Keep 'em coming back by offering something for nothing.

They're politely known as "advertising specialties" or "free gifts." I prefer to call them bribes. But whatever term you use, know that bribes are a bang-up marketing tool for all demographic groups.

Unlike premiums, which may require a purchase, bribes are given for free. They are used to generate leads, increase name awareness, make friends, thank customers, boost store traffic, introduce new things, motivate people to act, and create an unconscious obligation to do business with you.

During the '90s, the most popular bribes in the United States have been T-shirts and baseball caps, ponchos, rain gauges, writing instruments, outdoor accessories, scratch pads, glassware and ceramics. Mouse pads and screen savers are moving up fast; so is free information.

To lure prospects with a freebie, be certain to research that freebie first. Guerrillas not only research their markets, their competition and their promotions, but they also research the best promotional items for their specific target audiences. They know problems arise when bribes aren't matched with the audience. Problems also arise if the freebie breaks or wears out in a hurry. "They gave me this free desk clock, and now it's broken! They won't get my business anymore."

Marketing people invest billions in bribes each year. Reasons: Bribes fit almost any marketing budget; they complement other media; they can be directed to selected audiences; people jump through hoops to get them. About the only disadvantage is the teeny-tiny space available to say anything to the recipient. There's usually room for your name, logo and maybe a theme line, but that's it.

Do bribes work? Well, 40 percent of people can remember the name of the advertiser as long as six months after receiving a free gift. And 31 percent still use the gift one year after receiving it.

A recent study proved free gifts not only increase mail response but also raise the dollar purchase per sale by more than 300 percent. But don't limit your thinking on ad specialties to merely the mail. Bribes are very effective at trade shows, open houses, special events and grand openings. The positive feelings they generate about your business often lead not only to sales but also to closer relationships . . . and guerrillas are always trying to increase the number of their close business relationships.

I came up with the idea of distributing measuring sticks 46 inches long so potential buyers could check dimensions of the competitor's product.

The result: my business recorded a 28 percent sales increase over two years.

His experience represents one of the more aggressive uses in the growing field of specialty advertising.

The most common approach to such advertising is the printing of a company's logo, slogans or name on clothing, coffee mugs, key rings and other giveaway items. The technique is far from new, but the demand for such items has been increasing. This method of advertising has grown into more than a $3-billion-a-year industry.

Specialty-advertising items typically are distributed free to customers and clients. "The purpose is to incorporate them into a marketing strategy so that the items will be used often and will be associated with the company or a particular campaign,".

"Perhaps the greatest advantage specialty advertising offers to the small-business owner is its ability to reach a targeted audience,". "A smaller firm that sells to only 1,000 customers nationwide or a company that deals solely with wholesalers cannot economically reach such small targets with traditional advertising."

To attract the attention of personnel departments of large corporations, choose a specialty-ad campaign using a "transplating" theme. To stress the care it gives to uprooted employees, the company mailed empty flower pots imprinted with the phrase, "Official Transplating-Cost Container." An attached brochure introduced the company's services.

On follow-up calls, salespeople delivered live plants for the pots. Of the 50 targeted companies, 45 arranged appointments with L & R's salespeople.

But a campaign based on specialty advertising can fail if companies choose items that are not appropriate to the image they want to portray.

"Business owners should also choose unusual and useful items that make their companies stand out," she says. "There are only so many paper weights and coffee mugs a person can put on his desk. Once the person's desk is full, he starts tossing them out."

The well-planned specialty-advertising campaign, on the other hand, can give small businesses almost immediate results for very little investment. In my case, buying a one-time newspaper ad would have cost $1,500. A 30-second, prime-time commercial on a local television station would have cost $500, not to mention production costs. By using the measuring sticks to sell pool tables, I not only spent far less--$100 for 500 sticks--but his unique sales campaign fixed his company in customers' memories.

So, to sum it up, do yourself and your company a favor and buy advertising specialties that help promote your image and your company.