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If you’re a developer, designer, or organizer who's come up with tools or resources that you want to share, giving it away isn’t always so easy. Think about that curb you’ve walked by in your neighborhood that’s piled with orphaned furniture. The sign says “Free!” but no one’s picked it up. Why?
We assume that free stuff is easy to give away – but modern folks are busy, skeptical, and need a reason to take your free stuff.
Here are some tips for giving away cool technology, apps or resources. (And while you’re brushing up on how to give away cool stuff, check out the Voting Information Project’s Google Gadget that allows you to find out where your polling place is and how to get there.
- Free is awesome. Yes, free isn’t always synonymous with excellent, but in your case? It definitely is. Your audience should know the cost (or absence) of downloading/sharing/using your product. The honesty is refreshing.
- Remember that your product is valuable. If you understand why your product is worth sharing, this will amp you up and help you communicate perks that are important to your audience.
- Document your outreach. If your pitch isn’t producing results, break up with it. Track your success and failures, and let that drive your next steps. Stay in touch with people who show an interest – long-term relationships are sexy.
How do you share cool, free stuff with your networks? Let us know in the comments on our blog!
Whitney May is the State Liasion for the Voting Information Project at NOI.
Photo by Brad Stabler, via Flickr.
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