| Business branding and promotion has now entered the | | | | services, products or upgrades, the customer is more |
| 21st century and what the 21st century market | | | | likely to accept the suggestion that they are getting a |
| demands is more often than not free gifts, cut price | | | | good product at a good price and consequently make |
| costs and cheaper deals. | | | | a purchase. |
| The advent of the Internet has meant that when | | | | If that expectation is further fulfilled the trust is |
| someone goes on line looking for a product or service, | | | | compounded and built upon and the supplier begins to |
| they expect and demand that they get it at the best | | | | earn the respect of the customer. The consequence |
| prices or very often in fact, completely free. | | | | of that is that the customer can potentially go from |
| You see this happening more and more, TV adverts | | | | accepting a free gift, to making an initial purchase and |
| promoting cost comparison websites, cost comparison | | | | then on to become a regular customer and valued |
| websites not only promising to save customers money | | | | client.For many businesses this poses a little bit of a |
| but also offering free gifts to get people to their sites in | | | | dilemma i.e. what can you offer as a free gift and |
| the first place. Companies offering price promises, 'find | | | | where do you get it from. |
| it cheaper anywhere else and we will match it' type | | | | Enter the viral marketing tools, how about products |
| deals. | | | | that can be given away free, can be branded to |
| So many businesses and suppliers are beginning to | | | | market your business, offer real value to a customer |
| realise that the best way of securing a paying | | | | and every time they use it they are reminded of |
| customer is to offer them something of value at the | | | | where it came from. These types of tools come in |
| initiation of their relationship with no charge, there is no | | | | many forms, for example a well constructed and |
| easier deal to be struck than selling a free gift; this is | | | | detailed eBook, video training modules, news letters, |
| especially true for online businesses. | | | | the list goes on. |
| How this works is that, firstly and foremost, it allows | | | | Now we have dilemma number two, producing these |
| the potential customer to enjoy the free gift, there | | | | kinds of materials takes time, skill and effort. Many |
| should be no expectations beyond that. | | | | businesses online or offline don't have the necessary |
| But if the potential customer finds the free gift to be | | | | skills required or simply don't have the time. This |
| truly valuable they will begin to trust and promote the | | | | generally leads to a question that needs to be |
| supplier e.g. saying 'they gave me a free gift and it | | | | answered. You have to ask yourself if its worth |
| was great' to friends, colleagues and family is the first | | | | making an investment in a product or products that |
| line of promotion you will receive from a happy | | | | solve these dilemmas and allows you to participate in |
| customer. | | | | a 21st century marketing strategy that is rapidly |
| Should the supplier then go on to offer additional | | | | becoming normal practice. |