Would you be surprised to know that you can learn a lot about marketing from a drug dealer ? I know it's unconventional, and maybe a little strange to talk about, but it's true. Drug dealers find their success in a combination of free samples and a product that gets people hooked. They give away product for free to a variety of people, then count on a certain percentage of these people to like the product so much that they come back for more. Once you've gotten them to come back once, you've got them hooked.

In marketing, it's all about the hook. Combining free product giveaways with a great web site landing page for that product and quality information gives people a reason to come back for more. The trick to know is just how much to give, and just how much to hold back for later.

How do you decide? Try and create a sample product that is useful, but easy to digest. If it's an ebook, keep it simple and short - under 30 pages. If it's an article, it shouldn't exceed 1000 words. To engage your potential repeat visitors, keep your tone light. If the people who download your free product feel preached to or talked "at", they won't be absorbed by your product, and they certainly won't come back for more.

Make sure you include concrete information, using your own slant. Direct your product to the niche market you want to attract. Grab their attention from the first paragraph, but be sure to give the information they need in bite sized chunks throughout the product. Before you start to create your product, determine what it is you can hold back.

That chunk of information that you hold back is your hook. It is what will bring your readers back to your site for more. Every free product should have a hook, something that breeds repeat readers and return visitors to your site.

Keep in mind, the information you deliver should be complete enough to help the people who don't want to come back. You don't want to cheat people of the information they came to receive, you just want to offer more information to the people willing to come back and get it. Make them want to return, feeling like their effort will be rewarded with an extra piece of the puzzle.

Your hook is your insurance policy. If you can hook even one in five people and have them make a return visit, your hook was successful. If you can keep them coming back and turn them into regular visitors and consumers of your products, you're a hit! So start thinking out of the box and find a hook in every product that you offer for free, then back it up with solid information and a great landing page and web site. It will make your business thrive if you can get people "addicted' to your product line. Think of it this way: addicts put money in your pocket, and repeat business is fueled by customers who are junkies for your information.