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What do you do when someone gives away the same kind of info that you charge for?

by Ashley Gable
17 replies
Hi, I am in a niche where there are a couple other competitors but none that have affected me. One of them sold supplies, one sold training programs that cost about $375(you aslo have to fly there) , and I sell an e-course that is currently at $22.

BUT now one the one selling the training has put up on his site the info that I charge for. He is not copying it, just the same info that one would.

I am not saying he shouldnt, it is his right to put up info on his site. So what is my approach to this??
How do I convince people to buy from me, when they could get it from him free?

Mind you, his is not as well rounded as mine, but the prospect doesnt know that. But if i say "Oh well mine has better stuff in it"! That sounds like desperation to me!

By the way the niche I am in, I whole heartedly disagree with "training". It is just not needed. Him and I have had a few instances where we exchanged less than professional words.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, I havent seen a drop in sales yet, but its only been a few days!

Thanks Ashley
#charge #info #kind
  • Profile picture of the author Steven Carl Kelly
    Simple, you leverage your USP.
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
      Banned
      Understand, I am NOT a Lawyer. The following is "My Opinion" about this matter;

      Until recently, if you found someone on the internet selling illegal copies of your copyrighted material (software, images, text, documents, reports, ebooks, etc.), there wasn't much you could do about it. Sure you could hire an attorney and start the long (and usually expensive) process of initiating civil and criminal action against the thief. But in most cases, it would be a fruitless process. It could take years for the case to reach resolution, and by then the damage would be done, and the thief (in most cases), long gone.
      Fortunately, there is now a better way. These days, if you discover someone selling, distributing or using your product without your permission, you can do the following;
      Here's how it works.
      The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. Section 512 (c)(3)(A), makes the web host (service provider) of a web site liable for monetary relief and for injunctive or other equitable relief, for infringement of copyright if the hosting company fails to remove the copyrighted material from their client's web sites - after the web host has received a 'notice of copyright infringement' from a copyright holder.
      This means if you find a web site selling unauthorized copies of your material, the hosting company for that web site can be liable for damages if they do not remove the material (or site), after receiving a printed and signed notice of infringement from you.
      So if Joe Thief clones your web site (or pages from it), and he begins selling copies of your product from that site, you don't have to deal with Joe Thief to shut him down. You can go directly to his web host, fax them a notice of infringement, and in most cases they will shut the site down in 48 hours or less.
      If they fail to do so, then they are just as liable for copyright infringement as Joe Thief is - they become his partner in crime.
      And if you have to sue anyone, sue the web host - as they will usually have the funds to pay damages awarded to you.
      That's why web hosts are so eager to abide by the federal copyright law, which releases their liability if they disable the infringing web site.
      You'll have to do some research on How to send a "Notice of Copyright Infringement" HOWEVER....sometimes I've gotten web hosts to shut down a "Thief" who is outright selling MY stuff....just by "pulling the Plug" on his site. They DON'T WANT to even be close to someone who could cause the host to be sued.
      Again....just my Opinions. Contact an attorney for professional advice.
      Midas Man
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  • Profile picture of the author warriortx
    Wow! Thats a tuffy but I think I would just add more info and bonuses.
    Anyone?
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Moore
    If your competitor is giving it away for free, then evidently there is money to be made in the niche off of these leads. Know your competitor's business model thouroughly.

    Compete back by giving away even greater value than your competitor. ie. add video/audio - webinars, better images.

    You'll lose the $22, but mabe profit more on the backend. That is why it is important to see what your competitor is doing on the backend.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ben Roy
    A few different comments here.

    First, never believe that you can't sell something that's available elsewhere for free. Heck, half the stuff that Internet Marketers buy is available for free with a little bit of digging. Sure you'll lose some sales if people are doing their research and comparing, but if people find you first you still have a reasonable chance to sell to them.

    Second, you could always expand on your product. It's probably not reasonable to think you're going to keep selling the same information at the same price with the same frequency for all of time. If sales drop off too much, you'll have to enhance, add-on, or put together a new product. But again, see point #1 before you get too carried away.

    And lastly, as I believe someone else mentioned, the reason a competitor is giving away your $22 information is because they are making a much larger profit on something else in the same market. Why not go after that higher price point?
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  • Profile picture of the author Voasi
    Simple, you leverage your USP.
    I think most people don't understand this and that's why most fail. Some get a few sales and think it's a success, but it could've been a HOMERUN if they would've figured this out.

    USP = Unique Selling Point (proposition)

    Basically, what makes you different then any other product/service within your niche? What that is..agitate that with your visitors and let them know you "cure all".
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  • Profile picture of the author Online Bliss
    I agree with warriortx,
    make a package out of it or offer the product
    with a free membership trial!
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  • Profile picture of the author kimothy777
    You need to let people know your unique selling prpoposition. Also use original bonuses that will make people want to buy from you. Put your thinking cap on to come up with the best bonuses and over deliver.
    It really doesn't matter that much. Plenty of people sell the same information. It is how you package it and how good you are at marketing. You can still dominate if you get these thigns right. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author debra
    You could just increase the way you deliver your infomation. It makes it more valuable to the consumer when they have a convenient way of recieving the infomation they want.

    How does he deliver his product?

    Can you deliver it in a more convienant way?

    I think people get it all wrong trying to compete with free. You can't compete with free and quite frankly, people are becoming increasingly skeptical of free.

    You can compete with conveniance. People like to choose which way they want thier information delivered and when they choose to access it.

    Does you infomation delivery system incorporate...mp3, mp4, pdf, audio, rss, video, etc.?

    Can they access it digitaly only or by mobile as well?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason_V
    Yes, a lot of good advice above. What you should do is turn your ebook into a home study course. You said "training" isn't necessary, well apparently a lot of people feel that it is if they are willing to pay over $300 and fly somewhere. You just need to take your ebook and turn it into a home training manual.

    Things you could include:

    Workbook
    Mindmaps
    Videos
    Audios
    interviews with other experts in the field

    You could even offer personal coaching without the person having to fly anywhere.

    I have a good feeling that if you and him have had words he may have actually bought your product and either re-worded it or hired someone to re-word it and put it on his site. As you said as an expert in the field he could easily claim that's "common knowledge" related to the niche. You really don't have much legal ground to stand on unless he copied and pasted it word for word.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ashley Gable
      Wow thanks for all the replies!

      I read through them all and I think you are all right. There are a few things I need to do in order to stay on top.

      • I think repackaging my product is the first. As of now it is just a simple e-book, I am going to do the "home study" course as Jason V said. I actually got big mikes EZ lesson manager a few days ago, I think that might do the trick, like an online study course.

      • And the USP, I do have the angle he doesnt, and his site is nowhere to be found in google But he has been in the niche from the beginning, and is on ALL the forums. But I think it can be done.

      Also just a note, he didnt steal anything from me. He just wrote his own ebook and made his own videos and put them up for free. Just wanted to say that.

      I think I let the intial shock get to me lol

      Ashley
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  • Profile picture of the author Pat Blank
    Another idea is to raise your price.

    People often associate value with price - if yours is more expensive, it has to be better. Think of designer handbags and stuff like that. You can buy a perfectly good umbrella that keeps the rain out for ten dollars or so, but if there is a fancy name on it, people will pay hundreds and feel that they have gotten a superior product.
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    I suggest finding ways to differentiate and add value. Make the products different so they aren't viewed as interchangeable: except one is free and the other is not.

    For example:

    I have a product I sell that another law firm offers for free. (Their product is surprisingly bad and will probably result in a malpractice suit someday - but customers don't know that from a sales page.)

    To differentiate, I added a free report and extra information with my product - information that is not just some slapped together bonus, but information a business owner interested in the product would want to have. Now, I have extra and UNIQUE value to justify my charge.

    Another example, my marketing company sells a product and another company offers the exact same product for free. It's exactly the same. Ouch.

    To differentiate, we offer free support, detailed guides on how to use the product, free installation, how-to tips and ideas, etc. Now, we have extra value and a number of our customers originally got the free product from our competitor, then bought it from us just to make use of our "extras."

    You can do this with any product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
    Banned
    Why don't you wait and see if your sales are even affected before jumping the gun? It's possible the people who buy from you may not even know about this other site.
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    Printing and binding your book will give it instant "cache" and
    perceived value. If you have an effective salesletter (you
    probably don't) even people who have read the free info
    on the other site will buy your product if truly interested in
    the topic.

    Lots of info-markters just read a lot of books (or sometimes
    not that many) and re-package the same information
    as multi-media. Because a lot of people are functionally
    illiterate or simply prefer not to read their buying desires
    can be channeled into audio/video formatted products,
    which can sometimes be sold for more than a written
    one and are often less work to produce... depending
    of course on your standard of what a good written product
    should be.

    If your product isn't substantial enough to merit printing
    and binding, beef it up! Add appendices, charts,
    resource lists, and so forth.

    This is really about positioning your product as valuable
    and a great value too - and if you do it with enthusiasm
    don't be surprised if people buy it in significant numbers!
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  • Profile picture of the author Greg Jacobs
    Well let me put it this way. If I took one of the big info products, "Mass Control" for example.

    And I did a post here on WF with my own title and spin and basically summarized the information. Say I called it "Large Influence" Then lots of people will read it, some will say thanks and everybody goes on their way

    But I just gave you the SAME information for free. What gives?

    Its called packaging and market positioning
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