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Continuity Product Questions

by Imamarketer2
9 replies
Hi Everyone.

I've been trying to come up with an idea for a continuity product that would be stupidly cheap to create and take very little time. I wanted to create a monthly printed newsletter, but my list is very small at the moment so I don't want to put the time and money into it as it wouldn't be worth it until I have a larger list to draw subscribers from.

So, I've come up with the idea of doing a monthly pre-recorded call. The calls would all revolve around a central theme, and subscribers could send me questions which I would answer on the next call after I've delivered the main material.

What do you think of this idea? I use freeconferencecall to record my calls. It works great for me, it's free, and nobody knows I use a free recording system as opposed to paying for something. I use audacity to edit, which is also free. So cost is nothing except a little of my time.

Also, I've been looking into delivery options for this. I'm using e-junkie for another product
on my site and I love it, but it won't allow me to charge month after month. Paypal will allow me to charge for subscriptions, but then I've got a delivery issue.

I need a platform that would host my MP3's of my calls (so I can archive them and sell them to new subscribers who want previous calls) like e-junkie does, but that would allow me to sell subscriptions as well as one off products. Also I need to be able to sell physical products as well.

I've got my own website (WordPress) so whatever platform I use I need to be able to preferably just create a button and have it connect like I do with ejunkie right now. Otherwise it would need to integrate with my site. I'm not a techie so I prefer something simple that I can do myself.

I'd love your thoughts on my continuity product idea as well as on being able to deliver it.

Thanks!
#continuity #product #questions
  • Profile picture of the author danieldesai
    In terms of delivering your content, if you want a membership style type of site you can use WishList: Membership Site Software | WishList Member - Membership Software - WordPress Membership Plugin

    As for whether or not this is a good fit for your product, I cannot say.

    It depends on what market you're serving, and what kind of content they like to consume; for example, audios tend to do well in the dating/relationship market but audios might not be such a good fit if you're teaching people how to be a skilled graphics designer (for obvious reasons).

    Another option, if your product price is low (like $9.99 a month), is to simply put your audios on a download page for your customers (you can do this with WordPress), and you just send your customers a link to their monthly audio call.

    Regards,
    Daniel
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    • Profile picture of the author NomadLifestyle
      I think it's a pretty good idea. It's certainly been done before so must work.

      One of the biggest breakthroughs that I ever had in product creation is realizing that "continuity" can be packaged in a much better way/much easier to deliver than something where I need to do extra work every month.

      For example, I don't know if you offer coaching, but let's say that you do.

      Let's say that typically you offer your coaching package for something like $5000.

      Now, most people will say "would you like my coaching for $5000?".

      I used to do that all the time.

      Now, I offer that same coaching program with a 12 month payment option.

      So essentially, that $5000 program is now being pitched as a $425 per month program where you get:

      X, Y, and Z

      I think the problem in selling most continuity programs is the unclear "what result will I get when I purchased this thing?"

      Where, when you offer coaching, or even some other "bigger" information product, you can very clearly identify the end goal/result of the program that you've created for the prospect.

      So for our example above, let's say that the result of your coaching program is that they will come away with 12 information products created, and traffic being sent, and the funnel set up etc.

      That is a much better pitch, then "I'll send you some stuff every month, I'm not sure what it is yet but it's gonna be great".

      That make sense?

      Definitely not saying that you can't pull it off.

      Look at Russell Brunson, Dan Kennedy, Ben settle, etc. they all have $97 per month newsletters. It obviously works, but I just recommended the monthly coaching/big product thing instead because you mentioned "as little work as possible".

      With coaching you don't have to actually get on the phone with people. If you run a group coaching program you can just have a Facebook group where you check in for 15 minutes a day etc.

      If it's a big information product, you don't have to check in at all etc.

      I think if you're looking for a way to get monthly income coming in consistently without having to do a lot of work, it's probably a better idea to make a bigger product, break it down into monthly payments, use something like stripe (so they can cancel is easy), and go from there.

      You don't have to have too many $400 per month programs going before it adds up to really big money.
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      • Profile picture of the author Imamarketer2
        NomadLifestyle - Thank you for your well thought out, well written response. I really appreciate it.

        I've currently got a couple larger products out plus one small one. My sales haven't been great. Part of this is because I've got a very tiny list (under 100 people).

        And part of it is because I'm just lost when it comes to advertising online. I'm afraid of losing my shirt with something like Facebook ads or Google ads. I'm planning to study this more (I'm currently reading the social media book by Dan Kennedy and Kim Walsh-Phillips), but getting more people on my list is a bigger priority for me right now.

        I would love to add in some group coaching, but I'm still very new to all of this and don't like to jump into anything without having at least some clue of how to do it. So, I'll Google that and see what I can find on it. I know how to create a google page. It's just a matter of what to post on it to keep everyone interested. I need to see how others have done it.

        Also, without a big list it would be a very small group. What if only two people joined? How would that look to those two people? I would keep the group open for others to join anytime, but no matter how great my information is I don't think there would be much excitement without a sizeable number of people signed up - like at least 20 minimum. More is better, of course, but that seems like it would be a good start.

        So, this is why I was thinking of pre-recorded calls. I'm very comfortable with this format, and people wouldn't have any idea how many others signed up, nor would it matter. It's something I can keep going and build over time, and I'd only need to do one call a month.

        I was planning to charge around $15.00 a month for it. A lower price might get some of my list people to buy from me who haven't purchased my higher priced products.

        All that said, I also fear charging such a low price due to the perceived value of what I'm offering to my audience, as well as the perceived value of my business over all. But, doesn't it make sense to offer different products and services at different price points? Yes, it does. The question is what price should be the starting point after they receive your free opt-in? And I'd imagine the answer to that is different for everyone. Test and see, right?

        On the flip side, if I charged a higher price I'd need less people to make it pay.

        Of course, I'll survey my list and see what kind of responses I get.

        All these things go round and round in my head. I just want to finish building out my funnel and get more people on my list. I NEED this business to be viable as soon as possible (don't we all? :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Imamarketer2
    Hello??? Anyone? Anyone?
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  • Profile picture of the author tyronne78
    I'm with danieldesai on this one. I would create a membership site and bill your customers on a monthly basis.
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    you could also convert your calls into podcasts

    al
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    "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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    • Profile picture of the author Imamarketer2
      agmccal - Thanks, but I don't understand why that would be an advantage. How is a podcast different from a call that I convert to an MP3? Isn't a podcast the same thing?

      Guess I'll have to look that one up.
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      • Profile picture of the author agmccall
        Originally Posted by Imamarketer2 View Post

        agmccal - Thanks, but I don't understand why that would be an advantage. How is a podcast different from a call that I convert to an MP3? Isn't a podcast the same thing?

        Guess I'll have to look that one up.
        It is just another avenue to promote your content

        al
        Signature

        "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison

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        • Profile picture of the author Imamarketer2
          agmccall - Thanks. I'll look into it. I just found a new shopping cart that I'm going to try. It's Digital Product Delivery, and it allows podcast subscriptions. So, I'm going to be looking at doing the podcast thing after all because I was unable to find another cart that met all of my criteria (integrates with Aweber, allows physical, digital and subscription products, flat fee only-no percentage taken from sales, no limit on bandwidth or on the amount of income you can make at any level, priced according to the amount of space you need).

          I'm also thinking podcast tends to have a higher perceived value than MP3. So that's a plus!
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