Several years ago, my friend, Brendon Burchard ran a free giveaway for his book The Charge.

Unfortunately, that giveaway is no longer open, but there are still lessons we can learn from this and other free with shipping book giveaways in the marketplace.

I’m sure you’ll identify more, but here are three strategic lessons you should be focusing on from these giveaways that you can use to add to your bottom line:

1.Free always works, but when you combine it with “desire multipliers” free really works really well!

Let’s talk multipliers here: stuff you can combine on top of something else in your marketing offer to push conversion to new highs.

Giveaways always work, but that’s just the base.

When that free thing has a REAL verifiable value, a multiplier effect steps in, making and the allure even more enticing, essentially throwing gas on the flame of desire that the giveaway already ignites. In this case, Brendon’s book will probably cost $20 – $30 when it releases. We all know that, so this offer is even more enticing than something that has a made-up or an inputted value.

Next, there’s another multiplier added here. Brendon’s book will be a bestseller, so “everyone” will be talking about it. Suddenly, people have an opportunity to:

• Own it, and maybe even read it before everyone else

but here’s the real key

• To be able to say to everyone who talks about it “I got that book for free, directly from the author.” Now that’s cool!

What’s interesting here is that, for most people, this is an unconscious thought process, but it’s all seeded there, in the magic of free when you add the desire multipliers on top.

And there’s another multiplier effect here – if Brendon was to personally autograph them all, and added that to his offer, it becomes even more powerful.

The process of thinking through your offer, deciding on the base offering, then repeatedly asking “how can I multiply the desire to an even higher level” is what kicks your results to an even higher level.

How can YOU take something you offer, whether it’s a giveaway or a sales process, and add desire multipliers to it to increase your conversions?

2. The best giveaways aren’t generic, they position you in the marketplace

I get calls all the time from companies wanting to sell me T-shirts, pens, backpacks and mouse pads with my logo plastered on them to give away. They argue that putting my name and logo onto something they use every day will build my business.

Gotta tell you, while it may, I can’t think of many more useless ways to spend marketing dollars than putting your name on a pen.

Think for a minute about what Brendon is doing here. He’s giving you a book, full of valuable information, that if you read it, could literally change your life. His giveaway positions him in the marketplace as an expert on how to make your life better.

But even if you never read it, the fact that you own a book by Brendon that helps you make your life better also positions him as an expert in the subject.

He wins either way!

Which would you rather have if you were in the life-improvement niche – something that positions you as someone who paid someone else to silk-screen your logo onto a pen along with millions of others who have done so, or as The Guy who wrote the best-selling book on how to live a more powerful life?

Rule of thumb – never just give something away. Give something away that at builds your positioning in your prospect’s mind.

Useful isn’t good enough. Positioning is the key.

I admit, this isn’t always easy, and it’s not always the cheapest way, but it IS worth it.

The best giveaways tend to be a small sample of your work, information on your area of focus, or a tool that makes your prospect’s life easier in your area of focus.

Giveaways work, but giveaways that don’t position you have dubious value.

And the third key strategic element we should all gather from Brendon’s book giveaway is:

3. Enthusiasm has real, monetary value

I don’t think there’s anyone who’s ever heard “Hi, Brendon Burchard here…” in his enthusiastic, energetic voice who has not had an initial emotional reaction to the way it sounds.

I would argue that for most people, that reaction is positive.

I could go into all of the reasons why this enthusiasm is key, but let’s focus on one – the “18 Second Factor.”

The 18 Second Factor basically summarized the data that states that the vast majority of people make up their mind about whether they are going to watch a video, buy your stuff, hire you as an employee or consultant, go out on a date with you…, whatever, within the first few seconds of your initial meeting.

Sad, but true.

But the most interesting part of this is that the initial decision that sparks the eventual acceptance or rejection of your offer is not based on rational factors, it’s primarily based on emotional ones.

And most people can’t even tell you why they decided what they did. They just did or didn’t like you.

It’s your look, your handshake, your enthusiasm, your voice, your aura, whatever…

That’s where the enthusiasm becomes key, especially in online video. People tend to like real, heartfelt enthusiasm (as long as it doesn’t cross the line into sleaziness.) It causes people to unconsciously say “I don’t know what this guy’s so excited about, but it may just be something I want.” In the least, it causes people to perk up and pay attention.

All in the first 18 seconds.

So this may be a good time to spend some time in front of a video camera. Write a short introduction and give it over and over again, using different intonation, emphasis, enthusiasm levels, speed of speaking, even how you move your hands and what you wear.

In other words, work on kicking your enthusiasm level to a higher pitch for your online video.

Doing so has real, monetary value.

That’s it, three key factors that each of us can learn from Brendon’s book giveaway.