Don't mind me. I was just looking through my replies feed for the past 7 days and found a couple of nice messages I'd like to have framed on my wall share...

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Thank you for all you do here! src

Funny how I know so many really great engagers! It could be that I met them through you! src

That is why you are not only considered a leader but are that leader that provides leadership src

I suspect that none of us would be doing this much engagement without you. You are the driving force here and have taught all of us how to be better engagers! src

Congratulations @abh12345! Your post was mentioned in the Steem Hit Parade in the following category: Comments - Ranked 3 with 118 comments src

Undress Me @abh12345. Please!! };) src

(Had to include that one!)

I'm going to take your advice, no need to throw it in the bin, I respect you too much 😜 and I'm going to act accordingly. src

Thank you for the encouragement 😅 you are a true friend! src

(Sneaking a scarcastic one in, no-one will notice)

Congratulations @abh12345! Your post was mentioned in the Steem Hit Parade in the following category: Comments - Ranked 3 with 88 comments src

... thank you so much for running and funding the contest src

Thank you for your feedback on the orginal post and also here, your message might've been short, but I think it was impactful in that it was honest and you carry so much respect in the community! src

Thank you... !!!!!!!!!!! was a fun post to do src

I just voted for you as a witness and thank you for all you do 😉👍 src

To me, you really represent fairness,honesty and ethics src

You're still super awesome, blockchain savvy, and generous! Keep it up. That's why I check in.. src

Thank you. That was a good exercise to take a look at what is going on. src

Thank you! It was a fun task. src

Congratulations @abh12345! Your post was mentioned in the Steem Hit Parade in the following categories: Comments - Ranked 4 with 126 comments src

Yeah, I honestly saw the post and it got me thinking about this which inspired this post! src

Many thanks Asher for running the league... src

Thanks for another reward. These people are the core of what makes Steem good. I'm working on encouraging the next generation of new users. src

Thanks Asher and @steemcommunity for doing the league. src

I appreciate what both you and @paulag do. Anyone that doesn't have @steemcommunity as a witness should. Both of you are involved and informed and it's very evident how you care about the community. If not, you wouldn't do what you guys do. src

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This post started out differently and I was going to lead on from a radio show I listened to last night which discussed contests and retention.

For me, they go hand in hand, especially when focusing on the smaller accounts.

Prizes are nice, and for many hosts they can only be small. The advice here is to look for sponsors - there are some decent sizes accounts willing to support both one-off, and long-standing contests.

It took 59.5 minutes of the radio show last night before @wwf mentioned the key element for hosting an engaging contest, which in turn will likely cause users to 'stick' to Steem.

Time

The comments above rarely mention rewards - SBI's, STEEM, Delegations, etc. And for me, they are the result of hard yards - time and effort I have invested into Steem. If 10,000 minnows is what we want, then more work is always there to help encourage and retain the ones we have, and not let them slip away like the thousands that have already done so.

In a couple of weeks, I'll no longer have as much time as I have done for the past 18 months. My Sunday morning post will still be there (or in the afternoon if I get lucky?), but my overall engagement and offers will likely decline.

I hope some of you are ready to pick up the baton and carry it forward, and I know you will, because I see it happening already.

Thank you!