Wikipedia definition: Software classified as freeware is normally fully functional for an unlimited time with no cost, monetary or otherwise. Freeware can be proprietary software available at zero price, too.
How social media lowers the budget on public relations and marketing

Social media accelerates the influence and reach of your message.
This helps decision makers like you showcase their subject matter expertise to new audiences in a very efficient, low-cost manner.
LinkedIn |
Social networking |
Facebook |
Social networking |
Twitter |
Social networking |
YouTube |
Video sharing |
Wordpress |
Blog |
While expanding their presence to new prospective clients, financial professionals in the social media groove are also taking advantage of the built-in analytics that accompany electronic vehicles. These tools help marketers justify cost because they can now answer the question: “How do I know my marketing dollars are doing me any good?”
Mail Chimp tracks each reader’s page preferences.
Working in tandem with a firm’s sales process and relationship
management initiatives, social media provides a clear progress report, daily, weekly or monthly, depending upon the user.
In fact, social media marketing provides a client-by-client history of self-qualifying visits and downloads that offer marketers a real-time inexpensive data-mine of client likes and dislikes.
Following the success of a social media campaign in raising assets under management, Chuck Steege, a Registered Investment Advisor from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, explained what motivated him to experiment with the Internet’s newest marketing tools.
“The primary driver for me,” Mr. Steege said, “was to do the complete opposite of what everyone else was doing. Furthermore, the only way to understand something is to try it yourself!”
Ask yourself these four questions to see if a social media marketing strategy is right for you:
- Do I like the idea of using nearly free marketing tools to attract prospective clients? This one is easy: "Yes."
- Should I "do-it-myself" -- or recruit professionals to help me? The advisor, money manager or service provider must decide whether they want to take time away from
client-facing activity to master the web's ins and outs. Caveat: Do-it-yourself content
errors can be a deal breaker.
- Am I committed to spending some money? You don't have to commit to hefty
retainers, but you do need to commit to somewhere between $5,000 to $10,000 initially
to dedicate to professional resources and a meaningful effort.
- Am I willing to experiment a bit? An experimental sense of social media’s possibilities
is the key. There is no locked in blueprint for how to proceed. SMM is a trip through a
new frontier; the campaigns are motivational and engaging when done well. And, if you
make a mistake, they are pretty easy to correct, too