Holding a contest or sweepstakes can draw a lot of traffic to your Web site. You can announce your site to hundreds of Web sites that list free contests and sweepstakes. Send out a press releases about your contest or sweepstakes. Ask entrants to your contest or sweepstakes if they would accept offers from your business in the future by e-mail.

The prizes should be something your target audience would need or want. Try to be as original as possible with the prizes you are offering. Always offer more than one prize, a grand prize and runner-up prizes. Use your products or services to give away as prizes. Make sure your prizes have some value, nothing cheap. Give enough information about all the prizes, so people will be interested in entering.

Make it easy for people to enter your contest or sweeps- takes. I feel the easiest ways online are from an entry form on your Web site or by e-mail. Capture as much info. as you can when they enter your contest or sweepstakes like:

Company Name
First/Last Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Day/Evening Phone Number
E-mail Address
Web Site Address
Purchasing History
Survey Questions

Give your contest or sweepstakes a professional look and feel. Provide an "Official Rules" Web page for your contest or sweepstakes. Include a time period of how long your contest or sweepstakes will be held. Tell visitors how you will deliver the prizes. Include pictures of the prizes on your site. Tell visitors who will judge your contest. Check out other contests and sweepstakes Web sites to get more ideas.