1 Before the Event
Set up your contest in Dempsi ahead of time — even if you don't have contestants yet.
- Create the contest with the name, description, and end date
- Write a compelling description — mention the prize and cause (use the best practices template)
- Set status to Active so voting can begin immediately as contestants are added
- Connect Stripe if not already connected
- Print the QR poster — go to your contest on the dashboard, click Quick Add, then "Print QR Poster" at the bottom. Post it at the registration table, near the stage, and in the audience area.
Pro Tip: Print multiple QR posters and place them throughout the venue. The more visible the QR code, the more people will vote.
2 At the Registration Table
As contestants check in, add them to Dempsi using Quick Add on your phone.
- Open Quick Add from your dashboard (the + button on each contest card)
- For each contestant: enter first name, last name, email, and phone
- Hit "Add" — the contestant is immediately added and receives a text with their voting link
- The form clears instantly so you can add the next person
- A running count shows how many you've added
Get the phone number. Day-of voting relies heavily on CyberTracker text alerts. Without a phone number, the contestant's supporters won't get rank-change notifications — which is the #1 driver of repeat votes. Email is important for future communication, but the phone number is critical for today.
3 What Happens Automatically
When you add a contestant with a phone number, Dempsi does two things immediately:
- Sends a welcome text to the contestant with their personal voting link — they can share it with supporters right away
- Auto-subscribes them to CyberTracker — their supporters will get text alerts when rankings change
Tell contestants: "You'll get a text in a moment with your voting link. Share it with everyone — family, friends, social media. The more you share, the more votes you get!"
4 During the Event
Once contestants are added and the QR posters are up, the system runs itself.
- Audience members scan the QR code, find their favorite contestant, and vote
- CyberTracker sends text alerts as rankings change — driving repeat voting
- The 🔥 On Fire and ⚡ Getting Votes badges show real-time activity on the voting page
- You can continue adding late registrations via Quick Add at any time
Announce from the stage: "People's Choice voting is LIVE! Scan the QR code at the registration table or in your program to vote. Every vote is a donation to [your cause]!"
5 Closing the Vote
When you're ready to close voting:
- From the stage: "People's Choice voting closes in 5 minutes!" — this creates a rush of last-minute votes
- Do a countdown: "Voting closes in 10... 9... 8..." — our data shows 37% of revenue comes in the final hours
- Close the contest: Change the status to Completed in the contest editor, or set a hard deadline time in advance
Don't announce an exact closing time in advance. If supporters know voting closes at 3:00 PM, they procrastinate. Announce it live from the stage for maximum last-minute urgency.
6 Sample Day Timeline
Morning
Print QR posters. Open Quick Add on your phone. Set contest to Active.
Registration
Add contestants via Quick Add as they check in. Each one gets a text with their voting link.
Stage Call
"People's Choice voting is LIVE! Scan the QR code to vote! A portion of proceeds goes to [cause]!"
Mid-Event
CyberTracker is working. Rank changes trigger texts. Voters come back to vote again.
15 Min Before
"Voting closes in about 15 minutes! Get your last votes in!"
Final Call
Countdown from 10. Close the contest. Announce the winner.