those details, etc.

Since you've done all that I think you might be stuck... or risk some serious backlash.

Should haves are not helpful but... really... you should have been firm on your entry requirements or why bother with them?

if the point of the contest was to promote your henna, I really wouldn't have offered face painting... although I suppose you could have offered a discounted face painting party if you were just trying to salvage some kind of booking from it.

What you may want to do is contact some (or all) of the others that entered and tell them that they won a "runner up prize" of a discounted henna party... still gets the word out and some of them might be just as excited about that.

Unfortunately, you're stuck with this one if you've already told her what you have.... of course, if she hasn't confirmed within a reasonable time, you could say she took too long and you're booked now LOL... be careful with that though because she may start telling people that your contest was bogus and spread bad stuff around.

That's kind of what I figured thanks guys!

I've been pretty leery of offering face painting or any service in any contest or for a fundraiser/raffle. I don't want someone to think they own me & my time & can dictate when I will show up & where. So sorry to hear about it. The good news is this is not a mistake you'll make again....

Oh it sounds like you got the worst of the worst. I learned my lesson giving away free websites to get exposure when first starting - talk about having the most ungrateful and demanding clients result out of it! Yet it was totally random who won. Crazy. What happened?

i know I'm ot going to be popular for saying this - but she won a henna party, and she couldn't use it - she's out - next one.
Honestly if they were having a contest for say alcohol or a car and a minor entered they wouldn't give them the prize.
I would tell her if she can't use the henna party - for herself and her firends because henna is not for 6 year olds, then I will be passing it on to the next winner... kindly explain that it is Henna that you are promoting and not face painting, and if she would like to reconsider you would be happy to do a party for her within the next 2 months as long as a date can be arranged that is mutally agreeable.
I'd say that I offered face painting when I shouldn't have as I'm only offering 1 free HENNA party. You don't know this woman, she isn't a client, so I would just drop her. Sorry I come from a very big city, so if your in a small town this might not be such a great idea.