As a new business owner, the thought of giving away your products or services for free might seem counterintuitive. You’re probably thinking, "How can I make money if I’m giving away the exact thing I’ve worked so hard to create?" Before you freak out, let us explain. Trying to gain meaningful traction and establish your new business on the World Wide Web is a tall order. In almost every industry, you’re going to have some form of competition. Simply paying for minimal advertising through a few different channels and hoping your dream client finds you doesn’t cut it anymore.
So how can you compete with other established businesses in your industry?
For starters, in order for people to rave about your product or service, they need to have tried it! By making your product easily accessible to your target audience, you’re enabling people to spread the word to their friends, family or co-workers. Simply put: visibility is powerful for your brand.
It’s important to be strategic when offering up a sample of your services for free.
To start, identify some efforts that are manageable and will give you the biggest impact. We’ve outlined several tips to help you begin:
- HOST A GIVEAWAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
After you’ve identified which social media sites your ideal customer frequents, create a giveaway that allows them to win one of your products, or try your services. Make the giveaway simple to enter so you’re not discouraging people from entering.
*Bonus: if you can find a way to require them to share information about your company within your giveaway, even better! Just be sure to abide by each social media site’s contest rules and regulations. - DONATE YOUR PRODUCT AS A SILENT AUCTION ITEM
There are constantly charitable events and auctions happening in every state and region of the country. An easy way to give back to your community while also getting your brand in front of the public is to donate your product as a silent auction item. If you’re intentional about participating in only on-brand events, you’re putting your product in front of your target audience. Bravo! - OFFER FREE ACCESS TO YOUR SERVICES FOR A LIMITED-TIME-ONLY
Creating a time-sensitive special for access to your services is a great way to get people to 1). respond quickly to you and 2). commit to trying something new for no risk! Presenting the special as a risk-free offer is a sure way to entice people. - GIVE AWAY YOUR PRODUCT TO A SPECIFIC SEGMENT OF YOUR AUDIENCE
For a new business, one of the hardest challenges is building your contact list; this giveaway aims to do just that. By offering a free trial or sample of your products to one specific segment of your audience and promoting it on all of your marketing channels, you’ll increase subscribers (or followers) in no time. For example, to grow your email list, promote a giveaway that’s exclusive to email subscribers on your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. - OFFER SAMPLES OF YOUR PRODUCT AT A TRADESHOW
Tradeshows are a great way to interact with numerous segments of the public. Often times there are industry specific tradeshow events throughout the year, giving you plenty of opportunities to display your goods. Whether it’s new customers, or a powerful business contact, you’re bound to gain something beneficial from the experience.
Remember, when it comes to marketing your brand, try to think outside the box! Offering a sample or trial of your services is a great way to find new customers, grow your email or social media lists and potentially even contribute to your community.
Contact us today and we’ll work together to implement an effective marketing strategy for your brand. Email us at info@mixmainemarketing.com or call us at (207) 622-0111.
