One clever way to attract new readers to your blog is to sponsor a prize drawing. If you can relate the giveaway to your blog topic, even better. Downloadable audio files or PDFs are easy to deliver, but you also might consider a mailable item: t-shirt, journal, business card holder, even a Starbucks gift card. For even more impact, use a service such as Zazzle to put your logo on a shirt, mousepad or bag. Relate your giveaway item to your own product or service: if you’re a pet expert, give away a collar or set of pet dishes; if you’re a professional organizer, give away storage containers or an attractive notebook.

Here’s one example of an effective prize drawing: the Indie Fixx Autumn Cornucopia Giveaway. IndieFixx celebrates independent artists, crafters and designers and is somewhat of a clearinghouse for indie goods. Contests and drawings are held fairly often, keeping interest high and attracting new subscribers to the Indie Fixx blog and newsletter.

If this specific giveaway looks like something you’d like to win yourself, here’s how to enter: go to this linkand leave a comment saying that you read about it at Pink Mandala (http://pinkmandala.com/wp/blog). Also, be sure to share your favorite participating contest sponsor. Me, I’m partial to Sublime Stitching and Feto Soap. Feto’s soaps smell so good, you don’t know whether to wash with them, or eat them. (Extra bonus tip of the day: don’t eat them.)