Each and every day, thousands of people log on to the Internet searching for contests to enter. Do you host contests on your website? If not, you are losing an opportunity to increase your exposure on the web.

I'm in business on the web you might say, but my website is provided by the Company I work with. I can't change the content of my web page, so how can I have a contest? Even if I could, I have no way to publicize it, so how can I attract people there. Others might say "I don't have a web page, how can I participate?"

Well - "Your Business Web Page" to the rescue. The "Contest Page" here will list the details of your contest, the prize you are offering, and how to enter.

What kind of contest should you run? The simple drawing is probably the most popular because it requires the least amount of work on the contest entrant's part. The only thing required is a name and email address. Among the other types of contests you can run are surveys, Q & A, trivia, riddles, games and scavenger hunts. You could even have them search your web page for something. It could be as simplistic as looking for something in an E-mail you send them, (advertising your product of course) such as looking for a word that is spelled incorrectly.

I have set up a banner on our Home Page which links to the "Contest Page". I will also publicize this in our other publications. Also. with the traffic our web page gets normally, quite a few people will stop by.

How can I participate should be your next question.

First - determine the prize. The greater the value, the more participants you will get.

Second - determine a cut-off date. The longer it runs the better, however it should be in the near future.

Third - send me an e-mail at contest@adv-marketing.com with the prize to be offered, the cut-off date and the particulars of the contest you wish to run.

I ran one awhile ago and gave a full year of advertising on our web site as the prize - a $52 value. One of the free ads listed was a fake. People had to find the fake ad, and from the entries received, I had a random drawing for the winner.

Let your imagination be your guide here. And don't forget - any entries you get can be added to your "prospect" e-mail list.