Chicken or the Egg? Do I push the free report or actual product?

[rconejr]

Though I've been selling my writing services online for a while, I'm in the process of my first actual product launch. It's an ebook on how to write press releases, written from a reporter's perspective.

But my question to you Wise Warriors is how to go about promoting it. I don't have much of a list but it's growing via my free report called Your Press Release Sucks! Which is a collection of comments from editors about what they love and hate about press releases.


Right now the landing page for my ebook is on my blog site. So should I get a separate site and promote the heck out of the free report, get more people on my list and then keep trying to get them to buy my book via newsletter emails? Or, do I push the heck out of the actual ebook and add the free report as a bonus after they buy and add the opt-in form for the free report on the thank you page?


Any help would be appreciated. I put a lot of effort into the book and report and would hate to see it just fizzle because I can't grasp the logistics of how to sell it.

[Raydal]

Originally Posted by rconejr

Right now the landing page for my ebook is on my blog site. So should I get a separate site and promote the heck out of the free report, get more people on my list and then keep trying to get them to buy my book via newsletter emails? Or, do I push the heck out of the actual ebook and add the free report as a bonus after they buy and add the opt-in form for the free report on the thank you page?


Any help would be appreciated. I put a lot of effort into the book and report and would hate to see it just fizzle because I can't grasp the logistics of how to sell it.

Option 1.

The report should be a 'white paper' to get people to buy your product
rather than something that people would need after they have your
product.

Get an optin page to download the FREE REPORT and then follow
up with them with an autoresponder series and plug the book
in each email. You should have 7-10 emails in this series.

-Ray Edwards

[travlinguy]

Press releases, ahh… There are two distinct places for them. The value they have online is literally next to nothing unless you happen to get picked up by NY Times Online or another of the mainstream media giants.

As for the tens of thousands of cheap online PR publishing whores, your PR means very little to them. Though you can get some decent exposure and traffic from them if they’re well placed and relevant. But the work it takes is usually not worth the effort and time. Personally, I feel your time is better spent with article marketing. But that's just me.

I think your report or service should tell the truth about PRs. Even in the digital age, real, paper PRs, physically mailed to real media editors (as opposed to the decision-making knuckleheads you'll find at Yahoo and MSN) can still do wonders for a business or individual.

This is where writing a good, journalistic PR is essential. But for the majority of the online market, it's usually not even worth the time to bother. A report explaining what's valuable and what’s complete BS would be worth a lot.

Real, honest-to-goodness press releases can be a goldmine for a marketer. Unfortunately, stuff like that is almost completely lost in the cyber market. Good Luck!

[rconejr]

Originally Posted by Raydal

Option 1.

The report should be a 'white paper' to get people to buy your product
rather than something that people would need after they have your
product.

Get an optin page to download the FREE REPORT and then follow
up with them with an autoresponder series and plug the book
in each email. You should have 7-10 emails in this series.

-Ray Edwards

Thanks Raydal, that helps. I think I get a little muddled in my thinking sometimes. Plus, there's that tendency to want to just push the product and get money, but I guess my efforts would be better spent getting people on the list first.

OK, so push the report first. And 7-10 emails in the autoresponder series. Wow, that's a lot. But I guess, I've never bought anything right off the bat online either.

[rconejr]

Travelin guy you are right about press releases online. I pretty much say that in the book. Mass submissions and media lists are a waste of time, but for someone who wants to target the proper niche media outlets and try to get recognized as an "expert" in the press it's important to pitch yourself properly or frankly reporter's will trash whatever you submit.

That said, I have found it's fairly easy for me to make money in writing articles but darned if it isn't a lot of work! I'm kidding on that. I know anything money making opp is going to take work!

[prettyboy]

It's always smart to push the report because when you do, the prospects opt-into your list and you can followup with them. Most people don't buy the first time they are on your site...in fact, most people need 5-7 followups before they actually decide to buy so pushing the free report in most cases is the smartest route to go.

[Raydal]

Originally Posted by rconejr

OK, so push the report first. And 7-10 emails in the autoresponder series. Wow, that's a lot. But I guess, I've never bought anything right off the bat online either.

Here is some help from my AR book. These are subjects email would cover:

Letter 1 – Thank you for sending for the report /more information, here’s the link.

Letter 2 – Hope you got the report; here are some reasons why you’ll want my product.

Letter 3 – Here are some questions people are ASKING about my product. (FAQ)

Letter 4 – Here are what people are SAYING about my product. (Testimonials.)

Letter 5 – Here are some of the strongest BENEFITS to getting my product. (Limited Offer)

Letter 6 – Time is running out on the special BONUS. How I beat the competition.

Letter 7 – What’s keeping you back from ordering? Knock down objections.

Letter 8 – Other people who ordered are already enjoying the benefits, don’t lose out.

Letter 9 – Here’s a LIMITED offer—price reduction, sneak preview, secret link etc.

Letter 10 – Frankly I’m puzzled that you haven’t ordered yet. Final hard sell.

Hope this helps,

-Ray Edwards

[rconejr]

Thanks everyone, as always I've learned a great deal here. Paul you said traffic costs money, should I be buying Google Adwords or doing pay per click to get people to the squeeze page?

[Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter]

Originally Posted by rconejr

Thanks everyone, as always I've learned a great deal here. Paul you said traffic costs money, should I be buying Google Adwords or doing pay per click to get people to the squeeze page?

If you are doing PPC you will want a landing page designed to convert well for that traffic. Typically you want to have different landing pages for each type of traffic. I know it sounds difficult, but over time it's not that big a deal.

[gjabiz]

Shelly,

YOU mention this on your site. So it won't be a total shock for you. The SECRET is using google alerts.

And writing articles, blog posts specifically for the NEWS people who may be searching for LOCAL news.

I'll give you an example. I'd bet that 95% or more of today's reporters, print or broadcast, use google alerts...and what do they search for? LOCAL stuff.

I recently used Google Alerts to help my daughter get a write up in the local paper. How does that help? Because the more press you have, be it ink or bits, the more Google and other search engines love you.

It is a planned strategy for almost FREE traffic.

If I want my Northern locals to pick me up, I mention my city, Cuyahoga Falls, or Akron or one of the suburbs I worked or lived in...giving each post/article a LOCAL SPIN to it.

As you well know, once it is printed, even in the smallest of local papers, it gets fed to the big hungry machine, used to be "the wires"...but now, countless SOURCES that reporters look to for good stories.

Say you are in Long Beach, CA...you want to lead with that in your headline, your opening sentence and mention it again and perhaps, again.

Long Beach native Shelly Cone masters Internet Marketing.

Shelly Cone, of Long Beach, CA, has become an expert on blah blah blah...could be an ezine article, a blog post, or a tweet, or facebook or myspace, etc., etc.

IF you want INSTANT press, and it is relevant...

Shelly Cone and bad boy Jesse James have inked a deal.

Ah, the deal? You're getting your car painted at Monster Garage...now something like that would get a lot of attention, maybe the wrong kind...but you get the point.

Reporters look first to the Internet for stories. They no longer beat the streets, they beat Google and Yahoo to death looking for something "interesting".

OK, you're a smart cookie (for being a blond ) THINK how you might be able to "game" the media so they shine the spotlight on you.

Best of luck to you,

gjabiz

PS. I noticed I didn't really address your question...apologies. Of course, TEST, TEST, TEST is the "go to" mantra...in your product's case, it IS about where the traffic is coming from. HOW are they getting to your web site...this might help you determine WHICH type (or how many) of a squeeze or capture page will work.

If you are the Expert on EZA, for example, on Press Releases, and you also POST on popular forums which get indexed, that traffic is very specific and doesn't need any more "selling"...they are ready to buy from you. The FREE report would probably work better for those who don't know much about PR and need a little more education...I'll try to read the post and answer the questions (IF I can) and not get off on a tangent. Probably won't, but I'll try.

Originally Posted by rconejr

Thanks everyone, as always I've learned a great deal here. Paul you said traffic costs money, should I be buying Google Adwords or doing pay per click to get people to the squeeze page?

[Flierboy]

Originally Posted by Raydal

Option 1.

The report should be a 'white paper' to get people to buy your product
rather than something that people would need after they have your
product.

Get an optin page to download the FREE REPORT and then follow
up with them with an autoresponder series and plug the book
in each email. You should have 7-10 emails in this series.

-Ray Edwards

Rconejr,

I will repeat what others have said here. Get traffic to a signup page offering them your free report. Then use your autoresponder to sell them the real deal.

Plug for Raydal - His AR product is fantastic. Unless you've experience with writing AR series, do yourself a favor and get it.

Finally, after a few iterations, market feedback etc. when you know that you have a solid market beating product, just go ahead and hire him or another pro to write the series and sales page for you.

Originally Posted by rconejr

And 7-10 emails in the autoresponder series. Wow, that's a lot.

Writing compelling copy is (very) hard. Leave it to pros and focus on building great products, building your business, and keeping your customers happy. Once you know you have a great product that market wants, it's a no brainer to spend a few Gs to let folks who know what they're doing write copy for you.

I have Raydal's AR book/software. Very happy with it. Using it now in testing phase as I refine my product. Once I am confident in what I have to offer to my market, you can be sure I will be coming to a pro to rewrite my AR series and sales page.

Hope that helps and Good luck

-Ritesh