A Zinger mini rant on manipulating free information.
Don’t be shabby. Don’t state that your e-book is free if I have to pay for it by giving you my time and information.
Access denied. It irks me when someone states they have a free model or free e-book at their site but when you go to their site expecting to download a PDF you are confronted by a contact form to complete. Access is denied until you pay them with your time and contact information for their book. Why would you create a barrier to your wonderful offer of free information?
Bait and hook? It make me wonder how confident you are in your material if you create a barrier for me to access the material. It also feels like the old bait and hook technique. You bait me with a free resource but get your hooks into me by requesting my contact information. Come on, just let me click on the PDF and if you have value I will stick around or come back. Or invite me after I have looked at your information to offer my contact information to stay in touch with you.
Free means free. The Employee Engagement Network has 4 free e-books. Go ahead and click on them and you’ll get the PDF right away. Just help yourself. If they are helpful you’ll come back and if they are not helpful you didn’t have to waste your time and information to gain access to them. (P.S. I don’t like that you have to sign in to join our free network but this must be done to prevent spam. There is absolutely no need for you to register to gain access to one of our fabulous free employee engagement resources.)
What about you? Does it irk you to have to give time and information for “free resources” or am I just ranting a solo summer soliloquy?
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David Zinger, M.Ed., works with organizations and individuals improve engagement. He is a writer, educator, speaker, and consultant who founded the 2700 member Employee Engagement Network. David’s website offers you 1100 free posts/articles on the engagement. David is committed to fostering a movement to increase employee engagement 20% by 2020.
Connect with David Zinger today to improve engagement where you work.
Email: dzinger@shaw.ca – Phone 204 254 2130 – Website: www.davidzinger.com
Right with you on this one. Like you I offer stuff for folk to download or not as they see fit. No strings, nothing. It’s either free, or it ain’t! Not a solo soliloquy – a downright duet….so far.
Keep on keeping on
Ah, a free duet. Take note those who offer “free” stuff.