Why Not Just Give It Away? 
Contributed by Kelly Watson
lot
of hype surrounded the recent release of Chris Anderson’s
new book, “Free:
The Future of a Radical Price.”
Anderson is the editor of Wired
Magazine, and he argues
that savvy businesses are embracing the concept of “free”
to widen customer bases and provide more value.
Why “Free” Hurts Women
In Business
The idea has become popular
in recent months, so I wasn’t surprised when a marketing
colleague of mine said, “Why are you planning to charge
for that new e-book of yours? Why not just give
it away, and have a call to action for your
services at the end?”
Thinking about it, I realized
that the concept of “free” is a slippery slope for
women in business. We’re generous by nature, and chances
are good we’re already giving away some of our time and
expertise.
Women are also notoriously
bad at negotiating higher prices and charging what they’re
truly worth. (Want proof? Check out “Women
Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation.”)
“Free” May Not Always
Benefit Your Brand
Finally, the concept of
“free” ignores the fact that the more people
pay for something, the more they value it. Repeated
psychological studies have shown this to be true: in
a 2005 Stanford study, people who paid more for a beverage
not only thought it tasted better, they believed it made
them perform better on tests.
I’m
not against giving things away. In fact, I agree with
Anderson: I think it’s a great business strategy. I just
think it can be taken too far and women, especially,
should be wary of how much they’re giving for nothing
in return.
About
the author: Copywriter & Marketing Consultant
Kelly Watson coaches women in business
to overcome their hesitations toward marketing and self-promotion
on her popular blog, www.onewomanmarketing.com.
