Those of us who regularly shop on line are familiar with the array of free gifts, free bonuses and just plain freebies that are offered to a visitor to a website to encourage them to buy.

How could you collect, select and offer free gifts, which will be valued as much as the original merchandise that is being purchased, put these gifts together and add them to your E-book?

There are just three steps to do that very thing. They are:

1.    Identify your key words in each chapter of your E-book. Now, type those words into your favorite search engine. You are looking for free E-books on the same subject in more depth, by a greater expert than you are, or by someone who gives a new and fresh angle to the topic. Add a link to the free E-book in each chapter of your E-book.

2.    Research the Internet for related free gifts. Now you are looking for things that you could give as free gifts in your E-book that will make it more appealing and give it more pass-along appeal to your readers. For example: If you are selling gardening supplies, find a planting guide on the web that can be downloaded and include that as a gift in your E-book.

3.    Download the freebies. Visit the freebies pages on those web sites. Most sites have freebies and encourage you to distribute them.

Other key words I searched for are freebies, free E-books, and free reports and then gave the key word that I wanted the free stuff for. Like… “freebies for gardeners”.

Give your reader the vest that you can offer. Give them your book, additional reading material and free gifts to boot. Everybody loves a bargain!

1. Participate in chat rooms related to the product you’re reselling. Start a conversation with a person without trying to sell to them. Later on, while you are chatting, mention the product you’re reselling.

2. Create a free ebook with the advertisement and link of your affiliate web site. The subject of the free ebook should draw your target audience to down-load it. Also submit it to some ebook directories.

3. Start your own affiliate program directory. Join a large number of affiliate programs and list them all in a directory format on your web site. Then just advertise your free affiliate program directory.

4. Write your own affiliate program ads. If all the other affiliates use the same ads you do, that does not give you an edge over your competition. Use a different ad to give yourself an advantage over all the other affiliates.

5. Use a personal endorsement ad. Only use one if you’ve actually bought the product or service for the affiliate program. Tell people what kind of benefits and results you’ve received using the product.

6. Advertise the product you’re reselling in your signature file. Use an attention getting headline and a good reason for them to visit your affiliate site. Make sure your sig file doesn’t go over 5 lines.

7. Join a web ring. It should attract the same type of people that would be interested in buying the product you’re reselling. You could also trade links on your own with other related web sites.

8. Participate on web discussion boards. Post your comments, answer other people’s questions, and ask your own questions. Include your affiliate text link under each message you post.

9. Create a free ezine. Use your ezine to advertise the affiliate programs you’ve joined. Submit your ezine to online ezine directories and promote it on your web site.

10. Start a private web site. Use it as a free bonus if people buy the product you resell. You could also allow people to join for free and you could advertise the affiliate program you’ve joined.

Ketchum Convenes Conference to Discuss What Marketers Offer Versus What Web Users Actually Want

A growing divide exists between marketers who are increasingly turning to the Web to reach customers or sell products and the people who believe marketing negatively affects the authenticity of online communities. With speakers from some of the Web’s coveted sites, including Buzzfeed, ROFLCon, BoingBoing, Reddit and Gawker Media, Ketchum’s Dec. 3 “Respect the Internet” summit (#RTI2010 on Twitter) aims to find the common ground between marketers and the online communities with which they engage.

“We’re increasingly finding that marketing on the Web is having the unintended consequence of creating two Internets – one built by marketers and one that has evolved organically by people who are creating content that is of genuine importance to them,” said Jon Bellinger, vice president, social media strategy, at Ketchum. “The purpose of this summit is to create a dialogue that helps find common ground so marketers can become more effective while keeping online communities authentic and in tune with their members’ interests.” Read the rest of this entry »