Promoting with Freebies
A common practice among many businesses is to promote themselves by using freebies. You know what I mean: pens, calendars, magnets, etc; we’ve all received a freebie sometime in our life and many of us have probably given them away as well.
Freebies are effective, cost-efficient, and an excellent way to get your company name out in the open. However, there are some flaws to giving away freebies as well. Many times I’ll find myself using a pen from some company that I know nothing about. A freebie rarely tells you much about the company that gave it away and it hardly prods one to find out more. While it’s an excellent thing to provide to loyal customers or potential clients that you have already talked to, it is still not the best option for starting a relationship.
That doesn’t, however, mean that you can’t provide prospective clients with another form of a freebie.
Information, or advice, is considered an incredible freebie to offer potential clients. You don’t need to offer articles that completely eliminate the need for your service, but you can offer small problem-solving advice that can lead your reader to wanting more.
Assume, for a moment, that you are a lawyer and that I am a possible client. How would I know to choose you? If I am in need of a lawyer and do some research on the internet, what would lead me to your firm? If I’ve searched the Advice Network and read some of your problem-solving techniques, do you think that would make your case a bit stronger? It certainly would.
People want to work with those that they know, trust, and like.
Writing advice articles is a great way to offer unique freebies that go beyond a simple logo on a pen. Advice articles can deliver information about your company while also creating a relationship with your readers. If you haven’t tried this style of marketing then you should definitely consider it in the future.
