Woolley Marketing: a gift with purchase or pay for it yourself?
In his regular column for Mumbrella, Trinity P3 founder and global CEO Darren Woolley questions the real cost of a free gift.
Who doesn’t like to get something for free? A gift with purchase? A little extra to sweeten the deal? It can’t hurt, can it? It is being offered in good faith, as a sign of a desire to work together and bring value to the relationship. It can be particularly effective during the pitch or tender process. Offering a client, who is tight on budget (and who isn’t), a value offering for free is a great deal closer. In recent time these sweeteners, or gift with purchase, have increasingly taken the form of technology solutions. Particularly in media.
While procurement will quickly try to evaluate the monetary value of these offerings, to add to the tender financial evaluation, few on the pitch team seem to be wondering what the real cost of these gifts is. And whether you would be better off paying for this directly rather than accepting it as a freebie.
Don’t get me wrong, I love nothing better than getting a little extra for free. The amuse-bouche at the restaurant or the baker’s dozens of bagels (that is 13 for those more cynical). I see that as enhancing my customer experience and encouraging my return custom. But in both cases I will consume them, hopefully enjoy the experience, and suffer no further consequences for my indulgence.
