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Incorporate “Free” as a Tactic, Not a Strategy

Not long ago, a friend gave me a very expensive, made-to-order olive-and-purple coat that didn’t fit her correctly once it was made. Olive and purple makes my skin look gray, and the loose style makes me look like a box. But did I mention it was free? Despite the fact that I knew from the second I saw it that I would never wear it, I could not reject it. That is the power of free.

Businesses know the power of free: free razors to sell razor blades, free software trials, and free tchotchkes to lure you into booths at conventions and county fairs. Membership businesses are particularly sophisticated ...

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