Free: The Magic Word in Copy Writing

There's no doubt people like getting goods or services for free. If you include the word free in your headline somewhere, the ad is more likely to attraction attention. In truth, the most profitable campaigns I've read always had free sticking out boldly somewhere in the ad. There are some important things to remember however.

First, if you trick people into reading your ad using a massive FREE at the top, then don't deliver on the promise, your campaign will definitely fail and your reputation will take a bath. You may also get a call from the regulators. For example, I once read an ad headed with the word FREE. The word took up a third of the ad. Underneath it said: soft drink with every main meal over $20. Big deal I thought.

Needless to say, that was something of a disappointment. It makes you feel cheated and deceived, which in turn will make you even less likely to visit the restaurant, call the business or whatever it is the offer is trying to encourage you to do as a result of reading it.

If you use the word free in such a bold way, make sure that the offer is truly something remarkable, or else the whole thing will backfire and people will be turned off dealing with you (when they were neutral about buying from you before). Not all publicity is good publicity as Tiger Woods has recently found out.

Secondly, if you are offering something completely FREE (that is, with no obligation to purchase anything else) be prepared for a surprise.

I remember running a promotion with a florist. We handed out fliers offering a free flower. No one took us up on the offer. It was completely bewildering. It was only later that I worked it out. Depending on the product or service, people are often too embarrassed to claim something free. It seems people who like buying flowers, like BUYING flowers. Free is not an attraction to them.

Maybe the promotion should have said: A free box of Swiss chocolates with every bunch of roses? All very well in 20-20 hindsight.

It's strange but you have a better chance with a `free x when you buy a y' appeal than you do with a `free x no strings attached' approach. People just don't expect to get something for absolutely nothing. They are cynical and mistrusting.

Free is probably the most abused term in marketing, so you need to remember to only pull it out of the toolbox when you've got something pretty amazing to give away and, only when it is tied in with something else. The offer has to be compelling but believable, if you understand.

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