"The Rule of Seven" is an old marketing adage. It says that "a prospect needs to see or hear your marketing message at least seven times before they take action and buy from you."

Now the number seven isn't cast in stone, but it is rare for people to sign up upon their first time hearing about you.

Some effective ways to keep your name in the forefront of consumer's minds - and ahead of your competitors - is through regular newsletters, blogs, Facebook fan pages and Twitter tweets.

In order to entice visitors to subscribe or become followers - offer something of value for free as an incentive to do so.

Through this connection, you can educate the client on things they are interested in, and plant the sales seeds of why your product or service is the obvious choice for them. A free offering has been seen to lift sign-up conversions tenfold.

Branding your free offering also helps you to stay at the top of your prospects mind. You can also encourage recipients to share your free offering with others to help it go viral.

Some things you can offer in exchange for an action:

Offer a Free Ebook

Write an ebook that would be of interest to your target market. "How-to" guides and recipe books do well among many market sectors.

Offer a Free E-course

An e-course holds a great deal of perceived value. Use it to teach prospects through instruction, interviews and case studies.

Offer Free Downloadable Software

Provide brandable software that helps your visitors accomplish tasks on their computer.

Offer a Free Phone App

Let your visitors download your app straight to their mobile device. Mobile apps are a powerful way to allow your prospects to perform actions that add convenience.