Free Trials

Experts have varied opinions on the effectiveness and use of free trials, based on the type and goals of the product or service:

1. Operational and Commitment Challenges: Allie Janoch explains that for Mapistry, free trials don't work well due to the substantial onboarding and operational changes needed. They prefer pilots for a few thousand dollars to ensure users are committed to the changes required 1.

2. Freemium Success Stories: Jonah Berger highlights how Dropbox built a billion-dollar business using the freemium model, giving away 2GB of storage for free, which helped customers overcome their initial resistance and eventually upgrade to paid versions 2.

3. Freemium vs. Time-bound Trials: Elena Verna argues for freemium models over time-bound trials. She notes that trials can alienate large enterprises with longer decision cycles. Instead, usage-based freemium models can accommodate different user needs without time constraints 3.

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     1

     The Power of Free Trials

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     2

     Convincing Through Freemium

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     3

     Freemium vs Trials

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     4

     Freemium Product Strategy

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     5

     The Freemium Advantage

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     6

     Reverse Trial Approach

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     7

     Ideal Trial Length

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4. Strategic Feature Allocation: Ben Williams discusses the need to carefully decide which features are free and which are behind a paywall in a freemium model. He points out that features that drive growth should be free, while those adding cost should remain premium 4.

5. User Growth Over Immediate Revenue: Lauryn Isford views freemium pricing as prioritizing user growth, brand awareness, and exposure over immediate revenue. This approach can help products become household names and gain loyalty before focusing on monetization 5.

6. Reverse Trial Approach: Lauryn Isford also supports a "reverse trial" approach, combining trials with freemium. This method allows users to experience all features initially, showcasing the product's full potential and leading them to consider paid versions post-trial 6.

7. Customer-Centric Trial Length: Jason Lemkin advises caution with fixed 14-day trials, often driven by internal sales targets rather than customer needs. He suggests longer, more flexible trials that are customer-centric, avoiding the short-term approach that may harm user experience 7.

These insights highlight various strategies and considerations businesses should take into account when deciding whether to offer free trials or adopt a freemium model.