Free as a Biz Strategy

Do you offer any freebies to build your business? I sure do!

I've built my business on giving away vast quantities of information--but through that, selling both information and brainpower as an author and speaker, and as a consultant and copywriter. Google loves my sites because of the thousands of articles (about 2/3 written by other people). People on discussion lists hire me because of the quality of free information I provide. I get exposure for my books by strategically giving away copies here and there, and subscribers to my newsletters through participating in launch-bonus programs. I actually got a book contract with a major publisher because I contributed an essay, for free, to one of its authors' books.

And let's face it. Even though I do get paid for writing my books, the amount of content I include far outweighs the price, and on a per-hour basis, is not the most bean-counter-effective use of my time. But the books give me credibility in the media...inexpensive gifts of great value that I can use strategically...at least some income stream...tons of "street cred"...something to sell when I speak... and assorted other non-monetary advantages.

The point is to do it strategically. To be totally transparent, I am posting here figuring that at least a few people reading this will pop over to https://www.frugalmarketing.com to access some of the free content, sign up for the newsletter, maybe buy a book or two, and consider me when they need marketing consulting or copywriting.

Also, when I give information for free, I often mine material I've already created, so the labor factor is low. This article started as a response on a LinkedIn discussion group; now I've tweaked and repurposed it as the featured article in this month's Monthly Frugal Marketing Tips newsletter.

Which doesn't mean every time I do a giveaway, I'm expecting an immediate return. I think of it as a karmic thing. But it's been the dominant factor in successfully marketing my business since 1996.

See more great advice in Shel's award-winning marketing books. Click here to learn about them.

Green and Profitable marketing consultant/columnist Shel Horowitz is the primary author (with Jay Conrad Levinson) of Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet. He is also the Founder of the International Association of Earth-Conscious Marketers.


SecurityMetrics for PCI Compliance, QSA, IDS, Penetration Testing, Forensics, and Vulnerability Assessment

Share/Bookmark


Many of the 1000+ articles on Frugal Fun and Frugal Marketing have been gathered into magazines. If you'd like to read more great content on these topics, please click on the name of the magazine you'd like to visit.

Ethics Articles - Down to Business Magazine - Frugal & Fashionable Living Magazine
Global Travel Review - Global Arts Review - Peace & Politics Magazine
Frugal Marketing Tips - Frugal Fun Tips - Principled Profit
Why The Business Ethics Pledge Campaign
Clean and Green Marketing

Our Privacy Policy



Click here to order Shel's books on cost-effective and ethical marketing

This site is brought to you by Shel Horowitz,
Director of Accurate Writing & More--bringing you marketing,
writing, and career assistance since 1981.
(413) 586-2388

For information on reprinting articles from this site, click here.

You're also invited to visit our sister sites:
https://www.principledprofit.com
(ethical, cooperative, and profitable business success) https://www.frugalfun.com
(How to have more fun and spend a lot less money)
https://www.accuratewriting.com
(marketing, writing, and career services)

Social networking icons by komodomedia.com.

Disclosures of Material Connections:

Site copyright © 2000-2011 by Shel Horowitz