For a culture that expect more and more digital freebies handed out from the free (internet) world, you should expect they’ll gladly thank you for every little free gift sent their way…
Especially on Christmas and celebratory seasons like this.
But No! This is not to be. You think I’m not smart they say.
Instead of grabbing your free stuff with two hands, they have their eyes opened to screen every little thing you send their way.
Lest they don’t give you something bigger in return for the freebies.
Something as cool as their freedom from receiving unwanted emails.
So like the German shepherd dog, they sniff every gift you send down their feeds, looking for unusual tricks that will expose them to undue disadvantage.
At the slightest idea about anything sleazy, they dump your sales (gift) pitch in the nearest virtual trash bin. Right in their feeds.
Can you just stop it?
Can you start making them eat their cake and have it instead?
They can smell it from afar. Whenever you send that half hearted update through your blog and social media feeds, they can smell your insincerity and the fact that you’re all in for getting something from them.
So can you make your freebies a bit more beautifully selfless?
Can you evolve something like a giveaway without any strings attached?
This were the line of thought that went through my mind just as i read one promotional post about a Christmas giveaway from a marketer.
As i went through the sales message, i wondered how many people will really feel excited giving out their emails in return for some unknown Christmas freebies.
Because for one, i wouldn’t try that. Buy me something better! I am not interested in some Greek gift.
You know your audience is becoming more sophisticated.
They’ve had enough spam messages in their inbox to last for a lifetime so they are already averse to submitting their emails for more unsolicited messages.
As a smart digital marketer, getting more email subscribers in exchange for freebies is a great way to grow your sales. I know.
But you’ll have to do more than request for something in return for everything you do for your audience.
…Because everyone wants to eat their cakes and have it!
Accepted you’re in business. By right, you have to earn from what you do.
Yes! It’s a bit unfortunate because when it comes to the business world, what you earn as a digital hustler is directly proportional to how much you can make your audience see what they will earn.
You can only really gain after you’re able to convince your audience on what they can gain.
That’s why your audience’s self interest has to precede yours if you’re ever going to buy them over.
So Stop selling. Start giving!
It doesn’t matter how beautiful it is. You can give that free stuff totally without strings attached, every once in a while.
This doesn’t mean you have to keep giving free things every now and then.
It means every once in a while, you have to let your tribe realise it’s not all about you and the stuff you’re selling to them.
Let them see you really care. Let them have a feel of your magnanimity. And they’ll be your best advocates.
It doesn’t have to get to everyone. Package it in excellent shape. Get it to the ones you can but… Make it genuinely FREE!
And then even when you sell, you have to let them see how they can eat their cake and have it without much effort .
Here’s to a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year from all of us here at the winnersnation.
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