Giveaways and freebies are great tools for businesses to attract customers. As such, it’s important that, as early as now, you have enough freebie ideas for small businesses in your arsenal.
Successful giveaways work because of reciprocity – it’s the idea that when someone does something nice for us, we naturally want to do something nice in return. By giving away something valuable for free, we tap into this instinct, encouraging customers to connect more with our brand.
In this article, we’ll talk about 8 creative freebie ideas for businesses that use WooCommerce. Then, we’ll show you how to set them up step-by-step using the Advanced Coupons plugin. Let’s get started!
Why You Need To Giveaway Freebies As A Small Business Owner
As a small business owner, you’re always on the lookout for affordable ways to promote your products and services, right?
Well, giveaways are a fantastic option that can give you great results without breaking the bank. They give your potential customers a reason to engage with you, whether it’s signing up for your newsletter, following you on social media, or even making a purchase.
Running giveaways also helps you gather valuable insights about your audience.
When people enter your giveaway, they often share information that can help you better understand and connect with your target market. This data allows you to tailor your marketing efforts to their preferences, making your promotions more effective.
Additionally, giving away freebies can generate buzz about your business. When customers receive something valuable for free, they’re more likely to spread the word to their friends and family, giving you free word-of-mouth advertising.
8 Innovate Freebie Ideas For Small Businesses
Before you dive into the world of freebies, it’s important to know what makes a good freebie for your business. Firstly, a good freebie should resonate with your target audience, add value to their lives, and be cost-effective for you. Aim to offer items that are desirable yet budget-friendly.
Finding this balance is key to being generous yet profitable.
Freebies can come in various forms, such as physical products or digital downloads. They can stand alone or complement other products. Think about the long-term benefits too.
For instance, giving a sample of a consumable product may lead to repeat purchases, while a free ebook can establish your brand as an industry expert.
Choosing freebies that align with your brand identity and values creates a consistent experience for customers, building trust and loyalty. As a small business, you have the flexibility to be creative and differentiate yourself.
That being said, let’s now explore some innovative ideas together that can help you stand out:
1. Customized product samples
Samples have always been a popular freebie choice, but you can take it a step further by customizing them. If you sell accessories, for example, offering a small, personalized sample with a purchase can delight customers.
It’s an opportunity to showcase your range and encourage future purchases, while the personal touch makes the customer feel valued.
2. Branded digital content
In the digital era, content is king.
Offering branded digital content such as ebooks, webinars, or exclusive video tutorials can add immense value without a high cost.
For instance, if you’re a photography business, offering a free webinar on photo editing tricks can establish you as an expert and connect you with your audience.
3. Membership or subscription perks
Starting a membership or subscription service might seem challenging, but it’s a great way to offer ongoing value. You can give members special perks like early access to sales, exclusive discounts, or members-only freebies.
This makes customers feel special and can build a community around your brand.
4. Collaborative giveaways
Partnering with another business for giveaways can introduce you to new customers. For example, teaming up with a local coffee shop to offer a free coffee with a purchase over a certain amount benefits both businesses and exposes your brand to a new audience.
5. Event-based freebies
Tying freebies to events or holidays can create excitement. Offering a free-themed product during the holiday season can attract attention and boost sales.
For example, take a look at So Fort Worth It by Christy Dunaway Smith’s Christmas giveaway:
This strategy can be applied to different events throughout the year to keep your brand top of mind.
6. Loyalty program incentives
Loyalty programs are great for keeping customers coming back.
Giving away freebies as rewards for reaching certain points or making purchases encourages repeat business and shows appreciation for your customer’s loyalty.
If this is something you’re interested in, consider getting the WooCommerce Loyalty Program plugin:
This plugin lets you easily set up a loyalty program within 5 minutes! Additionally, it lets you reward customers for a multitude of actions, such as:
- Purchasing products
- Leaving a product review
- Commenting on a blog post
- Registering as a user/customer
- And many, many more!
7. Limited-time offers
Creating limited-time freebie offers builds urgency and motivates action.
Whether it’s a seasonal product, a special edition item, or exclusive content, making it available for a short time makes customers act fast.
8. Personalized services
Free services can be just as impactful as physical products. For service-based businesses, offering a free consultation or personalized assessment introduces potential customers to your offerings and provides a personalized experience that leads to happy customers and positive reviews.
How To Giveaway Freebies In WooCommerce (3-Step Tutorial)
When you’ve settled on the freebie that best suits your business strategy, your next step is to figure out how to distribute it effectively.
You can explore WooCommerce, a popular e-commerce platform for small businesses, which offers a variety of plugins and extensions that can assist you in managing giveaways. One such tool you can consider is Advanced Coupons:
Advanced Coupons extends the basic coupon functionality of WooCommerce, allowing you to create complex deals and offers. With this tool, you can set up “Buy One, Get One” deals, schedule coupons, and restrict offers based on various conditions like user roles or purchase history.
Most especially, it’s particularly useful for setting up a giveaway in just 3 steps:
Step 1: Create a new coupon.
To begin, navigate to Coupons > Add New on your WooCommerce dashboard. This will prompt you to configure the Coupon Data section:
Be sure to provide a meaningful coupon name so that your customers can easily identify and redeem the offer. Alternatively, you can simply ask the system to generate a code for you.
Step 2: Tweak the “Add Products” tab.
Next, head over to the “Add Products” tab within the Advanced Coupons settings. Here, you’ll find a “Products” field that displays a comprehensive list of all the products available in your store:
Select the specific product you’d like to give out for free, adjust the quantity, and enter the discount amount. If you want to set the sample product to be free, choose the “Override Price” option and enter “0.00” in the corresponding box:
Step 3: Auto-apply the sample product.
Using automatic coupon applications is a great way to surprise customers with a freebie pleasantly.
To set this up, adjust the Cart Condition settings of the coupon.
Then, you can pick either the “Product Quantity In The Cart” condition or the “Product Category Exists In Cart” condition, depending on what you need.
Then, head to the “Add Products” tab again, select the sample product, and set the price to zero.
Finally, enable the “Enable auto apply” option:
This means that when a customer fulfills certain conditions, a free sample product will automatically appear in their shopping cart, improving their shopping experience.
Conclusion
Embracing giveaways can be a rewarding journey for your small business. When you offer unique and valuable freebies for small businesses, you attract new customers, strengthen existing relationships, and create a lively brand community.
In this article, we shared 8 innovative freebie ideas for small businesses:
- Customized product samples
- Branded digital content
- Membership or subscription perks
- Collaborative giveaways
- Event-based freebies
- Loyalty program incentives
- Limited-time offers
- Personalized services
Then, we also shared 3 easy steps to giveaway a product using Advanced Coupons:
Do you have any questions about this article? Let us know in the comments!
