Giving away your product may not seem like the best way of gaining new customers, but it can actually be one of the most effective methods of increasing business for new online merchants. Though this practice seems counterintuitive at first blush, there’s no better marketing pitch than a great product. Providing limited-functionality “lite” versions of software, snippets of songs and excerpts of ebooks allows the products you’ve created to speak for themselves.

How to Use Free Digital Samples as a Tool for Increasing Business

There are many ways in which an online merchant of digital products can increase their sales through special offers of free digital samples.

• Free Trials – There are two ways in which free trials are typically granted in terms of digital products, which usually apply to software products. The first is a “lite” version of the software, which can be used for as long as the downloader wishes but doesn’t have the same features and functionality as a full version. The second is a fully-functional trial copy which expires within a certain amount of time, urging the user to purchase an unlocked copy at the end of this review period.
• Song and Album Samples – For musicians seeking to sell their MP3s, free digital samples can be a great marketing tool. Short clips of each available song allow listeners to get an idea of what they sound like, and to decide if the music suits their tastes. Another method is allowing free downloads of a full-length single, which leaves downloaders with a fully usable product which may tempt them to legally purchase the rest of the album.
• Ebook Excerpts – The first chapter or two of a novel can be a massively successful marketing tool, especially if the length of the excerpt is enough to allow readers to become attached to the characters. Offering free digital samples of ebook excerpts can generate interest in ways that even the most glowing reviews may not, so consider the distribution of teaser downloads to increase sales traffic.

Another way in which free digital samples help online merchants to increase sales lies within the marketing campaign. By offering free digital samples, you’ll be able to use the word “free” in all of your marketing materials. Few things drive traffic like the promise of free goods.

Sustained Sales After Increasing Business

Offering free digital samples will often lead to a marked up-turn in traffic, but it’s up to you as a businessperson to turn this interest into sustained sales. Using a content delivery service like PayLoadz.com helps you to ensure a strong brand reputation by offering automated downloads and easy payment processing. With a selection of strong products and the power of free digital samples, you can turn your online business into a wildly successful venture.

 

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