The last bite of seafood pasta had been twirled onto my fork and finished off.
None of us wanted to leave this restaurant, its beachy, open-air construction built right into the cliff.
To remember it, we took a photo with the very friendly staff before saying ciao and grazie. It was a 30-minute walk back to the ferry, but just as we were leaving, our waiter said, “No, no, why don’t you take our boat back to the main beach? It’s a three-minute ride and free for people who eat at the restaurant!”
My friends and I quickly exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing: No way! They are SO nice here, this is the best restaurant in Capri!
And just like that, they won our hearts over. Their free shuttle saved us time and energy, which after walking everywhere on our trip, was very much appreciated.
For them, it was a small gesture to show how much our business meant to them, and for us, it made us feel like queens of Capri.
The restaurant’s complimentary boat ride is also a great example of how your website should interact with your own prospects and customers.
You want to leave a positive, lasting impression on your visitors and one way to do that is to give them something for free that will help them, or their wallets, out.
Here are three ideas for giving your website that little something extra. Because little things can go a long way and have a powerful impact on your audience.
1. A downloadable freebie
Don’t you love when you go to a website and they give you something that you can actually download, print off and use? It feels like you’ve been let in on a secret and since it’s free, you think you’ve hit a mini jackpot.
And it’s not just your audience who is gaining something. A lot of the time, these freebies are given in exchange for an email address, so if someone does download your cheat sheet, recipe or city guide, you will have a way to communicate with them in the future. To offer them similar solutions.
Think about what makes sense to offer from your brand’s perspective and create something they will enjoy and get good use out of. For instance, you could give them:
- A template or checklist for doing X (editing your own photos, writing a novel, etc.)
- A calendar of events that pertain to your company’s industry
- An e-book or professionally-designed document that compiles helpful information on one topic into a downloadable PDF
2. One-time purchase offer
You’ve probably seen this on e-commerce sites before, but another way to entice your customer to buy your product is to offer them a discount.
Depending on how and when you would like to offer this on your site, it could come in the form of a “new member discount”, a percentage off their purchase for a limited time or free shipping.
This can also be a win-win for you because if visitors have to sign up for your newsletter in order to receive the discount, then you will have their email address and access to their inbox. If this is the case, consider mentioning the discount next to the newsletter signup button on your site. More on how to successfully do that here.
3. Expert knowledge or advice (with no price tag)
Using different mediums and channels, you can get really creative with this one.
There are many ways you can share valuable information with your audience, but some of the most popular and engaging solutions include:
- Podcasts
- Video
- Blogs
- Live-streaming (i.e. Facebook Live, live stories on Instagram, etc.)
The cool thing about podcasts is that they attract people who genuinely want to hear more from you and your brand. They actively choose to listen to your show because they are interested in your specialized topic.
Separately, I watched a video recently where vlogger Thomas Kuegler said one of his followers got to know him way better after watching one or two of his videos than she did after reading his articles for a year.
That’s a pretty big impression and a reminder of the kind of impact video or live-streaming can have on your community.
Finally, if you still aren’t convinced that blogs are good for business, think again. There are many benefits of blogging, from increasing traffic to building your authority and trust with readers.
Sure, blogging or discounting your product may not be as glamorous as a free boat ride across the Isle of Capri, but it will have you feeling like a million bucks when customers start raving about your company.