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Huge Free Exposure With a Sweepstakes by: Bruce Scher Offering potential customers a chance to win a prize, gives them a powerful incentive to visit a site. Create a non-cash prize, aiming to fulfill their true passion or interest. By Bruce Scher When I hear or read the words sweepstakes, I immediately think of that major publishing clearinghouse. Which is proof that this kind of marketing is working on me, if I remember their name, and I've never ordered any magazines from them. But, contests and sweepstakes aren't just for the big boys and girls. They produce massive amounts of traffic, are easy to run, and free for any small business to implement. The great lure of contests and sweepstakes is giving a customer a reason to visit a site. When a customer sees a chance to win a prize just for clicking on a website, their programmed to reason, '¯if I don't enter, somebody else will win.'¯ And don't forget another reason people enter. Contests and sweepstakes offers are fun, and consumers want a little excitement while working the web. For additional free tools see my earlier article, '12 Free Tools For Starting a Home Business With No Money,'¯ request a copy at email address below. 6 Steps to Running a Successful Sweepstakes 1) Prize The prize you offer should be related to your site. Chances are better that your visitor will be interested in your prize and your site if they are one and the same. Make the prize significant, since it only costs you a fraction of it's worth, the bigger the value to customers, the more likely they will enter the sweepstakes. 2) Easy to Enter There are two types of promotions you are run, a contest or a sweepstakes. A simple contest requires the entrant to provide an answer to a question, and the answer is easily found on your website. A sweepstakes is a random drawing, a little easier, because the contestant doesn't have to search your site for the answer. And, most importantly these days, because of spam, ask them if you can email them in the future about special promotions, don't assume you can. 3) Headline Naturally the words free or win should be in the headline, and incorporate the name or product to help build awareness. A local restaurant in my city, offers Sal's Free Lunch. Contestants drop a business card or fill out an entry blank, in a large bowl for the weekly drawing. 4) Free Sweepstakes Listings You can advertise for free on the sites below, and you may find yourself playing a few sweepstakes as you conduct your own research. www.ezsweeps.com www.sweepsadvantage.com www.cashnetsweeps.com www.onlinesweeps.com www.contestguide.com www.contesthound.com 5) Customers/Prospects Emailing Don't forget to email your customers and prospects about your sweepstakes promotion. It's good will to include them even though you have their names, plus, It's another opportunity to get your name in front of them. 6) Website Announcement To promote your sweepstakes to new visitors to your site, place announce of your sweepstakes on the main traffic pages of your site. If you publish an ezine, don't forget to include its details here, with a link to the sweepstakes rules and entry form. This means of free advertising will act as a traffic generator working the length of your sweepstakes bringing in thousands of visitors. Offering potential customers a prize to visit, and the huge amount traffic will be your prize for holding it. About The Author Bruce Scher is a small business advisor and creator of a current sweepstakes, 'Win a Business Start-up.' Winner receives '13
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