| There are only two ways that I know of to get a | | | | you buy a new car. The incentive of giving away |
| free laptop... | | | | free laptops has really taken off in the past couple of |
| A: have a wealthy relative buy you one for school or | | | | years. As people get more mobile the interest of |
| B: get one as a marketing incentive. | | | | having the latest mini laptop computers delivered for |
| No wealthy relatives kicking around? Then I guess | | | | free is quite appealing. |
| you're going to have to opt for plan B - the incentive | | | | But there has to be a catch, right? |
| route. In case you don't know what a marketing | | | | You'd be smart to proceed with caution if something |
| incentive is, let me explain. | | | | seems too good to be true. If someone tells you |
| The definition from Webster is: | | | | they will send you a free laptop just for the asking, |
| in⋅cen⋅tive - something that incites or | | | | chances are is a scam. Every business has to make a |
| tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a | | | | profit. It would be impossible to giveaway a product |
| reward offered for increased productivity. When you | | | | that they have no way of recovering their cost. |
| were a kid perhaps your parents told you that if you | | | | That is not so with the all the "free laptop" |
| get good grades in school you would get a special | | | | giveaways. The legitimate ones work by affiliating |
| reward. They used the anticipation of the reward as | | | | with other advertisers that help pay for the |
| an incentive to get you to work harder in school. | | | | incentive, which in this case is the laptop. In order to |
| In marketing an incentive offer works the same way. | | | | qualify for your free laptop you have to "complete |
| Advertisers offer rewards to get customers, or | | | | offers". Meaning, you have to look at some ads and |
| prospective customers, to buy or try their product. | | | | take some surveys. You take advantage of the |
| The advertiser hopes that the appeal of the | | | | deals that appeal to you, the ones that will save you |
| incentive will be so tempting that you'll be happy to | | | | money. |
| spend money on their offer. This is called incentive | | | | Once you've complete the pre-determined amount of |
| marketing. It's been around for as long as there as | | | | offers the website will send you your incentive, the |
| been advertising and It's a fantastic way for | | | | free laptop - paid for by the advertisers that you |
| consumers to take advantage of some real money | | | | just supported by agreeing to try their products and |
| saving offers. | | | | offers! Incentive marketing is a classic win-win |
| Incentives can be as small as a free toy inside a box | | | | scenario. |
| of cereal or as large as a year's supply of gas when | | | | |