How to Write Winning Slogans and Tiebreakers for Competitions

Most people don't enter competitions because they're not sure what to write in the part, which says: 'Complete the following sentence in no more than X words'. This tiebreaker section is all-important - it's the 'win or lose' part of most contests and inevitably determines the winner. But, consistent winning is all about technique - once you have learned the various styles, which win prizes, it's simply a matter of deciding which you are the most comfortable with and practising. Choose from the following styles:

Play On Words: this is a useful technique for a humorous tiebreaker. One winner said that a bicycle shop offered 'wheelie great deals'. The more of a 'groaner' it is, the better. They are always very popular with competition judges. You might win a trip to the Louvre with a line like 'With more taste for less Monet, what have I got Toulouse?'.

Homonyms: use words that sound or are spelled alike, but which have two or more meanings. For example, a bride won a dream wedding by completing the sentence 'After the wedding'.....with 'Aisle Alter Hymn!'.

Adaptations: this involves adjusting the titles of well-known films, songs or books to fit the slogan requirements. As an example, 'A Dish called Wonder' won a prize from a manufacturer of cook-in sauces soon after the movie A Fish Called Wanda was released.

Alliteration: put together several words which all start with the same sound. For example, 'It's better with a bit of butter!' It's not necessary to make every word start with the same sound - in some cases it can make it sound too contrived. 'Clever colour creates cosy attention' for instance. But used carefully, alliteration always attracts attention.

Contrasts: use two words of opposite meaning to produce an eye-catching effect: 'High quality goods at a low price' and 'You get friendly hellos and lots of good buys'. Most thesauruses list antonyms - words that mean the opposite - so browse through their pages for inspiration.

Spoonerisms: this technique involves transposing the initial letters of words to create something humorous. As an example, 'mint of history' instead of 'hint of mystery'.

Malapropisms: the 'unintentional' misuse of a word by confusing it with one of a similar sound can often produce amusing results. The most mundane of slogans can take on a new look with a malapropism. For example, the slogan for household paint declares: 'They're a pigment of my imagination'. Don't forgot to jot down any ones you may hear on a day-to-day basis, as they could come in handy one day.

Rhyming couplets: when in doubt, send in a two-line rhyme. Armed with a good rhyming dictionary, this technique is easy to learn. The trick is to get the rhyme and scansion - the metrical rhythm of the verse - exactly right. Read it aloud, counting the number of syllables in the first line. The number of syllables in the second line must match exactly without being forced. Be careful that your regional accent - whatever it might be - doesn't influence your choice of rhyming words.

Triple Rhymes: you can make your rhymes stand out even more by using three rhyming words rather than just two: 'For beauty care and shining hair, Boots is the store that's always there'. Look for more unusual rhymes, rather than the overworked 'test/best', 'savour/flavour', 'treasure/pleasure' and 'delights/excites/invites' combinations.

Alternatives: other tiebreaker tasks fall into two categories. 1: writing an ending for a limerick involves being given the first line or two and having to make up the rest yourself. To complete it successfully, remember there should be a rhyming 'punchline' in the last line. So it often pays to begin here. Make a long list of words that rhyme - as your punchline must end with one of these, you're getting the most difficult part over with. It's then fairly easy to work backwards, filling in the central couplet. 2: naming a logo character. What you're looking for here is something that's particularly apt to the product. For example, what would be a suitable name for a character who is a regular saver with a bank, which pays terrific interest rates? Ivor Lottamoolla, perhaps. Flicking through a joke book will give you lots of ideas; the more 'groan inducing', the better!

Additional Tips: study the instructions for clues. Typically, you will be asked to provide an 'apt', 'original' and/or 'amusing' slogan.

'Apt' means appropriate to the goods being promoted, the prize on offer, or the theme of the competition. A good tiebreaker mixes together two or more of these factors.

'Original': your first thoughts are likely to be similar to those of countless other entrants. Discard them. If two or more entries are similar, they are considered unoriginal and are scrapped.

'Amusing': there is a thin dividing line between funny and rude. By and large, daring slogans don't win. Picture your judging panel as elderly spinsters and you won't go far wrong.

Identify the product's positive features and include those in your slogan. Keep the slogan simple and sincere. Don't go overboard with accolades - they make your entry sound phoney and reduce your chances. Make your slogan unique to the product - if it isn't mentioned in the introductory wording, refer to it by name.

Avoid vague statements like 'you've tried the rest now try the best' which can apply to anything. The closer you get to a personalised entry, the better your chances. Don't knock rival products - there's no such thing as bad publicity. As far as you are concerned they don't exist.

Don't ask for a prize. Phrases such as 'I'd like to win a Bermuda holiday because....I've been unemployed for 3 years and need a break' comprise 25% of entries and never win. Judges are looking for something positive and upbeat.

Good luck and start entering as many competitions as you can.