Free as a business model, boobs as an objective

I've always been a big fan of "free." I'm the guy who cut the back cover off of dozens of would-be-valuable comic books so I could get a set of free GI Joe dog tags, a "collector's edition" Transformer, and, of course, X-ray specs.

No boobs were seen in the process of my adolescence.

Later in my life, "free" became more than just a passion, it became a business model. I started a magazine specifically geared toward providing me with free stuff. And it worked. As long as I could supply credible reviews, along with proof that they were being read by the buying public, then I got to keep all manner of free goodies.

After all these years of being the Friar of Free, it's refreshing to see it catching on with the rest of the world. Books, blog entries (ironic), articles in "Wired" ... the Free Movement is everywhere.

So how can you use free to help boost your business? Take a look at how Google did it.

Google gives it away
When Google wanted to expand its brand and create greater user awareness, one of the approaches it used was to offer its search engine for free to website owners. Not only did they let people embed the search engine at no charge, they also paid them three cents per search conducted.

Google benefited in three ways.

First, they gained more and more brand recognition as web users found the Google logo on various sites and came to associate it with "search." Second, the data generated by user searches helped Google to refine and improve their product, making it even better. And third, Google's targeted text-based ads reached a more refined and specific audience, making the ad service more attractive to prospective advertisers. Google thought of this approach as being similar to the network television model, where major networks use affiliates to broadcast their programming (though the fee structure is different).

The lesson
Take a look around and see what services or products you offer that could, potentially, be offered for free. Take the time to figure out how giving it away can benefit you. Maybe you can improve your product using feedback from your clientelle. Maybe you can build brand recognition. Or maybe you can use your freebies to create a demand for your paid products or services. Consider Gillette.

When the disposable razor was invented, the decision was made to give them away for free. That way, there would be a market saturation, wherein tons of bristly and stubbly men would have the product and get a chance to try it out. And, of course, they liked it. So when the blades wore out, they were more than willing to pay for new ones.

Give away the razor. Charge for the blades.

Spend a little time considering what you do or what you sell, and pinpoint those things that you could offer as free incentives. Put no restrictions on it ... free should mean free. But that doesn't mean it can't be part of your overall marketing strategy.

By the way, in case you're wondering ... the marketing advice I give here is free. My little gift to you. And the benefit I get is credibility, a body of work about marketing, and a chance to dig deeper into my field of expertise, all of which cost me nothing but the time it takes to tap words onto the screen.

Money well spent.