I get spam email offering them all the time. I immediately delete them because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Right? That's what I use to believe. Then one day my friend Gus, showed me his new computer system. A brand new Compaq computer, color monitor and color printer.
"Guess how much it cost?" he asks me. Since I use to sell computers for a living, I had a pretty good guesstimate of what it should cost. "It's about $1,000 bucks for everything" I said.
"Nope, I got it FREE". "Cut the bull. Do I look stupid?". "Did you steal it or was it a gift'He said that he completed the requirements from an ad that advertised that they would send you a FREE Computer.
I said. "Those things are all scams. Nobody gives away FREE computers". He tells me that some of those offers probably are scams but there are also some legitimate offers.
"No company can make money giving away FREE electronic equipment. Wouldn't they would go broke giving away FREE stuff?" He says "Do you remember when Google first started?" "Sure" I said. "How much did they charge to use their service, when they started?" "They didn't charge anything". "How much do they charge now?" he asks. "They still don't charge".
"So it's FREE" he says. Yet they have grown to be one of the most profitable companies in the entire world. "Yea, but they are not giving away FREE expensive electronic equipment" I countered.
Gus looks me straight in the eye and asks "How do they make their money?" "They sell advertising. Google Adsense and Adwords".
"Ah, ADVERTISING" he says. "Advertising has made them one of the most profitable companies In history. While it may be contrary to what you've always been told - if it sounds too good to be true it probably is - there really are legitimate promotions that do offer consumers the opportunity to "earn" all types of expensive gifts for FREE".
"Now, as you can imagine" he tells me, "the process for actually getting these FREE items is not quite as easy as the advertisers and promoters want you to believe - but it is very possible".
"There are things a person needs to do to get them, but when you do, you get the item. This type of advertising is known as incentive marketing and has spawned an entire cottage industry of people earning free products.
The way it works is that (unknown to you) the sites offering FREE Stuff make their money from Advertising.
As part of their promotions they introduce consumers to various advertisers' products and services, and in return they are paid a commission for each new "lead" they generate.
For example, they might earn $50 each time they refer a new user to AOL even though the user only signed up for a free trial and didn't pay anything at all.
You may have to sign up for a bunch of "Free Trial" memberships or refer a certain number of people who sign up for the "Free Trial" memberships. Oftentimes the user who is trying to earn a FREE gift gives up for one reason or another before getting the required number of referrals. In this case the company collects some commissions and doesn't have to send the user anything, so it's pure profit.
The company gets PAID by other compaines for generating leads. This is how they make their money. They can afford to give away Free products and still make a handsome profit for themselves. Some of them actually make quite a bit of profit. Just ask the guys from Google.
We all know that traffic is king. Without eyes on our website we have no possibility of making a sale. And we know that we want and need lots of traffic to our site to make a sale. So we sit at our computer looking for new ways to advertise.
Then up pops that eye catching ad:
"Get 40 Million clicks to your website FREE, simply enter your name and email address below". Or, "Make 1 Million dollars by tomorrow evening just by sending this email to ten of your friends". Or, "Post to 1 Trillion websites with the click of a mouse". Ok this is a bit of an over exaggerated, but you get the idea.
We have all read them and we have all fallen for them, including me. We think maybe this time it will work. It's free or doesn't cost that much, what do you have to lose? Well, only your time, most likely your money, and sometimes your mind.
However I think we would all agree this is a problem. One might even go so far as to say it's down right misleading. You rarely get what was promised from these hyped up sales letters. But whose fault is this really?
Is this the fault of the advertiser trying to sell their product or service? No, I don't think so. Is it the fault of the savvy copywriter? Nope.
Seems we have one person left...you! Now I know at first that might sound crazy to you and you might even be saying that's ridiculous, after all their advertising promised! But really it's our responsibility not to fall for such hype. After all remember "if it sounds too good to be true, then it properly is".
None of us wants to believe that people are really that misleading. That someone would promise you something, even for free and not deliver on their promise. You would never do that. But people fall for this every day and some people lose large sums of money chasing the easy way to overnight success.
But not is all lost, there is hope.....
We all have the drive and determination to succeed no matter what. It's human nature and that's what makes us great.
Once you realize that success does not happen overnight and that it takes dedication and hard work to succeed in your home based business, you won't fall for the tactics of those skillful copywriters. You begin to recognize value when you see it.
Take the time to really read that sales page. Look beyond the words and ask yourself "is this worth the price tag even if it's FREE? Is it going to help my business? Will I see a profit from this purchase?
If you can say yes to those questions then you should move forward. If there's any hesitation move on to the next offer.
In my opinion the vast majority of the advertising products, lead generators, safe lists, solo ads, and email services, so on and so on, are well worth the money you invest. Just make sure you understand the agreements, some make you earn credits to send your ads, and you may not have the time to dedicate to receive real benefit from that service.
The most important thing is to never give up. Advertising is the life blood of your business. View each method you experiment with as a learning experience. You will find the right method for you and your business and once you do the traffic you so badly want will be more than you can handle. Oh Glory Day!
Both Carl Willoughby & Bob And Cindy Floyd are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Carl Willoughby has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Higher Education and Credit Cards. Carl Willoughby has worked as a Computer Programmer for the New England Telephone Company, and a Computer Sales Consultant for SEARS. To learn "How to get Free Stuff" go to his blog:. Carl Willoughby's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.
Bob And Cindy Floyd has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Based Business, Marketing and Home Based Business. Bob and Cindy are both home based business entrepreneurs with 15 years experience in owning Real Estate and Network Marketing businesses. You can own your own business today that provides residual income for your future. To learn more about how you can se. Bob And Cindy Floyd's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.