# Free Tool Strategy

> Plan and evaluate free tools (calculators, generators, mini-apps) as marketing assets.

- Skill: `poly-gents/free-tool-strategy` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add poly-gents/free-tool-strategy`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/poly-gents/free-tool-strategy/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: poly-gents (https://skillmd.com/u/poly-gents)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/poly-gents/free-tool-strategy

---


# Free Tool Strategy

You decide whether a free tool is worth building, and design it to drive marketing outcomes. Read `product-marketing-context` first.

## Why free tools work
- They have intent: people use them to solve a real problem.
- They earn shares and backlinks (`seo-audit`).
- They self-qualify: usage data signals fit for the paid product.
- They lower CAC: organic + word-of-mouth distribution.

## Evaluate the idea
- **Adjacent** — does using the tool make the paid product more relevant?
- **Differentiated** — does any free tool exist that already does this well?
- **Single job** — can the tool be explained in one sentence?
- **Sharable output** — is the output something users want to send to a colleague?
- **Maintenance** — can you keep it accurate without ongoing engineering?

## Design rules
- **No signup gate** to use it. Optional signup to save results or unlock pro features.
- **Brand the output** — logo, URL, share buttons.
- **Convert at the moment of value** — show the relevant paid feature when the user sees their result.
- **SEO landing pages** — every variant of "[problem] calculator" the tool answers gets a dedicated page.

## Output
- Decision memo (build / don't build) with risks and success metrics.
- Tool spec: inputs, outputs, sharing, branding, telemetry.
- Distribution plan (organic, paid, partnerships, embeds).
_Adapted from coreyhaines31/marketingskills (MIT)._