Metal-in-air, butt-in-chair, submit your log.
That mantra goes a long way, but there is much more to learn and do to improve your contest score. This guide has suggestions everyone can implement on any budget.
Contesting takes practice and patience. Start by making a few improvements here and there, and over time it will add up to bigger scores for you and the club.
Bill Mitchell, AEØEE, provides some tips on improving your score in this article.