On the face of it, it doesn’t seem to make sense how a business can make money by giving away stuff for free. But if you take a closer look at the concept, it actually makes a lot of sense. Giving away free stuff is an investment, and you can get something in return. If you do it right, you get a lot more than what you spend on the giveaways.
Why Does It Work?
People love to get items for free. That’s just natural. They feel positive about the people or company that give freebies just like friends and family who give gifts on birthdays.
You benefit by letting potential customers try out your products. When they see how good your product really is, they can then buy it in the future. They can also talk about it to their friends, so now you have people out there working as your unpaid endorsers.
The people who receive your free stuff are probably more likely to approve of your product because they don’t have high expectations. After all, they didn’t pay for the item. So any benefit the recipients enjoy is a bonus.
How to Give Away Free Stuff for Marketing
Of course, you have to do this right if you want to achieve your goal, and here are some tips to help you.
Your Item Should Match Your Industry
If you have a dental practice, you can offer free checkups or give free toothbrushes. These are more effective than free T-shirts, since people are more apt to remember your business when they think about your freebie.
Give People Something That’s Actually Useful
Pens nowadays aren’t as popular as giveaways as they were before. That’s because today more people are typing on keyboards and touchscreens than using pen and paper.
But if you’re running an art supply shop, you can offer free coloured pencils to budding artists, who are more likely to use these items for their hobby.
It’s Better to Give Away Something People Use Frequently
Better yet, it ought to be something that people use every day. Every time the recipient uses the item, they will think of your brand. Your brand is also shown to other people who see the recipient using your giveaway.
That’s why dental clinics like giving away free toothbrushes. You can also try giving away free coffee mugs. In sunny areas, you might want to try giving away baseball caps, as they’re fashion items that some people wear all day, every day. Since they’re worn frequently, a lot of people will see your brand name on the caps. It’s like you have people out there functioning as billboards for your brand.
Durable Items
Make sure the item lasts long. If it breaks or wears down too quickly, people will be quicker to forget your brand. They may even get a negative impression of the quality of your products. The longer the item lasts, the more people get to see your brand name and logo, and the recipient is more likely to foster a positive impression of your brand.
Forget about giving away business cards that people just tuck away and forget. Give potential customers something they can use, something unique and special. This builds a good starting relation with them and at the same time, the recipients also become your product endorsers.
