Give your visitors something free

It's always nice to get something for nothing. Everyone loves a freebie, and "Free" is one of those trigger words that sets bells ringing in people's minds.

And the same principle works online. Giving away a free report in return for an email address, or a coupon for a 10% discount on your first order, or a free accessory when you buy a product is a very good idea indeed.

But your freebie must be relevant to your target audience.

Simply offering entry into a draw to win a free ipod, for example, will attract people who just want a free ipod -- not necessarily people who might buy from you at a later date.

So think carefully about what you give away. Focus on something that your core target audience will like, rather than something that will appeal to people who just want something for free.

The best thing to give away is free information, because you can use it to build your credibility as an expert in your field.

It's not good enough just to be free... it must be useful and relevant to your target audience.

And you should always attach a value to your freebie. This could be presented as a dollar amount that represents the retail value of your freebie. So, for a free ebook, you can say, "This ebook retails for $17, but it's yours for free!"

Or it could show people how much they can save.

For example, say, "You could save up to $15!" instead of "Get 10% off your order!"

Ideas for freebies include: