Comments on: When Giving a FREE Sample Is Worse than Political Anarchy

By: Mark Silver

Mark Silver — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:28:04 +0000

@Philip- There’s no reason that asking for an email address needs to appear needy. The neediness isn’t in the act, it’s in the quality of the interaction. Is the request coming from neediness?

The later comments are all pingbacks from mentions on other blogs. We should organize them a little better in the comments, eh?

By: Philip

Philip — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:48:16 +0000

Great article. I wonder whether asking them to add their names to your list would appear needy. Maybe asking them to do something for somebody else would be better?

I noticed that the later comments on this page only show up as excerpts. Why is that?

By: Giving Free Samples is Great For Business | Ghostwriter Dad

Giving Free Samples is Great For Business | Ghostwriter Dad — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:06:52 +0000

[...] Free samples work. And not just with children. [...]

By: Would You Like A Free Sample? | Big Bright Bulb

Would You Like A Free Sample? | Big Bright Bulb — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:47:04 +0000

[...] If you offer too much of the wrong thing (or even the right thing) to the wrong people without a strategy for how you’ll benefit, you may find what @MarkHeartofBiz worked out: free samples can be worse than anarchy. [...]

By: Weekend Reading « Musings from the Moonroom

Weekend Reading « Musings from the Moonroom — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:31:45 +0000

[...] a Free Sample Good?: I enjoyed Mark Silver’s thoughts on giving a free sample as part of your business marketing. (I just noticed that this post on Heart of Business is from [...]

By: Mark Silver

Mark Silver — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:14:51 +0000

@Charles- Absolutely. I have that above in the first key:

And, ask for something in return: to add their names to your list. You show up a little bit, they show up a little bit. It evens out.

I think asking for something is critical.

By: charles

charles — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:51:08 +0000

how about asking for something in return? fill out my survey, subscribe to my newsletter/blog…i’m just spinning out on the squatter thing here…those people work for their housing, they just don’t pay money…

hmmm…

charles´s last blog post..true wheel tuesday! week 1: assessment

By: Mark Silver

Mark Silver — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:41:30 +0000

@Loc- Glad you liked it, and I agree. If you don’t hold expectations of someone, they are likely to rise to them.

@Shalena- This was the concept behind the New Deal- putting people to work in the midst of the Depression while preserving dignity, and it seems to have worked. The main thing the New Deal did was try to put people to work doing what they were good at- for instance hundreds of artisans helped build Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood- amazing feat.

Curious what “TOL” is that you refer to? Can’t figure it out…

By: shalena

shalena — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:40:13 +0000

This is a beautiful concept. I listened to TOL cpl days ago, a caller suggested to have unemployed individuals an opportunity to work for community-doing what they love, as a way to earn unemployment $, being active-feeling worth

By: Loc

Loc — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:20:43 +0000

Nicely put, nicely written, I think it has a lot to do with core identity, if you treat someone like a child then they will act like one! Loc´s last blog post..How Social Media Marketing Changed The Rules Of American Politics