When my friends and family first hear about Twittercize, my free exercise program on Twitter, they almost all ask the same question: “So how does it make money?”
The simple answer: it doesn’t. It’s a gift. With two little girls at home I don’t have as much time to build hiking trails in Colorado’s backcountry like I once did, so I was looking for a creative at-home option for volunteer work.
Still, if I found a way to “monetize” (awful word, but apt) Twittercize, I feel confident that my happy followers would probably pony up. Why? Because sometimes giving something for free is the best way to get something in return.
In relationships this is obvious–you give a little to get a little. But in business, the conceptual framework has been so muttled by profit-driven strategies that many companies have forgotten all about it. Common sense tells us that consumers will almost always return to the businesses that give them more than what they paid for, not less.
There’s a turnaround recently, partly due to the economy. Companies are trying to build customer trust and appreciation with freebies. In the last few months I’ve had free Taco Bell, Denny’s, Quiznos, Noodles & Company, and I’m headed to Sonic Drive-In tomorrow for a free something or other.
As writers, we share our blog content freely because (in addition to an incurable need to write) we know deep down that readers appreciate what we do–and editors are more likely to offer assignments to writers with a following.
Ultimately, I believe in open source business–I know, deep down, that the universe always returns an act of generosity.
So, in honor of those on the web that do it best, here are four outstanding resources for writers that are free:
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) – Need a source fast? Peter Shankman has got you covered. This PR genius connects sources to journalists through a super easy query system. Better sandbag your inbox–the flood is coming. Need the source even faster? Follow @skydiver on Twitter and Peter will tweet on your behalf.
Stock.Xchng – Taking the concept of micro-stock photography to a whole new level, Stock.Xchng gives their photographs–complete with legitimate licensing rights–away for free. Photographers can gain a following and market their images and we all can stop violating copyrights thanks to this fascinating site.
Intuit’s Billing Manager – I quickly recognized the need for invoicing software when that clunky Word template wasn’t reminding me to follow up on payments from publishers. After a brief stint with Freshbooks (a wonderful startup that allows free invoicing for up to three clients), I’m currently loving the flexibility and muscle of Intuit’s Billing Manager. Create, send and track invoices via the web for free. It’s a great example of a powerful company (the makers of Quicken, Quickbooks and TurboTax) giving something small to gain big loyalty.
Renegade Writer’s Blog – While their dek may say “You’ve read the book … now read the blog,” I actually did the opposite. When I first started freelance writing, I discovered Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell’s free freelance writing advice on the web and spent hours poring over their blogposts. And then I hopped on Amazon and promptly bought their books. Worth every penny.
So what free resources are you using? Has a freebie ever turned you into a loyal customer?
Hi just started following you on Twitter from a #followfriday link. Totally agree with your post, businesses have forgotten, that what customer remembers is how they are treated, and when you get a little extra then you definitely remember that business. From the local butcher who used to give the kiddies a slice of luncheon each visit, to big businesses sharing resources, tips etc. on their websites, or even sending out a little something each year to each customer. In my own experience, one example is, I’ve become a loyal customer of an online ebook site called currclick.com because I was getting their newsletter with a freebie ebook link in it ever week. Now I purchase alot of them mainly because of that, and I can sample some of their products before I buy.
[...] March 2009. I wrote about four free resources for freelance writers. I received all four free products and services for [...]