Profit from the Source (Christian Schuh et al.)
Problem
Using free without a clear purpose weakens its value.
Action
Decide what free should achieve before offering it.
Outcome
You create a more effective pricing strategy.
Chapter: What Is Free? - Free 101: A Short Course on a Most Misunderstood Word
Problem
Many people misunderstand how free supports profitable businesses.
Action
Study historical examples of businesses that used free offers to attract paying customers.
Outcome
You make better pricing decisions.
Chapter: What Is Free? - The History of Free: Zero, Lunch, and the Enemies of Capitalism
Problem
Even a small price can prevent people from trying something.
Action
Offer for free when your goal is to encourage first use.
Outcome
More people are willing to try your product.
Chapter: What Is Free? - The Psychology of Free: It Feels Good. Too Good?
Problem
Digital products become cheaper over time.
Action
Focus on services, convenience, or experiences that remain valuable.
Outcome
Your business stays competitive as prices fall.
Chapter: Digital Free - Too Cheap to Matter: The Web's Lesson: When Something Halves in Price Each Year, Zero Is Inevitable
Problem
Digital information is inexpensive to copy and distribute.
Action
Create products that benefit from broad sharing rather than restricting access.
Outcome
You expand your reach.
Chapter: Digital Free - "Information Wants to Be Free": The History of a Phrase That Defined the Digital Age
Problem
Free competitors reduce the value of competing on price alone.
Action
Strengthen features, service, or quality that free alternatives cannot easily match.
Outcome
Customers have stronger reasons to choose you.
Chapter: Digital Free - Competing With Free: Microsoft Learned How to Do It Over Decades, but Yahoo Had Just Months
Problem
Giving away products without a revenue plan is unsustainable.
Action
Link every free offer to advertising, premium products, or paid services.
Outcome
You create sustainable income.
Chapter: Digital Free - De-Monetization: Google and the Birth of a Twenty-First-Century Economic Model
Problem
Charging for every interaction limits audience growth.
Action
Offer valuable content for free to attract more users.
Outcome
You increase future business opportunities.
Chapter: Digital Free - The New Media Models: Free Media Is Nothing New. What Is New Is the Expansion of That Model to Everything Else Online
Problem
Revenue alone does not capture the impact of free.
Action
Track growth, engagement, and reach alongside sales.
Outcome
You evaluate performance more accurately.
Chapter: Digital Free - How Big Is the Free Economy?: There's More to It Than Just Dollars and Cents
Problem
High delivery costs make free delivery difficult to sustain.
Action
Lower the cost of serving each additional customer.
Outcome
You can support free offers more effectively.
Chapter: Freeconomics and the Free World - Econ 000: How a Century-old Joke Became the Law of Digital Economics
Problem
People are often motivated by more than money.
Action
Offer recognition, a sense of purpose, or a sense of community to encourage participation.
Outcome
You increase voluntary contributions.
Chapter: Freeconomics and the Free World - Nonmonetary Economies: Where Money Doesn't Rule, What Does?
Problem
Controlling abundant digital resources can reduce their value.
Action
Allow broad access when copying costs almost nothing.
Outcome
You increase adoption.
Chapter: Freeconomics and the Free World - Waste Is (Sometimes) Good: The Best Way to Exploit Abundance Is to Relinquish Control
Problem
Local business habits can hide better approaches.
Action
Study how fast-growing markets apply free business models.
Outcome
You discover ideas worth adapting.
Chapter: Freeconomics and the Free World - Free World: China and Brazil Are the Frontiers of Free. What Can We Learn from Them?
Problem
Scarcity-based thinking limits new opportunities.
Action
Explore solutions that leverage digital abundance.
Outcome
You identify more innovative business ideas.
Chapter: Freeconomics and the Free World - Imagining Abundance: Thought Experiments in "Post-Scarcity" Societies, from Science Fiction to Religion
Problem
People often assume free products have little value.
Action
Evaluate products by the benefits they deliver instead of their price.
Outcome
You make better decisions about what to use or buy.
Chapter: Freeconomics and the Free World - "You Get What You Pay For": And Other Doubts About Free