Since When Did the Word Free Become the Same As Worthless? - Internet Marketing Australia

I have my own website and have also been Affiliate Marketing for the same amount of time. Am I rich yet? Not in money. But, boy have I learned a lot!

I am one of those strange Marketers that actually wants to help, and for that reason, I don't sell $100 products. I prefer my customers get my help, spend a LITTLE, then come back for MORE! And, preferably, have a great time while they are doing it. (My website is my baby; and has a LOT more on it than just marketing goodies.)

In the last 2-3 years, I have seen (and taken advantage of) a LOT of Freebies!
Yes, I realize that NOTHING is totally free, but mostly all they want is my email address.
I figure if I am going to give my address out, I SHOULD get something for it. Yes, you will get email advertisements, but you will anyway, so why not take advantage of it?

I have noticed, along the way, that people ignore the word FREE. Good Heavens, WHY? Well, I think it is because of cynicism. I think people believe that if it is FREE, it must not be worthless to them. And frankly, that is just cutting off your nose to spite your face.

You honestly never know when you will stumble upon a FREE Goldmine! There IS room on the internet for optimism, not cynicism. Because, a lot of the time, that freebie leads you to another website.....and another freebie. Then, maybe another and another..
Along the way, you are collecting ideas, information, maybe even some new friends!
The internet is a strange and wonderful place. Just PACKED with surprises and strange places. Exploring it really is a lot of fun!

The question is: "Do you want to dig the hole? Or sell the shovels?"

MY answer was: Sell the shovels. Entertain the shovel buyers. Make a connection with the shovel buyers. Make friends and HELP shovel buyers along the way. My purely selfish reason? Have the shovel buyers come back for MORE shovels!

These days, FREE is a Godsend! Money is tight for all of us and I continue to enjoy getting FREEBIES every chance I get. And, even though most people are ignoring the word free, I will continue to give them AND get them. For a couple of reasons...

1)I am stubborn.
2)I appreciate getting something for FREE.. and I learned as a child, when someone gives you a gift, you say thank you. (That thank you might only be your permission to send some ads.)Even if the gift maybe wasn't what you were hoping for. Even if you never use it. Appreciate the fact that someone wanted to give you something....then see how that something can be useful to YOU. (Even if the benefit doesn't come until later.)

I suppose what I am trying to say is this: "Don't make the mistake that FREE means WORTHLESS!"
Because, while sometimes it is worthless, SOMETIMES IT ISN'T. And you will miss out on a lot of WORTHWHILE goodies along the way if you continue in your thinking that FREE isn't worth anything to you.