So, why are companies so desperate to give away free stuff just for answering a question or two? I'll tell you why...

...because it is an INCREDIBLY effective and very INEXPENSIVE way to get your company name mentioned on hundreds, if not thousands of websites, message boards, forums, blogs and conversations both in online and offline world, not to mention good PR it generates that's why!

Who doesn't want their company name-dropped all over place for what amounts to mere peanuts when compared to costs of traditional advertising?

There are thousands of specialist competition and freebie sites whose sole purpose is to inform rest of internet when a new competition or freebie offer hits internet. There are as many mailing lists, newsgroups, message boards and blogs on same subject and YOUR company name could be plastered over all these when you add a competition giveaway to your site.

But it doesn't stop there.

If you are reading this as a webmaster then you obviously know all major search engines look upon inbound links as being one of main deciding factors in deciding which pages rank where in organic search engine results. All these free, one-way inbound links pointing directly at your website are pure gold dust in terms of increasing your link popularity and thrusting you up towards top of search engines.

Whilst everyone else is rushing around participating in link exchange programs, renting links on websites, buying their way into search engines and more costly measures to help get jump on their competitors, you could be flying up rankings by giving away something as cheap as a $20 DVD once a month...

Of course, you can also make your generosity work extra hard for your business as well and really milk that competition freebie...

Rather than just give one lucky visitor a chance to win something when they leave their details at your site how about some of these ideas to get a double hit from your freebie:

1) Newsletter Competition

It's true! Who doesn't like to get free stuff, no matter how cheap, lame or unwanted? You know it, I know it and you can be darn sure marketing departments at big boys out there know it and thrive on it.

So why aren't YOU doing it too?

Giving away promotional freebies is a great way to get people to buy from you, to sign up for newsletters, to get a heap of free advertising and to generally boost profile of your business both in online and offline world.

Thankfully, in online world these kinds of promotions need not cost a fortune either which again begs question:

Why aren't you doing this already!

Here's a few reasons why giving away free stuff is such a wonderful thing for your business.

Freebie & Coupon Sites

There are thousands of them. If you are giving away something free then these guys will find out about it and will more than likely list what you are giving away on their own sites. That's free advertising and it'll be seen by THOUSANDS of potential new customers! For example, take a look at Just UK Freebies or TheFreeSite.com if you need further convincing. It'll also do no harm to you link popularity and hence search engine rankings...

Turning The Umm's Into The YES PLEASE's!

How many customers do you think hit your site each day, look at what you are selling, umm, ahh and then leave without buying? Why not give them a very good reason to buy from you, right there and then rather than chancing to fate they might find your competitor's site in meantime or decide perhaps, they won't purchase what you are selling after all? A freebie promo can do this for you - just offer it as part of purchasing deal.

Building Your Mailing List

Does no one subscribe to your newsletter? Give them a good reason by giving something away for free to newsletter readers. Easy. Make it something different each month and limit it to say, first few readers to email you hundredth word in newsletter and you'll keep them reading too!

Increase Your Visitors - Virally

Tell-a-Friend scripts used to be a big deal but now they're not used all that much. However! Incentivize this form of viral marketing and it suddenly becomes much more effective. Give access to some kind of freebie if your customer tells a friend about your business and suddenly you've turned a somewhat mediocre form of marketing into a much more useful prospect. Make this freebie and small discount voucher for both 'teller' and friend and you've just got yourself two more customers for just a slight hit on your profit margin.

Need we go on? I expect not. If there is an area of your business you are looking to grow them I'm sure you can think of a way in which a promotional freebie, no matter how small, can help you achieve those goals.

But "is it worth it" I hear you say! Of course, but you've gotta be smart about it. DO NOT promise what you can't deliver and DO NOT promise what you can't afford. Fortunately, there are a number of things every online business can afford and here are a few ideas to get you started:

Ideas For Free Stuff Promotions