We all do it I guess: give something away for free to stimulate interest in our online promotions, an e-book here; a report there, whatever elsewhere.

But can you really build an asset out of giving stuff away?

I believe you can and I'll tell you why.

I have dozens of small web businesses in diverse fields and one site in particular drives traffic in droves to most of the others.

That's its job. It's a portal; a catalyst and it's good at what it does.

You know what though?

I have been consistently and unwittingly underestimating the power of its innate potential to build an asset, a priceless asset.

Until recently this valuable catalyst had no opt-in facility, no newsletter.

Crazy - and it took my ten year-old granddaughter to point out the error of my ways.

Here is the 4-point action plan I implemented to persuade her I wasn't a terminally doddering old duffer.

1. I set up a dedicated subscription web page offering targeted visitors a bumper bundle of goodies to opt-in and sign up for a free newsletter I have yet to launch.

2. I emailed my existing lists directing members to the bumper bundle page.

3. I installed the script for an opt-in responder form on the home page of the portal.

4. I inserted a link in most of my other websites.

That was several weeks ago and already it's showing signs of paying off.

I am averaging around 30 sign-ups per day and my new list currently stands at 1300+

The subscription site is an ugly duckling - but so what ? the technique is working.

If you would like a sneak peek at how I'm building an asset out of giving stuff away for free, you might like to visit the site featured in the resource box below.

Jim Green is an online enthusiast and bestselling author with an ever-growing string of niche non-fiction titles to his credit. http://free-stuff-xl.com