My wife has been trying to get me to join her gym for a while now.  Finally I said I would try it out if they had a day or week pass.  You know, get a taste of the place, the classes, equipment etc.  Free trials are very powerful for a number of reasons:

• You feel almost obligated to buy something after trying
• It shows people you stand behind your product
• In many cases you build a database for follow up marketing
• Who doesn’t like something free?
• They can create word of mouth marketing talking points

Have you ever not purchased some ice cream after trying a new flavor?  Anyway, you get the point.

I am amazed, baffled and in awe at the lack of marketing at my wife’s gym.  They don’t offer a free day, week, or class.  It is as if they don’t want new members. Gym’s (run properly) are profitable since the fixed costs are covered by the first X number of members and after that it is profit.  Let’s not forget most people don’t even use their memberships.  Oh yeah, and don’t most people join a gym because a friend or family member recommended it?  Marketing for a gym is probably “heavily weighted” to word of mouth marketing. So with all that said why not give out a free trial to anyone who asks?  Take it one step further and give your members 2 or 3 free passes to hand out to their friends.

Yeah I know there are a few people out there looking to take advantage of the system to get free stuff and never buy.  There are ways around every offer and I am sure you can find them all online but as a marketer don’t let the few cheats mess with your marketing or business growth plans.

Go out there and use your “marketing muscle” and give something away for free.  You won’t be sorry, the “exercise” will be worth the effort.

What can you give away for free to get people interested in your services/product?