How does a Finalist Round work?
When your project closes, you will have 7 days to pick the winner(s) or select up to 5 finalists for the Finalist Round.
The Finalist Round gives you an extra 3 days to work exclusively with your favorite designers who will be able to tweak any existing designs or submit new design concepts. There is no limit to the number of tweaks or new designs in the Finalist Round. And, you'll have the opportunity to provide feedback and score, just as you've been doing throughout the project.
If you need more than 3 days, you'll be able to extend the Finalist Round by an additional 2 days and if you feel you need a bit more time, just contact our team and we'll be happy to help.
When you start the Finalist Round, you will agree that if your project wasn't previously Assured, it will be Assured and you will guarantee that someone will win the award. Assuring the project provides a great incentive to the finalists to present their very best work since one of them will win the award and all finalists will be paid (see below).
Is a Finalist Round available for all projects?
A Finalist Round is available in all Silver, Gold, and Platinum design projects. There is no Finalist Round in Elite packages as those already have 5 participants. There's also no Finalist Round in naming or tagline projects, or in 1-to-1 projects.
How are finalists in a Finalist Round paid?
The winner will receive 80% of the award and all finalists (including the winner), will split the remaining 20%. If there are multiple awards in your project, each winner will receive 80% of their award and all finalists (including the winners) will split the remaining 20% of each award. You don't pay anything extre - your project total already includes the award, guaranteed tips in a Finalist Round, and crowdspring's fee.
Because projects with a Finalist Round are always Assured, all finalists are motivated to work harder and to submit their best work, knowing that someone will win the award and every finalist will be paid. All finalists get paid. And you get great designs. It's a win-win!
Can I add or increase awards after the Finalist Round starts?
After the Finalist Round starts, you will not be able to increase any awards or add new awards. So, if you know you want to increase your award or add more awards, please do so before you start the Finalist Round.
Can I add or remove finalists after the Finalist Round starts?
After the Finalist Round starts, you will not be able to add or remove finalists. We feel this is fair to everyone because all finalists will be working hard to showcase their best work and give you great designs. And, if you run into any issues or have concerns during the Finalist Round, just reach out to our team and we'll be happy to help.
What if I'm not ready to start the Finalist Round yet?
If you're not yet ready to start the Finalist Round, you can extend the original submission period in your project by up to 7 days (for free). That will give you more time to see tweaks and new designs from all participants in your project.
Can I make offers to finalists and non-finalists if I like their designs?
Absolutely! After the Finalist Round ends, you will be able to make offers on any non-winning design in your project (including designs submitted before the Finalist Round and all designs submitted by finalists). And, as always, you'll be able to tip any designer to thank them for their hard work in the project.
After the Finalist Round ends, how much time will I have to pick the winner?
When the Finalist Round ends, you will have up to 7 days to select the winner.
How do I select finalists for the Finalist Round?
The Finalist Round can begin only after the submission period in your project ends. If you still have a few days left in your project but you're ready to start the Finalist Round, just let our team know and we'll be happy to set this up for you.
You'll be able to start the Finalist Round from your project's gallery. You’ll find the gallery under the “Entries” tab in your project.
In the Entries tab (assuming your project has closed), you'll see the option to launch the Finalist Round or to select a winner immediately
If you prefer to have the Finalist Round, mouse over any entry and click the "Add as finalist" button that appears on that entry.
When you add a designer as a finalist, we put a border around each of their designs since they'll be able to iterate existing designs and submit new designs during the Final Round. And we'll add that designer's avatar to the five finalist spots to confirm you've selected them as a finalist.
You can pick up to 5 finalists for the Finalist Round and once you're done, click the blue Start Final Round button.
We'll ask you to confirm the finalists and once you click the blue Start the Final Round! button, we'll start the clock and let all finalists know they've been picked.
Once you confirm the finalists, we'll take you back to the project gallery and you'll see the Finalist Round dashboard. The header of the dashboard will indicate award amounts. You will find FAQs and filtering options on the right and avatars for the finalist you selected will also show on the right.
When the Finalist Round ends after 3 days, you can extend it by an additional 2 days or pick the winner.
To select a winner, simply mouse over the winning entry and click “Award”.
Easy Peasy!
Your project will now enter project wrap-up with the winner.