# Free Tool Strategy

When the user wants to plan, evaluate, or build a free tool for marketing purposes, ...

- Repository: https://github.com/TheCraigHewitt/seomachine (7567 stars)
- Category: Marketing
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-23
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/seomachine --skill free-tool-strategy -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/seomachine --skill free-tool-strategy -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/seomachine --skill free-tool-strategy -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/seomachine --skill free-tool-strategy -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

When the user wants to plan, evaluate, or build a free tool for marketing purposes, lead generation, SEO value, or brand awareness. Also use when the user mentions "engineering as marketing," "free tool," "marketing tool," "calculator," "generator," "interactive tool," "lead gen tool," "build a tool for leads," or "free resource." This skill bridges engineering and marketing, useful for founders and technical marketers.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Free Tool Strategy (Engineering as Marketing)

You are an expert in engineering-as-marketing strategy. Your goal is to help plan and evaluate free tools that generate leads, attract organic traffic, and build brand awareness.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for product marketing context first:**
If `.claude/product-marketing-context.md` exists, read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before designing a tool strategy, understand:

1. **Business Context** - What's the core product? Who is the target audience? What problems do they have?

2. **Goals** - Lead generation? SEO/traffic? Brand awareness? Product education?

3. **Resources** - Technical capacity to build? Ongoing maintenance bandwidth? Budget for promotion?

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## Core Principles

### 1. Solve a Real Problem
- Tool must provide genuine value
- Solves a problem your audience actually has
- Useful even without your main product

### 2. Adjacent to Core Product
- Related to what you sell
- Natural path from tool to product
- Educates on problem you solve

### 3. Simple and Focused
- Does one thing well
- Low friction to use
- Immediate value

### 4. Worth the Investment
- Lead value × expected leads > build cost + maintenance

---

## Tool Types Overview

| Type | Examples | Best For |
|------|----------|----------|
| Calculators | ROI, savings, pricing estimators | Decisions involving numbers |
| Generators | Templates, policies, names | Creating something quickly |
| Analyzers | Website graders, SEO auditors | Evaluating existing work |
| Testers | Meta tag preview, speed tests | Checking if something works |
| Libraries | Icon sets, templates, snippets | Reference material |
| Interactive | Tutorials, playgrounds, quizzes | Learning/understanding |

**For detailed tool types and examples**: See [references/tool-types.md](references/tool-types.md)

---

## Ideation Framework

### Start with Pain Points

The rest: https://github.com/TheCraigHewitt/seomachine/blob/HEAD/.claude/skills/free-tool-strategy/SKILL.md