"If you want to create something very good," says Tom Peters, "it takes time, energy, and sometimes money." That, he argues, is exactly why you should give away your finest know-how for free. Before you beg to differ, consider his ten-point business case, which includes reasons like these:

It increases your reach. The marketplace is flooded with mediocre ideas that don't merit discussion. Excellence, therefore, stands out and takes on a viral quality. "Giving away good stuff for free may be the fastest way to reach a lot of people," says Peters.

It improves future projects. When smart people notice your ideas, he notes, "They may comment on your work, enhance your work, and maybe even, challenge your work." It's the equivalent of a kitchen cabinet making pro bono intellectual contributions.

It lowers the cost of sale. If companies decide to act on the ideas you present, there's a good chance some will turn to your product or service during the implementation process.

Your Marketing Inspiration, and Peters' number-one reason to give away the best you have to offer: "They don't have to guess the quality of your work anymore," says Peters, "so they will be more open to paying a premium for additional work."

More Inspiration:
Ted Mininni: McDonald's Seattle Billboard: "four bucks is dumb."
Paul Barsch: Marketing Lessons Learned from the F-22 Raptor
Lewis Green: Why Social Media Fails in Today's Marketing Environment

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