Semalt Advice On How To Attract Customers With Free Offers
Today we will not only tell you how to attract customers and use this interesting factor correctly but also how effectively it can be done in a variety of business areas without deceiving the target audience and without any loss for you. Let's consider various examples, show a real profit, and give some cool recommendations on how to create free offers that increase conversions significantly. It is going to be interesting!
Trial period or test drive
The easiest and most effective way to attract new customers is to give them a chance to try your product for free. And the main advantage of such methods is the possibility of their application in most business industries:
- online and offline training (trial lessons, free masterclasses);
- service sector (the service is free for new customers or a good discount for existing ones);
- delivery services (free first delivery).
Of course, not every product or service comes with a trial period. But there are almost always options.
An example of attracting customers using a free trial period
A great example of a free offer is a test drive of cars. Today, almost any car dealership provides such a service. In many cases, it is completely free. Thus, a potential buyer can appreciate all the advantages of the car in practice, and the company on a global scale does not suffer any special losses from free test drives.
For example, Toyota offers customers many new products for the test at once. It is enough to choose a model and register. But the chances that a person will buy a car after a test drive increase significantly.
If you are unhappy with the product, we will refund your money
It is important to understand here that a refund for an item that does not match the description or with a factory defect is the buyer's legal right. In addition, within 14 days, most types of goods can be returned if they do not fit, but at the same time, their presentation is preserved. On the one hand, the scheme is quite working. But on the other hand, it is associated with a lot of inconveniences for both sides:
- complex processes of registration of the return;
- inaccuracies in legislation;
- "Dislike" of most companies and trading platforms for any kind of returns.
However, attracting customers in this way works well, generating more credibility. You should not turn the consumer's legal right into a "unique feature" unless we are talking about goods that cannot be returned (food, vitamins and supplements, cosmetics and care products, etc.). In this case, an additional quality guarantee, or a refund, may become a confirmation of your responsibility for the goods.
The first step or related service as a gift
This is a great way to attract new customers if your offer consists of several "steps". There are just a lot of options:
- free trial lesson at a language school;
- free introductory webinar on a particular topic;
- free test assignment of a freelance performer and more.
In this way, you give the potential client a real benefit from your offer and show that you can offer even more, but already for a fee. Show value, and only then demand money - this is the main rule. This is the best advertisement.
For you, these free first steps in themselves will be unprofitable - time and money will be invested, and there is basically no direct profit. But the profit from attracted clients in the future can be disproportionately higher than the initial costs.
It is also worth talking about how to lure customers with related services. For example, when buying a phone, glueing a protective film for free. Or when ordering goods in the online store for the Nth amount, delivery is at the expense of the seller. At the same time, it is enough to simply include this service in the cost of the goods (more precisely, its cost price), so as not to incur significant expenses.
Limited edition
A trial period or a limited version is a great way to attract customers, in which you provide them with partial access to the capabilities of a particular service; or full access, but for a certain period.
The user downloads / installs the service as free, uses it, evaluates all the advantages, and then the free functions are not enough for him, and he buys an extended package.
This format is often used by software developers, online services and other platforms. Most of you come across similar examples almost daily.
Show result
How can you attract customers if the previous options do not suit you? Try to demonstrate the result and show what the person will get by using your offer. There are many options for how to do this. Some can be quite costly, especially at first. For example, developing a demo application with augmented reality or preparing an individual design project.
A striking example of demonstrating the result is the IKEA application, in which you can select a piece of furniture and, in virtual reality, deal with it.
Attracting customers through games
Gamification (the use of game elements and mechanics in a non-game context) is an important part of modern marketing. Selling can also be, in a sense, a game. You will actively involve the "player" in the process and motivate him to stay in the "game".
How does it work in reality and how can you attract customers using gamification? Let's consider several ways!
Modeling games
A relatively new format for attracting customers, which, simulates a situation or process, allows a person to take a direct part in them, get carried away with the process and get interested.
For example, some platforms simulate a real workflow - a marketer, a PPC specialist, and so on. You get into some kind of simulation, show your skills and experience, then get an assessment of the work done and a link to a training course that will help you better pump your skills. Involvement is there. The game component is there. There is an incentive to the action!
The opportunity to win something
Everyone loves giveaways and is looking for a chance to win valuable (and not even particularly valuable) prizes. And periodically holding sweepstakes is a good plan for finding clients in many areas of business. There are many examples of how this works now.
We reveal "secrets" and involve clients in the process
Are you looking for how you can attract customers and even earn a little money? You can try to involve them in the workflow. For example, conduct a paid excursion to the company and show how everything works.
This, firstly, greatly increases the level of trust. Secondly, it launches word of mouth - users share photos and videos on social networks. And thirdly, you can even earn money this way, albeit a little.
Masterclasses and training
In this segment, the popular channels for attracting customers are webinars. The first webinar is free, then for money. Moreover, usually with a limited-time discount. Thus, you first show your expertise in the topic, share useful knowledge, and promise even more in the next webinars. And to stimulate impulsive action, offer a discount.
Workshops, pieces of training, trial lessons, and so on work in a similar way. You offer the first lesson, session, masterclass for free, involve a person, and then give the opportunity to move further in this direction, but for money.
Free audit or consultation
Free or low-cost audits is a very popular format for attracting new clients. It is used today by many companies in the service sector and beyond. Including us at Semalt through the Dedicated SEO Dashboard.
The Dedicated SEO Dashboard (DSD) is a multi-task, white-label SEO platform. It offers all the required web analytics and audit tools needed to monitor the success of SEO campaigns. With the DSD, your clients will easily track all vital indicators and reveal the existing optimization mistakes.
The Dedicated SEO Dashboard is fully customizable. That means you can upload your company's logo and favicon, add contact info, links to your website, and create custom pricing, as well as SEO consulting pages.
Making comprehensive reports is not a problem anymore. With our white-label DSD in your corner, you will be able to provide your clients with in-depth SEO reports with your company's logo and brand name on them. We will deliver them to your clients automatically according to the given schedule.
Earnings on other audiences
You can also use rather non-standard channels for attracting customers. For example, make money on a different audience. Various festivals, exhibitions, and other public events serve as a good example. You attract a large audience to the event, and sponsors and advertisers promote their goods and services at these very events. They, as a rule, take on a significant part of the costs.
Sponsorship in various social projects can be attributed to the same category. For example, a confectionery company organizes social projects with the distribution of its products in kindergartens and schools. The children are happy, and the parents learn about quality confectionery. The likelihood that they will buy the same products in the future is increasing.
Conclusions
If you are looking for options on how to attract customers in the service or sales industry, be sure to consider the options described above. Yes, some of them require investments - both financial and temporary. Others will initially be unprofitable. But the main thing here is perspective. And with the right approach, it will be very, very good. Perhaps so much so that you no longer have to think about where to get clients.
Also note that many of the listed offers can be combined to achieve the best effect: a webinar + a free masterclass, a trial period for using the program + a discount on a purchase upon completion. There are a lot of combination options.
And further!
If you are planning to use free offers to promote your products and services, we will help you make it even more effective, depending on the area of your business. The Semalt team has put together a pool of useful tips and tricks for you!