FREE!!!

This week in our social media marketing class we learned about the power of free. When you think about it, there really is a lot of power when it comes to free. Think about all the free stuff we get, free samples, maybe a lanyard, and other small things. A lot of the time people will return for that item too. Just the other day I was offered a free sample of a new drink. Knowing I wasn't going to purchase it, I still tried it though and to my surprise kind of enjoyed it. Even though I didn't purchase it at that moment I still thought about and could see myself purchasing it at a later point in time. The point being that I had no real reason to turn down the offer because I didn't really have anything to lose. From a marketers standpoint, they can afford to offer small free things, especially new or start up products. It is a great way to get your name out there and for people to maybe at least ask questions. My friend is a graphic design major and created his own design and out it on t-shirts and tank tops. To get his business going and try and get his name out there he ordered business cards and tried to get people to learn about him that way. However, it wasn't until he ordered a whole bunch of koozies with his design on them and gave them to a bunch of people that he started getting inquires about his shirts and design. A cheap investment in himself paid off because now people can get a product they use at times for free, and in turn market his product. It has really helped his business and it is a smart way for people to market. Free can be good.