Drug dealers get it right

Drug dealers are astute businesspeople. They know their product is so good

they're willing to give a little away for free upfront. They know you'll be back

for more--with money.

Emulate drug dealers. Make your product so good, so addictive, so "can't

miss" that giving customers a small, free taste makes them come back with cash

in hand.

This will force you to make something about your product bite-size. You want

an easily digestible introduction to what you sell. This gives people a way to try

it without investing any money or a lot of time.

Bakeries, restaurants, and ice cream shops have done this successfully for

years. Car dealers let you test-drive cars before buying them. Software firms are

also getting on board, with free trials or limited-use versions. How many other

industries could benefit from the drug-dealer model?

Don't be afraid to give a little away for free--as long as you've got something

else to sell. Be confident in what you're offering. You should know that people

will come back for more. If you're not confident about that, you haven't created a

strong enough product.