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 Everybody Loves A Freebie!
It's true! Who doesn't like to get free stuff, no matter
how cheap, lame or unwanted? You know it, I know it and
you can be darn sure the marketing departments at the big
boys out there know it and thrive on it.
So why aren't YOU doing it too?
Giving away promotional freebies is a great way to get
people to buy from you, to sign up for newsletters, to get
a heap of free advertising and to generally boost the
profile of your business both in the online and offline
world.
Thankfully, in the online world these kinds of promotions
need not cost a fortune either which again begs the
question:
Why aren't you doing this already!
Here's a few reasons why giving away free stuff is such a
wonderful thing for your business.
Freebie & Coupon Sites
There are thousands of them. If you are giving away
something free then these guys will find out about it and
will more than likely list what you are giving away on
their own sites. That's free advertising and it'll be seen
by THOUSANDS of potential new customers! For example, take
a look at <a href="http://www.justukfreebies.co.uk">Just
UK Freebies</a> or <a href="http://www.thefreesite.com">TheFreeSite.com</a>
if you need further convincing. It'll also do no harm to
you link popularity and hence search engine rankings...
Turning The Umm's Into The YES PLEASE's!
How many customers do you think hit your site each day,
look at what you are selling, umm, ahh and then leave
without buying? Why not give them a very good reason to
buy from you, right there and then rather than chancing to
fate they might find your competitor's site in the
meantime or decide perhaps, they won't purchase what you
are selling after all? A freebie promo can do this for you
- just offer it as part of the purchasing deal.
Building Your Mailing List
Does no one subscribe to your newsletter? Give them a good
reason by giving something away for free to newsletter
readers. Easy. Make it something different each month and
limit it to say, the first few readers to email you the
hundredth word in the newsletter and you'll keep them
reading too!
Increase Your Visitors - Virally
Tell-a-Friend scripts used to be a big deal but now
they're not used all that much. However! Incentivicize
this form of viral marketing and it suddenly becomes much
more effective. Give access to some kind of freebie if
your customer tells a friend about your business and
suddenly you've turned a somewhat mediocre form of
marketing into a much more useful prospect. Make this
freebie and small discount voucher for both the 'teller'
and the friend and you've just got yourself two more
customers for just a slight hit on your profit margin.
Need we go on? I expect not. If there is an area of your
business you are looking to grow them I'm sure you can
think of a way in which a promotional freebie, no matter
how small, can help you achieve those goals.
But "is it worth it" I
hear you say! Of course, but you've gotta be smart about
it. DO NOT promise what you can't deliver and DO NOT
promise what you can't afford. Fortunately, there are a
number of things every online business can afford and here
are a few ideas to get you started:
Ideas For Free Stuff Promotions
1) Vouchers, coupons, discounts codes. The simplest
freebie you can ever give away. It costs you nothing as an
online business (you email the coupon code to the customer
rather than printing vouchers) and it can be used in many
different ways. For example:
a) Encourage new customers to try out your services by
offering new customers and ONLY new customers a $10
discount off their first order...when they spend $40 or
more to cover your losses. So you might break even this
time, or make a smaller profit, but you have probably got
a new customer who'll be back next time for more.
b) Encourage people to sign up for your newsletter by
offering a discount voucher for use against your products
or services for all registrations. You get a newsletter
registrant and a buyer all in one. Of course, you will
make this pay back time and again with each newsletter you
send out.
c) Ensure a customer bookmarks you site and comes back for
more. Simply give away a coupon to use against their NEXT
order from you. Make sure this is redeemable for orders
over a 'definite profit' level (e.g. $10 of orders over
$50) and you've got a winner.
See how easy this is?
2) Ebooks and Other Electronic Media
Depending on the kind of business or service you are
offering online, a free ebook giveaway can be an excellent
freebie. This is particularly useful for getting people to
join mailing lists and you can also offer different ebooks
as part of upcoming newsletters too, in order to keep them
reading. Make sure you can use the ebook in this way
however by checking with the author first. Many are more
than happy for the exposure. Alternatively, write your own
ebook and get double exposure!
3) Cheap Stuff With Your Logo All Over It...
Now this one will cost you money but if used correctly can
become the gift that keeps on giving. Make it something
useful, especially something people will put near their
computer or office and you'll be giving them a constant
reminder of your services. Mouse Mats work great for this.
It will depend on your business on what you give away. For
example, a toy store might want to give away a cheapo soft
toy, maybe one which didn't sell or can be bought in bulk
for peanuts. Slap your branding on it (put a ribbon with
you internet address around its neck for example) and
voila! Now this freebie becomes a viral advertising
machine because these things get left on buses, given away
to charity shops, handed down to younger children and so
on.
4) Free Services and Samples
Giving away samples of your services is a great way of
showcasing your talents and encouraging people to buy.
This works particularly well with intangible products,
like graphic design services for example. I would advise
caution giving samples of physical products however as
many people will grab anything they can regardless of
whether they are in the slightest bit interested in what
you have to offer and this could give you a real headache
in terms of costs and the time spent packaging and
mailing.
..and of course your own ideas! You know your business
better than anyone and there are bound to be ideas
specifically suited to your own business area. Think about
it!
Everybody loves a freebie and so will your bottom line.
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