Blogger and Clear Channel Media Rep, Phil Bernstein is holding the first (as far was we know) Great Twitter Challenge. Here’s how it works:

• On January 23, Phil will send out one trivia question per hour as a “tweet” on Twitter. The tweet will contain the question, and a link to the sponsor’s website.

• People following the contest on Twitter will click the link, go to the website, find the answer, and tweet it back to Phil.

• First correct answer gets the prize.

• Next hour will bring a new question and a new prize.

• Prizes must come from Portland/Vancouver-area businesses, and winners must be from the Portland/Vancouver area. The idea is to create local excitement, and bring local traffic to local businesses.

Phil has lined up a 8 sponsors, including yours truly, Market Accelerators. I am offering 2 one hour phone consultations. If the winner is nearby we can do them in person.

Here are the other prizes:

• A jacket and shirt combination from Shindaiwa — size XL
• An engine treatment, gas treatment, and transmission treatment from Motorsilk
• “Create a Map of Your Business”, an e-book self-study course by Business Coach Kaya Singer of Awakening Business Solutions. Also included is one free tele-coaching session
• A Bebe Spa Travel Pack of baby skin care products from Maternitique
• A One-Month Individual or Family Membership at Oregon Athletic Clubs
• A gift basket of skin care products from VanderVeer Center
• Two one-hour marketing phone consultations with Michael Thompson of Market Accelerators
• A frost-proof Lotus International stoneware pot from Portland Nursery.

I think this is a great idea to test the power of Twitter as a business tool so check out Phil’s tweet at www.twitter.com/philbernstein