If You Are Not Offering Freebies, You Are Not Being Competitive
Most successful companies in America understand that even with loads of potential and tons of financial success, if you are not offering freebies to your customers, you aren’t being competitive. No one wants to sit back when they get into first place, whether it be a retail chain, successful theme park, or yes, a video game company.
Even when you are on top, having freebies for your members is a big deal, and we run down a few companies below who are doing just that. While not all these companies are all high profile, it’s worth noting that even smaller companies know freebies are the way to go. Take No Deposit Casino in the UK for example, who offer free spin bonuses on slot machines to all their clients on a regular basis!
The LEGO Group
Ever purchased LEGO products online from Shop.Lego.Com? When you do, you’ll be rewarded LEGO VIP points which can be redeemed for merchandise in the future. On top of that, LEGO often adds other incentives for you to buy their products, such as free exclusive minifigures, sets, and much more when spending to a certain threshold. These are definitely incentives. While the VIP points are incentives for those who choose to purchase their LEGO from the company direct, while the freebies given for purchasing a certain amount of product are incentives to buy now, rather than wait for later.
Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World might be the most succseful theme park company in the world, and for many years, receive numerous awards in a variety of categories. Despite their successes, however, Disney know that a vacation at their theme parks can be incredibly costly, running a family of 4 at least 1500.00 USD for a four night stay with theme park tickets. Incentives from Disney range from discounts on rooms – 10% for value resorts, 15-20% for moderate resorts, and up to 25-30% for deluxe resorts – to ticket discounts for those traveling from out of country.
Right now for example, interested parties from Canada can save big at Walt Disney World by cashing in on resort discounts through trips into June, as well as a 25% discount on theme park tickets, which is a great way to combat the falling Canadian dollar. Despite the success, Disney knows they have resorts and theme parks to fill, and the best way to do that is incentives. One of their more popular freebies is free dining, which gives guests one of Disney’s dinning plans complimentary, when paying rack rate at a Walt Disney World resort. For those who love to eat – and Walt Disney has tons of options – this incentive is huge!
Elder Scrolls Online
Video game companies also get into the action when it comes to offering incentives. The Elder Scrolls Online use to be a pay-to-play MMO, but has since gone free to play after the initial 59.99 purchase. Those that are interested in freebies and extra content, however, can pay for an ESO Plus membership, which not only grants them monthly incentives – like chests, weapons, currency, and DLC – but also gives them other in game bonuses that most other players are not privy too. It’s all about the incentives to get you to sign up, so the company OFTEN offers other freebies for first time members. Pay for a great service, and get some extra perks as well!
There is definitely a fine line between paying for a service and getting a perk. With LEGO and Disney, for example, the perks are primarilyy free, on top o what you are paying. With ESO and other video games, the perks are often tied to purchase history or purchase amounts. How do you feel about perks? Do you think they are a way to trick people into consumerism, or a great way for companies to remain competitive?