Let’s Put The Free-line Back Where It Belongs
Posted on August 21, 2008
Filed Under Internet Marketing, Marketing Strategy
We’ve seen some high profile marketers
clamoring about “the free line”.
FACT:
Giving free content in my 10 years of
doing business online has produced a
direct correlation in sales -
less sales.
The more I give away, the less I sell.
The more content I give, the less I sell.
My blog readers have read me writing,
“start right off selling - forget all of
the “take time and build a relationship”
advice”.
It isn’t relationships that need to be
developed - I do business with people
every day that I have NO relationship
with - it’s faith. You can trust me -
these people say it, my refund policy
says it, my payment processor says it,
etc.
WHY NICE GUYS DON’T GET THE GIRL -
I liken it to the “nice guy” investing
3 months into getting the girl to like
him only to have the “jerk guy” make the
first move - and there you go.
Girls (most) aren’t looking for nice guys
until they’ve decided to get married.
If you want the dreaded “friend” stamp
on your forehead, make this mistake.
But that’s just taking my word, my
opinion for it -
Here’s what Marketing Sherpa has found:
========================================================
RESULTS
Pala and his team learned that their customers preferred promotion-heavy email by a wide margin. It produced “five times more revenue per [delivered] email” than the information-heavy version.
(I suspect that *preferred* means, responded to)
It also got an open rate that was 200.6% higher than the educational email. For clickthroughs, the promotion-heavy email won by 89.8%.
Some B-to-C-only marketers may be knowingly nodding their heads. But Pala says that he didn’t expect such a differential between the two messages because of their business-consumer mix. “We were surprised.”
Read complete article here:
http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30778&pop=no
========================================================
I’ve been questioning, reworking and
revamping almost every way in which I
do business - looking at numbers that
have more emphasis put on them than they
deserve, as well as numbers and ways of
doing that need more emphasis.
Instead of spending your time crafting
a clever article - put the same time
into crafting a unique offer.
“Hey - I didn’t buy a new Dell last
week, but I just can’t pass up the
free shipping, the RAM upgrade and the
backpack they’re offering this week”.
It’s the same damn computer! But I’ve
bought more than one of their computers
because they just kept sending me offers
until they hit my hot button.
Riddle me this: When was the last time
Dell sent you an informational message?
“How a Dell Backpack Can Improve the
Life of a Student”.
I know you get me point here - and that’s
not all.
I’m less concerned with high optin
rates and more concerned with having
people on my list who just want the
solution I have to offer - you know,
let’s cut the chit-chat and get to
business - I don’t have time for chit-chat -
I want the damn results!
Of course, this approach is going to
vary from niche to niche and demographic
to demographic - but I think a lot of
what’s been put out there is just plain
crap and I’m happy to see the real-world
proof to back it up.
But wait! There’s more!
When was the last time you saw someone
walk into a Wal-mart and say “You guys
are just here to sell me things. All you
ever do is try to get me to buy stuff.
Where’s the free content? Where are
the articles on how I can buy more cheap
crap at your store and still have money
left to hit MacDonald’s on the way out?
Dude, I’m not coming here anymore. And
don’t send me any more of your promotions.”
The next time you see that happen, let me
know.
X
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
