Make Freebies Make Money

Here's a simple strategy for making money out of freebies: partnering.

Partnering programs are used quite often in real world businesses to generate cross-promotional interest in consumers. Join ABC Gym, get a free tub of XYZ Yoghurt. Use your 123 credit card in our store, get a further 5% discount off your final tally. Seems simple enough.

But can partnering programs also work in Second Life? Absolutely!

And I don't just mean the sort of partnerships where two content creators team up to give away a combined freebie set.

The sort of partnering I'm talking about was illustrated recently by pose-maker Exposeur and apparel-producer Tiny Bird.

The Tiny Bird store put out a new sculptie dress called St Augustine: a sweet little piece with actual sculptie pockets. Exposeur then gave away a custom pose set for the St Augustine dress as one of its VIP Group Gifts.

Now, while your avatar can wear the Tiny Bird dress quite prettily without the need for any special poses, you can't really have the poses without the dress. For these poses to look as intended, you therefore need to pair them with the Tiny Bird dress, and unlike the poses, the dress is not a freebie. So if you want to use the poses, you have to actually go elsewhere and buy a dress! How does this make sense?

It makes great business sense. By giving away a set of custom poses designed for a specific dress from a partnering store, Exposeur has not only generated interest in the Tiny Bird store but also sales.

It's not all one-way, however, because Exposeur is also demonstrating how well they can craft poses to order, thereby creating potential future business for themselves. And they also have your subscription to their VIP Group, without which you wouldn't have the St Augustine pose set to begin with. And let's not forget that in a professional relationship, Exposeur would even have received a commission from Tiny Bird to create free poses to go with the dress.

By the way, I am not claiming that Exposeur and Tiny Bird have a professional partnering program in place, only that this example demonstrates how a partnering program can work successfully for Second Life businesses.

So if you are an SL entrepreneur, why not look around and see what sort of creative partnerships you can come up with, and together, make freebies that end up making you money?
To join Exposeur VIP Group: L$250

St Augustine dress by Tiny Bird: L$120 (usual price) or L$50 Friday Special (one colour only)

Blue Mars: SingTel City

I no longer have the time I used to for virtual world exploring, so when I do get a chance to hop onto Blue Mars, there's always a new city or two to download and check out. Welcome to SingTel City, the biggest shopping mall in Blue Mars!

It's been a month or so since SingTel City opened, but it would appear not much has been done with it since. The SingTel City build is based on the concept of a huge shopping mall, clearly with the idea of generating income through leasing out shopspace.

Australian telco Telstra BigPond did something similar with its build in Second Life, the difference being that their build was also set up as a portal into Second Life. Second Life was used as an example of what Telstra's broadband services could offer the average user, and when they arrived in Telstra Bigpond's Second Life islands, they were greeted with a build that resembled a holiday resort, with shops, mini-cinemas, pubs, clubs, beaches, and holiday and sightseeing opportunities galore.

What does the Blue Mars SingTel City have to offer the average user? Despite being Singapore's largest telco, with aggressive expansion outside Singapore, there's no mention of its Blue Mars experiment within SingTel itself.

Did they open too early? Have they plans for events to be held within Blue Mars? What exactly do they hope to achieve with their presence in Blue Mars? Time, I suppose, will have to tell.

Honey Soul Noir

And speaking of (freebie) Little Black Dresses, here's one from Honey Soul. Not as sophisticated as the piece from Azul, but some nice texturing.

Unfortunately, it's non-modifiable so you can't tweak the colour on the prims to better match the shirt texture.

• Noir Dress by Honey Soul
• Leah Hair (Claret) by DrLife
• Stella DiRoccia Skin (Tone E) by PixelDolls
• Shoes from Laqroki Freebie Dress Set
• Black Bead Necklace by Yummy
• Bracelet No. 37 Black by Edge Grafica

May Azul

Azul is not only holding a 50% sale on old stock, they're also giving away this little black number. Doesn't that skirt just look like it's made from giant velvety black rose petals?

• Dress is Azul Group Gift #1005
• Arianna Hair by Calico Ingmann Creations Group Gift (Mocha Midnight)
• Stella Di Roccia Skin by PixelDolls Group Gift (Tone E)
• Shoes from Laqroki Freebie Dress Set
• Black Bead Necklace Freebie by Yummy
• No.37 Bracelets Freebie by Edge Grafica (Black)

April In Azul

Azul makes gorgeous gowns and gives away some tasty little cocktail dresses every few weeks as Group Gifts. Well worth joining up for.

#1002	#1003	#1004

Here, my avie sports a stunning free hair from Hairy Situation to show off the Azul dresses. Those shoes are borrowed from the Laqroki set highlighted in my previous post. Also shown here are a couple of freebie poses found at Exposeur, and one by Hanana Design. Freebie fashion isn't just about clothes, you know! :)

Of the three Group Gifts I've picked up at the Azul store, #1003 is easily my favourite. I really like the subtle patterning on the dress, the frothy little skirt, and that it comes with both a white and a black top.

Nice work, Azul, and Thank You!

Freebie Fashion Laqroki Style

Laqroki has a wall of freebies, mainly hair (and mainly for girls). But there's a guy hair and clothes set, so let's try them out and see what we think of the Laqroki freebie look.

For guys, there's a free hair: Everyday in Black (in Large and Medium). The shirt and pants are decent enough, but you'll have to provide your own shoes. Freebie menswear tends towards street and gangsta so it's a nice change to have some smart casual that my guy avie can wear just about anywhere and anytime.

Hmm, and I need to find some poses where I don't perforate myself :)

For girls, the clothes set include shoes and stockings. As a party dress, it's somewhat better made than the guy's shirt, but not as versatile in use.

Worth noting, however, is that when combined with the very nice freebie avatar located elsewhere in the store, you end up with a complete package: skin, shape, eyes, hair, clothes + shoes. All free!

And unlike the guys' freebies, the girls's freebies include different colours for the hairs, and different tones for the skin.

So Thank You, Laqroki!

Nothing For Something, and Something For Nothing

It goes without saying, or should, that nothing is completely free. Everything has a price, even freebies.

But that price may not be what you think.

Content creators give away freebies for many reasons: to promote themselves, to encourage and reward customer loyalty, to share. It costs time, effort, and money to create and upload items just to give them away. Content creators are under no obligation to provide freebies; but some do, and they produce great quality freebies, too.

And, unfortunately, they get abused for it.

So if, for whatever reason, you don't like the freebie, then delete it from your inventory. Easy fix. It was a freebie, remember? Sometimes, freebies are freebies because they're unsellable, or last season's leftovers, or just plain useless. No need to make a scene or bitch about it to the creator. Certainly don't complain because you don't like the colour or can't copy, mod or transfer. You got it for free. If you don't like it, dump it, and don't shop there again. Simple.

But if you happen to pick up a great freebie, why not DM the creator or drop them a note to say how much you love it? After all, it cost you nothing to buy, and it'll cost you nothing to say Thanks. But it will help the creator to know their efforts are appreciated. Goodwill generates goodwill. Better yet, shop at their store again, and spend big. That's the best thanks a creator can get.

Blue Mars: New Venice and Arcadia

New Venice by VSE is easily the most striking and beautiful of the demo cities currently available in Blue Mars Open Beta. Unfortunately, it's a work in progress. Still.

So I was surprised to find VSE have apparently built another city, Arcadia, in conjunction with EdGE@TERC.

Arcadia shows the same lovingly created builds and textures that has earned New Venice so much fame, but it is again another work in progress, albeit one with a launch date somewhere in May. Unlike New Venice, however, Arcadia also appears designed with "science games" in mind. Can't wait to pick up my pickaxe and go fossicking for some Martian fossils.

When you check out Arcadia for yourself, here's a tip: turn the sound off. It has an irritating gag SFX - your footfalls on the ground sound like a drum machine - which I imagine is supposed to deter you from exploring the world before it officially launches.

Shopping. In The Beach City Shop.

Shopping. In The Beach City Shop.

The clothes may be better built in Blue Mars, but the shopping experience leaves a lot to be desired.

No flying camera means you have to virtually physically stand in front of an item to inspect it.

On the upside, you can click on it to get a rotatable version. However, this appears on a transparent black overlay on your screen, so if the item is black, it's not very helpful.

Then we have the gender issue. Each clothing item is a seperate object, and it's gender-specific. So, as long as my avatar is female, she is only able to wear clothes built on the female body mesh. Very frustrating.

There is also currently the one shop in Beach City, manned by a very basic bot whom, frankly, you should just ignore.

Nothing in the way yet as far as attachments like sunglasses, hats or wings either. Ah, well.

Welcome To The Welcome Area

Finally got the chance to return to Blue Mars and check out the new updates.

First thing I noticed: my name no longer floats above my head, which means the setup from the BM MyPage worked. Hooray!

Lots of new people around, too. Good. Every significant update brings in a fresh new influx.

Off now to have a wander.

Putting It All Together: How To Create A "Look" From Your Freebie Wardrobe

Previously, I suggested matching everything as a dressing tip. Here's another: Dress To A Theme.

It's currently Spring in the northern hemisphere. So let's do something seasonal. The Lunar New Year was back in February, but the cherry blossoms are still falling elsewhere...

Rather than the obvious kimono, I opted instead for something more contemporary: an orient-inspired cherry-print top, set off by burgundy jeans and pretty pink shoes. This was worn with a skin called Ichigo, and a hair reminiscent of the topknots little Chinese girls wear. My hanami ensemble is then finished off with a simple jade pendant and a set of bangles in jade green and delicate gold ivory.

Funky, festive, and totally free :)

Want more info? Ok:

• Skin: Ichigo (Tone 4)- PixelDolls Group Gift
• Hair: Camellia (Black) - Laqroki freebie
• Shirt: Wrinkle Tank (Cherry Print) - PixelDolls Group Gift
• Pants: from Cimarron set (Burgundy) - PixelDolls Group Gift
• Shoes: Margeurite Pumps (Pink) - Sister Strawberry Lucky Letter Prize
• Pendant: (Jade) - PixelDolls freebie
• Bangles: (Green, Cream, and Gold) - Rhapsodie freebie

April Freebie Look: Black & White

From the anarchy of The Messy Painter to something a little more refined, a little more monochrome. And also a fun wardrobe tip: match everything!

This black-and-white Morea dress (with back detail) is matched with black-and-white shoes, black-and-white hairdo, and black-and-white bracelets.

Hair is Felicity by Gurl6, Zebra Pumps by Wilted Rose, and bracelets by Edge Grafica.

April Freebie Look: The Messy Painter

This month I'm starting off a bit messy - matching Painter's Canvas Shoes by Shiny Things with Painter's Jeans by Forseti. The striped top from Pirate Kitty adds to the student artist look, especially with Edge Grafica's Tartan Scarf. The skin is one of Eloh Eliot's basic sets - Se, (Sloth, with freckles), and the casual yet smart ponytail is by Laqroki.

Second Life Clothing Tip: Magic Gloves and Socks

Looks awful, doesn't it? As though your clothes were nothing more than mere extrusions of your skin, which they sort of are, actually, thanks to the way the Second Life avatar clothing mesh is designed.

Without Magic Socks	With Magic Socks

Don't want the insides of your sleeves and pants to look like they join onto your body? Here's an easy fix: just wear tintable gloves and socks. Robin Sojourner gives them away at her shop on Livingtree Island.

Ta-dah! Now you need never fear the flared sleeve or have to bury your jeans in chunky boots again.

These Shoes Were Made For Walking... Inworld: Freebie Footwear In Second Life

No outfit's complete without shoes. Unfortunately quality freebie footwear in Second Life is one of the rarer types of clothing items to be found, and for a long time, most were little more than textured socks.

Since prim shoes became the standard, however, freebie shoes have come a long way: from these Barbie-esque sandals still given away in freebie warehouses, to these pretty little boutique sculpties.

Blingers For Barbie	Margeurite Pumps by Pochette

Demostration models on this page were all obtained as store freebies or group gifts, taken from freebie clothing sets, or came from a Camping Chair. Only the Zebra Pumps were bought - for 1L$.

Zebra Pumps by Wilted Rose	Victorian Boots by Black Opal

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about your avatar's ankles, except hide them in boots, or long socks.

Ribbon Boots by PixelDolls	Knit Socks by Pochette

Spattered footwear might seem like a dud find, but they're fun way to finish off a casual look, and best of all, they're unisex. However, the hunt for quality men's dress shoes continues, but meantime, my male avie is quite happy in these stompin' Prozak boots.

Painter's Shoes by Shiny Things	Kick Boots by Prozak

Freebie footwear. They exist, they're well-crafted, and they're definitely worth hunting for. Don't walk out the door without them.

Looking Good On 1L$ and Less

Just as in your first life, you want to look good without breaking the bank. In Second Life, however, you can look fastastic without spending a virtual dollar. Here's how:

1. Look Around. Stores usually place giveaways near the main entrance, but sometimes they hide them. Think of it as an Easter egg hunt.
2. Check Every Outlet. Some designers make freebies available only in their main store or in a specialty outlet. Be sure to visit all of them.
3. Group Gifts. Many shops and designers will bribe you into joining their store group with an immediate freebie. But only some stores will continue to reward your loyalty with subsequent group gifts, which could be anything from bundled up old stock to limited editions exclusive only to group members.
4. Cosplay Kits. Themed sims and speciality shops often provide a free costume set for both male and female visitors to help them fit in with the location and encourage role-play.
5. Newbie Packs. If your avatar is new enough (30 days or younger, for example), you will be eligible for some great starter kits. Some packages come complete with clothes, hairs, shapes, and even skins. For girls and guys!
6. Camping Chairs & Lucky Letters. These are used primarily to increase visitor stats to a location, so look out for them in places which aren't freebie warehouses.
7. Get Off The Strip. Boutique shopping sims feature many up-and-coming new designers eager to promote their wares. Their giveaways are often well-made and eclectic, and will help your avie stand out from the rest of the crowd.

With luck, these tips mean you will never need to visit another freebie warehouse. Consider that store and group freebies tend to be more recently made, and may even be items considered hot must-haves only last season. Newbie Packs, too, are often being revised all the time to keep up with the recent trends in design.

Just as in the real world, fashion options are biased in favour of females - more shops, more items, more freebies. Besides Newbie Packs and Cosplay Kits, boutique sims tend to be good places to pick up gender-neutral gear or guy-specific accessories like beards.

The thing about freebie shopping is that you never quite know what you'll find, but once you find it, you won't know how you ever dressed without it.

Happy hunting, shoppers!