I can remember the first internet contest I was ever involved with. It was the winter of 2008, nearly two years ago now, and Alex Mandossian was holding a contest for his affiliates. I was already a raving fan, so the idea of letting my list know about his programs was a simple decision for me. What I did not expect, because I was so new online and my list was so small, was to tie for 12th place with Christina Hills! I won several prizes, including a cash prize, and from then on I was hooked on the idea of contests.

You can hold contests for your list. Be creative with this, and ask them to comment on your blog or answer a trivia question. You will be amazed at the response you will receive when you simply ask people to respond and join you for a contest. The prize y0u offer can be anything from a digital eBook or report to a physical gift that can be mailed to their home. A cash prize is also greatly appreciated.

The most important thing here is to get your prospects involved and leave them with a good feeling. Announce the results to your list so that everyone can be included in the outcome. People still remember when I was a winner in Alex’s contest, because he sent an email to his list and I blogged about it.