How To Leverage Free in Marketing by Edan Gelt

How to leverage “Free” in Marketing

By Edan Gelt Giving away free samples or subscriptions is one of the most effective ways of capturing new customers. Free samples are surprisingly more budget friendly than regular marketing. In fact, by giving away your product, service or experience at no cost may actually result in an exponential ROI. By offering something your core consumer values at no charge you are giving them the opportunity to try before they buy. This is an opportunity to shine as your main target market may have not known you existed until they saw the opportunity to experience you free.

Note that if you try this strategy, what you offer must have a real value to the consumer. If you offer something because it is a low-cost item or service or you can’t get rid of it (overstock), the experience your customer will experience will not lead to the result you are looking for. By delivering a great free experience, you will not only attract interest but may also gain a potential life-long loyal consumer.

What Makes Free so Successful?

Branding Sampling fosters reciprocity and brand loyalty and by giving away a sample of your core product, you are potentially reaching customers that never knew your business or product line existed. People are more likely to buy a product when they try it first. Why do you think it Costco has so many samples?

Marketing Law of Reciprocity There is a law of reciprocation that states we feel obligated to give something back, if someone gives us something. It is an innate characteristic in people to want to reciprocate when they are given a gift or receive an act of kindness. If you share a free experience with your consumer, they will feel compelled to give something back. The return gesture may be small or grand and could be future business, an ancillary purchase, a referral or could even launch your next viral campaign.

Free Marketing From Word Of Mouth One of the most effective marketing tools is Word-of-mouth. This occurs when people begin to share information about your service, product, business or brand. A great conversation topic emerges when someone receives your product or service for free and loves it.

When your consumers are happy, they are more likely to share their experience with a friend.

Happy users or customers are more likely to talk about your brand and refer their family and friends.

Enhanced Budget Stepping back to word-of-mouth marketing – this will enhance your marketing budget and footprint since your customers are doing your marketing for you!

Have you ever seen a free Dunkin Coffee Day? It is picked up by the media, and goes viral across social platforms. The buzz surrounding free can get millions of impressions for less than a paid ad. The goodwill created by delivering this experience will be tenfold.

Free Samples Increase Sales

Keeping existing customers happy is much easier and less expensive than capturing new ones.

Once you have won a customer over with a free offer, they are more likely to remain loyal by spending more, upgrading service or referring a friend.

Long-term these relationships translate into valuable brand awareness, increased sales, loyalty and an unprecedented ROI. The power of free samples with marketing your product or company a great way to increase consumer awareness and bottom-line results.