The Edge Marketing

If you use promotional products you probably already know the power of giving away freebies. You may use them to thank current customers, or to give incentives to potential customers.

When most people think about promotional products, they tend to think pens, keychains, t-shirts, mugs, caps, etc.

Did you know there are products that put pens, mugs and keychains to shame? They can cost less and bring measurable profits. Sometimes, these profit-producing promotional items may even be free.

How can this be?

Instead of ordinary promotional products, think "infopromotional products". An infopromotional product is an information product that you use as a promotional item.

What can you use as a infopromotional item? You can give away

-tips sheets
-articles
-special reports
-audios
-videos
-books
-ebooks
-teleseminars

Now you could spend time creating your own information product - but I'm not suggesting that. That takes time and money.

Consider joint venturing with an expert whose advice your customers would find valuable. The expert can give you a special educational item that you give to your customers. Let's say it's a tips sheet. At the end of the tips sheet, there's an offer for the expert's books, tape set or seminars. The customer can only get the special offer by mentioning your name or special code.

Where can you find experts? You can find them in your city or search for them online. Think about what your customers might appreciate and look for experts in those fields.

Are your customers business owners? Search for marketing gurus, cost-cutting consulants, automation experts.

Are your customers homeowners? Search for home improvement experts and real estate experts.

Are your customers concerned about health? Look for fitness and self-improvement experts.

How much will your infopromtional product cost? If it is a physical product, your joint venture partner may pay for some or all of the cost. Why? Because it's a marketing expense for him. The expert's company is reaching a highly targetted market - your customers. That can be a good thing for your joint venture partner, you and your customers. You'll see why in a moment.

If your giveaway is delivered online, such as an online video, you may be able to get it for free. So now, you have a high-perceived value item to give to your customers at low or no cost to you.

Let's not stop there. This article is about turning an EXPENSE into a PROFIT CENTER. Here's how:

The key is that your joint venture partner has an offer and a tracking mechanism so you get paid for your referrals. If your customers are online, tracking is as easy as using a affiliate code. Now your customer gets to sample your joint venture partner's expertise in the infopromotional product and get a special deal, your partner may get new customers and you get a fee for each of your referrals, all because you gave a gift to your customers.

Try infopromotional products and you may never give away another pen again.

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