Who is this iPod person and why do so many Marketers continue to embark on a campaign to free him/her?

OK, but seriously. How qualified is a Lead that responds to a "Free iPod" campaign anyway? From my personal experience, the answer is "zero".

Aside from the person who actually wins the iPod, "no" leads are actually compelled to learn more about your product or service when giving away consumer goods in a B2B campaign (and good luck converting the winner... they'll kick the tires and take a test drive out of respect, but they won't be a real decision maker).

The lesson learned? If you're going to give anything away, at least make sure it has your brand/logo on it so you can justify the giveaway as an advertising expense. But ideally, make the collateral relevant and related to cultivating the dialogue with a customer.