What's the best way to get new customers to try out your web hosting services? Offer them a free ride. At least that's the tactic taken by 1&1 Internet, Inc. a subsidiary of United Internet. It's offering small businesses a professional and fully functional Web site free for six months.

Called 1&1 Test Drive 2005, the offer allows small businesses to create an Internet presence - or upgrade an existing one - by trying 1&1's BusinessPro Package and the variety of professional tools it provides, with no cost or obligation. Since launching on January 3, 1&1 claims it has taken over 6,000 orders for the promotional package.

The regular business hosting package runs $9.95 per month

"The overwhelming popularity of the Test Drive offer clearly demonstrates the need among SMB's for comprehensive and user-friendly Web Hosting packages, which is exactly what 1&1 provides," said 1&1 Chairman of the Board Andreas Gauger. "Most small businesses assume they don't have the technical expertise or budget to get online. This promotion allows them to see firsthand - and completely free of charge - how simple and affordable it actually is."

With the free 1&1 BusinessPro Package, users receive a domain name, 2 GB of Web space, 50 GB monthly transfer volume, 500 e-mail accounts, Virus Guard & Spam Guard for all accounts, 1&1 WebMail and 1 MySQL database.

Users also receive In2site Live Dialogue, which allows users to communicate with site visitors live and in real time; 1&1 WebElements, which allows users to generate feedback and collect qualified leads by adding template driven contact forms, online polls, event registrations and more to their site; 1&1 Newsletter Tool; PDF2Web Creator for users to convert PDF brochures into fully functioning web pages in just minutes and a few clicks of a mouse; and a software productivity suite valued at $600 including NetObjects Fusion, PhotoImpact, Hello Engines!, Ranking Toolbox and WISE-FTP.

1&1 said the Test Drive 2005 offer is available through February 28. Customers who sign up for the Test Drive this month will receive the free package through July 31; for those who sign up in February, the trial will end August 31.