Buy One, Get One FREE

I was in the grocery store the other day and saw this Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO) sign from a mile away. The salad dressing I really wanted was full price, so what did I do? I bought my second choice because it was BOGO.

It's easy for a conglomerate with 20 stores in 7 states to give me a free bottle of dressing. But what about us Indie Business owners who operate on tiny margins? Can we Sell One, Give One Free (SOGO) and still survive? Yes! And I've got some tips to help you do it.

Here are a few ways you can start attracting customers TODAY by telling them that you can give them something FREE when they choose to do business with you.

1. Host A Monthly BOGO Promo.
Use your online newsletter and a website home page graphic to announce a Monthly BOGO. Each month, randomly choose a BOGO day and announce it in your newsleter and at your home page. SOGO for 24 hours. Try this consistently for 3 or 4 months with a newsletter that goes out at least twice a month before you analyze its success. Remember, it's a marathon, not a race.

2. BOGO With Another Business Owner.
With BOGO, you don't have to give away the same product you sell. Indie Beauty Network member Lela Barker of Bella Luccè includes a free gift made by another small business owner in each order. Lela gives a customer something free and the other business promotes their products to a new prospect without having to pay for anything other than the cost of the product. It's an unexpected and wonderful treat to open a package and discover not only the product I asked for, but a special gift as well. It makes me happy as a customer to do business with someone who supports other small business owners.

It's not always easy to successfully manage an Indie Business. In fact, it's often difficult and almost always a challenge. But with passion, a little creativity and a determination to persevere, it's worth it. And if you need a break, you can always get some of this delicious Bachus Body Oil from Bella Luccè's Tuscan Wine Therapy Collection. One whiff and you'll swear you just had a swig of the real thing. Now that's what I call de-stressing!

Do you have a BOGO story that made you and your customers happy? If so, I'd love to hear about it, and tell us where we can learn more about it at your website!