Everyone Wins Using contests to garner interest in your products is a win-win.

Whether it's a trip to Jamaica, a makeover or a $100 gift card, everyone loves to win something. That's why contests are such a great way to build business buzz. "Contests can create a lot of interest in your products and cast a very positive glow on you," says Bonnie Carlson, president of the Promotion Marketing Association.

You want a promotion that has a solid tie-in with your brand, a demographically targeted prize and clearly stated rules. "What do you want to achieve most with the contest?" says Fabienne Fredrickson, marketing expert at ClientAttraction.com, a marketing consulting company. "Offer something that [customers] would do anything to have. It creates an immediacy for people to want to [enter]."