Written by: Vickie Sullivan | October 24, 2023
Why No One Takes You Up on Your Free Offer
It’s time to rethink a common lead generation strategy: the free offer.
Sales coaches and other service providers do this regularly. They send an invitation to connect on LinkedIn and then send a message offering an initial coaching or strategy session at no cost. On the surface, the idea looks great. Potential buyers get to experience the provider’s work up close and personal, and the provider gets inside knowledge of potential client needs.
The market is full of these offers, though, and it has created a backlash that is rarely discussed.
2 Negative Aspects of the Free Offer
Before you use this tactic, consider how it could impact your brand. Here are two negative aspects of this tactic:
• Too personal, too soon: Frequently, people offer free help in the first message after the person accepts their request to connect. This is too soon. It makes the complimentary session feel like a sales pitch with a few ideas. And those opening questions that insinuate internal emotional struggles come off as presumptuous. No one is going to bare their soul to a stranger.
• Time trumps money: For many savvy buyers, wasted time is expensive. That is why the pitch of free help from an unproven resource often falls on deaf ears. Timing matters here, too. Buyers with big budgets are not going to invest any time unless they are confident the conversation will be valuable. So, nurture the connection first and allow them to get to know you, then offer your time.
Folks on LinkedIn and other social platforms are starting to view the free offer negatively. If you decide to use it, proceed with caution.
Listen: Better Ways to Nurture Social Media Connections
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