Keep trying ...
If at first you don't succeed... Often a good idea just doesn't work.
You may just need to tweak the offer slightly to make it more compelling. DealofDay.com, for instance, sponsors a sweepstakes in which it displays the randomly drawn name of a registered user. The individual has until midnight to visit the site and claim the prize. Initially, the site offered a US$25 gift certificate, and only a couple of people claimed their prizes. The site has since doubled the prize and is currently waiting to see if the larger prize will encourage users to check the site daily.
As more sites run online contests, grabbing surfer mindshare will become increasingly difficult. Using solid strategies (and a little bit of human psychology) to lure in potential winners can better your chances of success.
