Small Business  What's Wrong with 'Free'  There's nothing wrong
with offering the occasional sample freebie as long as you don't
undermine your brand's value, says Steve McKee, who suggests
that selling serves everyone  "Free." Some say it's the most
powerful word in the English language. Others romance it as a
magical marketing term. For poor, bloodied businesses struggling
through tough economic times, using "free" to lure leery
customers can be tempting indeed. You might want to think twice
about that. Don't get me wrong. As a consumer, I like getting
something for nothing. In commerce, however, there's really no
such thing—anything of value costs somebody something. When
companies make a gratis offer, what they're really doing is
muddying the cost-benefit equation and making it more difficult
for their prospects to make a clear value determination. It's
kind of like getting a big tax refund; it feels like found
money, but offering a no-interest loan to the government isn't
to your advantage. Still, there'