Refining the Art of the Free Giveaway

Fruit Market by C. Ballard, Houston Art Gals

We've been proponents of the "free giveaway" or "ethical bribe" method of marketing for some time.  But today we've come across a new idea that is so clever that we wish we had though of it.  The idea is to give away a "digital edition" and we give credit to ArtNewsBlog to mentioning this marketing technique as practiced by Hazel Dooney (warning - if you visit Hazel's site, her images are fairly sexually explicit.  We are focusing here on a marketing technique, not on the art itself.)

Now the idea of a free download is nothing new, but it has fermented in our mind and we think we now can present you with a pretty viable plan for marketing utilizing this idea.  What Hazel has done is offer a high-resolution digital image of one of her works and called it an "ink-jet/laser media unlimited edition" which is a clever "artsy" term meaning "print it yourself."  This is brilliant because it addresses some concerns that many artists have: 

1. Solves Copyright Issues
First, this idea puts the artist back in control of the downloading and licensing.  Instead of trying to install those annoying right-click disablers to "protect" her copyright, Hazel has taken a clear stance and said "you can download it and print it as much as you want, but the image is still copyrighted and is mine." 

2. Virtually Free to Produce
Secondly, and more importantly in our opinion, it solves the cost issue.  The problem with free giveaways has always been the cost.  As a "starving" artist, how can you justify giving away a print when it costs you money just to produce even a small print?  For a lot of artists, the giveaway idea was difficult, but a digital download?  That doesn't cost you anything.

3. High Perceived Value
But is a digital download really a print?  Won't clients think it's just a gimmick?  Before today, I would have said yes.  However, this is where Hazel hit upon a simple and brilliant solution.  Her download page reads, " For those of you who would still like to have Hazel's 'real' signature, along with an authenticating stamp, on the work's verso, you can send your print of the image along with an adequately sized, stamped, self-addressed envelope to the studio."  You see...brilliant.  Hazel is giving away signed editions at essentially no cost to her.  Most people won't send the print in for a signature, and those who do?  Those people are gifts.  If someone goes to your web site, downloads an image, prints it out, and sends it (at their expense) to your studio for signing, then let me tell you:  that person is a hot prospect.

4. Ways to Improve the Idea
We think there are a couple of ways to improve this idea.  Mainly, the idea could be a better marketing tool if access to download the high-resolution image was granted in exchange for the visitor signing up for the artist's email list.  That way, you would know who downloaded the image.  A variation might be to allow the download without registration, but require the person to register on your site to get the signature.  Another variation might be having one "digital edition" available that does not require registration, but let people know that registering gets them access to several more digital editions that are available exclusively for your web site's "members."

What if you were to combine this idea with your print advertising and promote the free giveaway in your print ads?  We suspect your site visitors would go up dramatically.

Sincerely,

Clint Watson
Software Craftsman and Art Fanatic


Related Posts and Pages:

How to Advertise in Art Magazines (FineArtViews/Clint Watson)

Complimentary Marketing (FineArtViews/Clint Watson)

Hazel Dooney's Web Site

Free Art Print from Hazel Dooney (ArtNewsBlog)

Prince and the Art of Monetizing Free Stuff (Art Print Issues/Barney Davey)

Prince and Free-Flowing Intellectual Property (ArtBizBlog/Alyson Stanfield)