I deal in software products and ebooks that can be downloaded from the internet. The bulk of the orders that I receive are from customers that have made at least one previous purchase, either from ezine advertising or from my follow up emails after their previous purchase. A significant number are from people that I have had no previous contact with. They come from my viral marketing campaign. They get the same treatment as any other purchaser. As follows.

When someone makes their first purchase

1. I send a ?thank-you? note stating how much I value their custom. An offer of a freebie will often draw them back to my website to see what other products I have to offer.

2. After a bout a week to ten days I contact them again with a different freebie and ask them to opt in to my regular mailing list..

3. I make sure that all of my freebies have links back to either my website or one of my products somewhere inside. I always give the customer the right to give away or sell the freebie to their visitors and customers. This ensures that my links get spread far and wide throughout the ?net.

4. Once a customer has opted-in to my mailing list, I email them on a regular basis. (I find once a month to be reasonable.) In every email, I offer another freebie plus the offer of my latest product. A polite request for them to visit my website on each occasion keeps my list of other products fresh in their minds.

5. I send my customers a freebie every month, twelve freebies a year with my links inside, being distributed across the net by my customers. Then again by their customers, and so on. My name and my products are spreading like a virus throughout the world.

Extras. If you have the time I would advise the setting up of a newsletter. There is nothing better for keeping your name and products fresh in peoples minds.

People who have never purchased anything from you can receive your newsletter. They will have access to your freebies with your links inside to be given or sold to their visitors and customers increasing the spread of your name and products even more. The more freebies that you can give away, the more sales you will eventually make. You can even put a link back to your newsletter in the freebies, as well as links to your products.

When I mention freebies, I am talking about high quality products that the average person would be willing to pay real money for. A book or piece of software that is out of date or is of no real value will kill your business before you can even get started. If you want the best response, use only the very best products. There is nothing worse for your business than a disappointed customer. Homer. (Not the poet.)

P.S. Always be sure to state the true retail value of the freebies. Tell the truth. Don't exaggerate.

Copyright 2006 Homer Farey