how to best implement a free sample?

i have a cart running ok, but how do i implement a free sample offer? The free sample will be offered with a coupon to be published, and will have a code related to it. So far the only thing i can think of is that since the free sample will be worth 3.49, to create a coupon with a value of 3.49, one per user with unlimited use of the coupon. Then write in the coupon.php file a description of the sample, and to have a link there to the product, and they then have them go thru the process of registering and going thru checkout process. Is that the normal way to implement it or is there someway better? thanks, eddie

That would be the best way - be sure you restrict the coupon to that product only.

in trying to implement a free sample i need a few things to occur.
free shipping for this product only.
i need to create a link in a sidebox that spells out free sample.
i need that link to go directly to the coupon dialogue to enter the code,
and the following page go directly to the product for checkout.

how do i bring up a page with just the product on it, with checkout procedure?