How do i add a pdf to my thank u page???

35 replies
Hey fellow warriors, i am in in the process of making my very first product and i am going very well. I have written the book, sales page and thank you page but hit a hurdle. Just wanting to know if i need a domain or hosting for my pdf(ebook), or can i link straight to it, I have no idea some help would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks warriors.
#add #page #pdf
  • Profile picture of the author Olgi
    Why don't you use E-Junkie.com? All the payments and stuff will be handled by them plus your e-book will be secured. Last time I checked they had a free trial so you better give them a shot
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  • Profile picture of the author vickybabe
    selling through clickbank though
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    • Profile picture of the author blogonator
      You could use a free wordpress or blogger blog, then upload your ebooks there. You will also get the required links.
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      Hasta la WinVista, Baby!

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      • Profile picture of the author vickybabe
        does that still work selling through clickbank??
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        • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
          Originally Posted by vickybabe View Post

          does that still work selling through clickbank??
          Yes, however, in that case, I would use a complicated string of alphanumeric characters or an atypical name for the folder.

          You should also heavily consider getting an autoresponder service, such as aweber, and instead of putting your download link on your "thank you" page, have an opt-in there to capture their name and email. Then set up your download through aweber...

          Never give up an opportunity to build a list.
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          • Profile picture of the author vickybabe
            Actually that is a very good idea david, that way i would get the same result and also get them to opt-in to my list. Great info, is it difficult to set up aweber that way??
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            • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
              Originally Posted by vickybabe View Post

              Actually that is a very good idea david, that way i would get the same result and also get them to opt-in to my list. Great info, is it difficult to set up aweber that way??
              Not at all. That is the purpose of the service. The concept is the same either way. You still have to upload your PDF as I described before, only you are providing your customer with an additional "thank you"/ "download" page that aweber will send them to after the opt-in.
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            • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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              • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
                Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

                Alas, no, Vicky.

                Think about it from the customer's perspective. They see your sales page, decide to buy your product, go through the payment process and then after that, instead of getting their product delivery as they expect to (and have every right to), they get presented with an opt-in page and have to supply their name and email address?! How do you think that will make many of them feel? Will they wonder "Why is a new term of the contract of sale being introduced after I've paid?" and want a refund?

                This is no way to look after customers at all - it's very unprofessional to try to introduce an additional condition of sale after they've paid! :rolleyes:
                Actually, yes, it is an appropriate practice. A product can be created and marketed to a previously built list, however, that strategy doesn't always come into play. It is good to build a list in this fashion so that the product creator can easily open a dialog with the customer. Whether that be for additional marketing or additional instructions for the product. This form of list building is quite mainstream, especially for non-IM related products.

                After the purchase as been made, the AR is set up along with the download details for the customer. To them, it is nothing more than part of the purchase/download sequence. "Please enter your name and email for the download instructions".....As long as it is set up properly, there shouldn't be any apprehension during the process for the customer.

                In some cases, an opt-in form is put directly on the sales-page. This, of course, has it's own positive and negative benefits.

                Your perspective on the matter seems to be taken from your position as an internet marketer, and not as a casual online shopper. It is perfectly professional, and duly so, especially when the product creator can use this as a way to provide additional value to the purchaser.
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                • Profile picture of the author ebooks4u
                  I agree with David. I've purchased tons of products online, and got the occasional sign up form presented after making my payment. It's a great way to build a list of paying subscribers... and many online guru's practice (and preach) this marketing method.
                  Originally Posted by David Bryant View Post

                  Actually, yes, it is an appropriate practice. A product can be created and marketed to a previously built list, however, that strategy doesn't always come into play. It is good to build a list in this fashion so that the product creator can easily open a dialog with the customer. Whether that be for additional marketing or additional instructions for the product. This form of list building is quite mainstream, especially for non-IM related products.

                  After the purchase as been made, the AR is set up along with the download details for the customer. To them, it is nothing more than part of the purchase/download sequence. "Please enter your name and email for the download instructions".....As long as it is set up properly, there shouldn't be any apprehension during the process for the customer.

                  In some cases, an opt-in form is put directly on the sales-page. This, of course, has it's own positive and negative benefits.

                  Your perspective on the matter seems to be taken from your position as an internet marketer, and not as a casual online shopper. It is perfectly professional, and duly so, especially when the product creator can use this as a way to provide additional value to the purchaser.
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                • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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                  • Profile picture of the author kingdir99
                    godaddy have 0.89$ for .info domain and 8$ for .com
                    so u may find it deal for u
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                  • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
                    Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

                    Remind me not to buy any of your products!

                    I realise you're a recent member, David, but this issue's been discussed here many times before, and the consensus of "Warrior opinion" on the point has always been that this practice is both unethical and inadvisable. I remember a discussion last year on the subject of "how many immediate refunds have you had requested because customers have resented this?" - so please don't imagine that it's "just me".

                    I strongly suspect (but can't quote a reference for it and am happy to be mistaken on the point, if that's how it turns out) that it may even be contrary to Clickbank's terms of service - though I imagine people do get away with it.

                    It's definitely not something I'd do myself. If you require an opt-in as part of the terms of sale, it's clearly appropriate to say so before people pay. It honestly baffles me a bit that anyone could think otherwise, but there you are: I suppose it would be boring if everyone agreed.
                    Well, I'm abashed. I'd hate to lose a customer before they were ever presented with my product:p

                    Actually, I'm interested in reading the topic in reference. I'd like to be up to date with the sentiments on the matter, as it pertains to the WF.

                    As far as policy is concerned on clickbank...

                    "VENDOR REQUIREMENTS
                    ClickBank requires Vendors to abide by the following criteria in order to sell Products through the ClickBank Services. Your use of the ClickBank Services indicates Your agreement that:

                    You will create and be responsible and liable for: (1) a "Pitch Page" which accurately and clearly describes such Product; and (2) a "Thank You" page through which Purchasers will immediately receive the Product or through which they will receive clearly and accurate instructions on how and when they will receive the Product."

                    So yes, the practice is perfectly acceptable and conforming with Clickbank's policy.

                    It is something that I have practiced for years, and to date, I've not been faced with any negative consequences from the practice, in fact, I've found it to be a great way to better serve my customers. As I said though, I'm interested in reading the discussion if you happen to come across it sometime. If feelings have changed for the majority, then I would definitely like to be "in-the-know" on the matter.

                    To the opinion of informing the customer before they are faced with the opt-in, I certainly agree. The sales-page should accurately depict screenshots and the process for the purchase so that they are comfortable during the checkout process.

                    *Edit... Please note though, I'm not talking about building a list wherein you promote affiliate products. That type of list is its own business venture. The set up type I'm referring to is for your buyer's list of your own products in that niche, and for customer service.
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                    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
                      Banned
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                      • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
                        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

                        You may well be right about this, but the sentence you quoted certainly didn't prove the point: that was just your interpretation of it. What matters is Clickbank's interpretation of it, and that's something that can easily transcend all reason.
                        True. The way that I worded that statement did make it my interpretation of it. It would be more appropriate to say that it didn't directly contradict their policy in anyway. However, just for clarification, I went ahead and opened a support ticket on ClickBank to clear up this question. Here is the answer:

                        Created: 2010-04-06 05:49PM
                        Closed: 2010-04-08 11:27AM
                        Subject: Other
                        Question:
                        First Name: David
                        Last Name: Bryant
                        Email Address: xxxxx
                        Account Nickname: xxxxx

                        "As a Clickbank Vendor, can you place an email opt-in form for an auto-responder service on the "thank-you" page? I would be providing clear download instructions for my product on this page, however, I would like to use the auto-responder service from aweber to control the actual download location. Thank you!"

                        Closing Comment:

                        "Hello David, Thank you for your inquiry. Vendors are certainly allowed to post an opt in on their Pitch Page or Thank You Page, please be sure to add a link at the bottom of every email so the customer can opt out and any time. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Best regards, Kimberly ClickBank.com Client Support http://www.clickbank.com/help/"

                        This should clear up any questions that were raised in this thread. I'll be searching around to see if I can find the previous discussions based on this topic. I really am interested.
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                • Profile picture of the author scrofford
                  Originally Posted by David Bryant View Post

                  Actually, yes, it is an appropriate practice. A product can be created and marketed to a previously built list, however, that strategy doesn't always come into play. It is good to build a list in this fashion so that the product creator can easily open a dialog with the customer. Whether that be for additional marketing or additional instructions for the product. This form of list building is quite mainstream, especially for non-IM related products.

                  After the purchase as been made, the AR is set up along with the download details for the customer. To them, it is nothing more than part of the purchase/download sequence. "Please enter your name and email for the download instructions".....As long as it is set up properly, there shouldn't be any apprehension during the process for the customer.

                  In some cases, an opt-in form is put directly on the sales-page. This, of course, has it's own positive and negative benefits.

                  Your perspective on the matter seems to be taken from your position as an internet marketer, and not as a casual online shopper. It is perfectly professional, and duly so, especially when the product creator can use this as a way to provide additional value to the purchaser.
                  Actually it's not just their perspective, it's a lot of people's perspective. I know I wouldn't want to pay for something and then after giving the seller my good money, have to opt in to a list in order to receive my product. How right is that? I'm sure you wouldn't like it and it isn't the norm for products being sold on the internet either.

                  And by the way THIS FORM OF LIST BUILDING IS NOT QUITE MAINSTREAM AT ALL! I don't care what niche you are in. It's wrong.
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                  • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
                    Originally Posted by scrofford View Post

                    Actually it's not just their perspective, it's a lot of people's perspective. I know I wouldn't want to pay for something and then after giving the seller my good money, have to opt in to a list in order to receive my product. How right is that? I'm sure you wouldn't like it and it isn't the norm for products being sold on the internet either.

                    And by the way THIS FORM OF LIST BUILDING IS NOT QUITE MAINSTREAM AT ALL! I don't care what niche you are in. It's wrong.
                    That may be. It is also many people's perspective that the practice is appropriate and acceptable. Here is a question for you... Did you even know what a list was before you became an internet marketer? Would it seem at all odd to you for you to have to offer your email in exchange for receiving your product and customer support? Especially considering that the product creator is outsourcing a company (Clickbank) for processing your credit card transaction? Despite how we as IM'ers use and view Clickbank, to online shoppers they are simply a trusted source for making secure payment transactions.

                    To your question about it bothering me, no it never bothered me at all.
                    When I made purchases, before I became an IM'er, I simply followed the steps given to me to receive the product that I had purchased. There are many products that have opt-ins on their thank you page, including a few of my own, when the situation has fit. It is indeed a mainstream concept IMO, and it is undoubtedly mainstream in its use.

                    I understand that you feel that its wrong, and there is nothing wrong with that. I personally feel that I've made a good argument and defended my position on the matter. As of yet, I've had no complaints from any customers, nor did I know that there was a collective swing in the opposite direction. It certainly hasn't reflected in my sales to date. If it is implemented correctly, then I support the practice, and it can be a great way to better serve your customers.
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                    • Profile picture of the author scrofford
                      Originally Posted by David Bryant View Post

                      That may be. It is also many people's perspective that the practice is appropriate and acceptable. Here is a question for you... Did you even know what a list was before you became an internet marketer? Would it seem at all odd to you for you to have to offer your email in exchange for receiving your product and customer support? Especially considering that the product creator is outsourcing a company (Clickbank) for processing your credit card transaction? Despite how we as IM'ers use and view Clickbank, to online shoppers they are simply a trusted source for making secure payment transactions.

                      To your question about it bothering me, no it never bothered me at all.
                      When I made purchases, before I became an IM'er, I simply followed the steps given to me to receive the product that I had purchased. There are many products that have opt-ins on their thank you page, including a few of my own, when the situation has fit. It is indeed a mainstream concept IMO, and it is undoubtedly mainstream in its use.

                      I understand that you feel that its wrong, and there is nothing wrong with that. I personally feel that I've made a good argument and defended my position on the matter. As of yet, I've had no complaints from any customers, nor did I know that there was a collective swing in the opposite direction. It certainly hasn't reflected in my sales to date. If it is implemented correctly, then I support the practice, and it can be a great way to better serve your customers.
                      Fair enough, but have you tried it the other way around? If not, how do you know it hasn't affected your sales? Have you taken the opt in out of the system and put it in the beginning of the sales funnel? If not, then again, you can't say it hasn't affected your sales.

                      Maybe you could have more sales if you don't force people to opt in and do one more step AFTER they have paid for the product. It's the jumping through the hoops AFTER paying for the product that isn't right. You should give different ways a try. Maybe it will work better.
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                    • Profile picture of the author timelessreader
                      Originally Posted by David Bryant View Post

                      Here is a question for you... Did you even know what a list was before you became an internet marketer?
                      Yeah, I think this is right on. Before I got into IM, I don't think I really had any concept of "opt-in" or "list". I wouldn't have even given it a second thought if I was asked to enter my email.

                      It seems like you always have to enter your email when you buy online. I would just consider it part of the checkout process.

                      It seems unlikely that I would immediately demand a refund. Presumably I would still have a problem that I needed the product to help me with. I would probably actually want to be on the email list so that the teacher can help me solve my problem.

                      I'm working on my first product, and I just assumed that buyers would be on my list so that I could send them regular tips. (Very far from IM niche).

                      However, I recognize that people in this thread are going so far as to say it is morally "wrong", so I'm going to have to think about this one some more.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Bryant
    On your server, make a new sub-folder for your site (name it "download" or something similar) and upload your PDF file to it. Place the destination URL of the PDF on your "thank you" page.
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  • Profile picture of the author Olgi
    I wouldn't recommend naming it /download/ or even if you do so, if you have knowledge you should edit your .HTACCESS so search engine bots won't index that folder

    A really simple search for all your indexed sites on Google will also give away that directory or even that product so be careful with that
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    • Profile picture of the author vickybabe
      Excellent advice olgi but a little bit technical for me. OK then what would you suggest to get your first ebook online keeping in mind that it is all ready for some hosting and a payment processor
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      • Profile picture of the author scrofford
        Originally Posted by vickybabe View Post

        Excellent advice olgi but a little bit technical for me. OK then what would you suggest to get your first ebook online keeping in mind that it is all ready for some hosting and a payment processor
        The first thing you need to do is have a domain name on a server. Hostgator or some other company usually does fine. Then you can upload your website and pdf file onto your server and it's ready to sell. This is a very basic explanation
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  • Profile picture of the author Olgi
    I presume you don't have any hosting at the moment right? (with FTP)

    You actually don't have to be technical to do it, its just a simple code

    add this on your htaccess or create a file named robots.txt

    Code:
    User-agent: *
    Disallow: /downloads
    In this way it will disallow access of any bots on that particular folder, you can add also the thank you page just in case to be safer

    There are many free hosts out there which offer FTP but your best choice would be to get 1 month at Hostgator, so you become a little tech savy too
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  • Profile picture of the author Adara
    On a Mac, got to HELP and type "compression" and an option will appear
    To Compress a PDF file.
    Instruction:
    1.Open the PDF file and choose FILE > save as
    2. Choose Reduce File Size from the Quartz Filter pop up menu.
    This reduced my large file to 2.8 MB it works
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  • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
    Originally Posted by vickybabe View Post

    I have written the book, sales page and thank you page but hit a hurdle. Just wanting to know if i need a domain or hosting for my pdf(ebook),
    You will need a domain for your sales and thank-you pages.

    I suggest you register a domain name (I use namecheap) and then buy hosting - start with a basic account as you can upgrade later if you want to add more domains.

    Imagine your new domain is called mynewdomain.com.

    Use ftp software (either from within your new cpanel or use filezilla) to ftp your document into the folder that is usually called public_html on your server space.

    So inside public_html you should see mydocument.pdf. (Make sure thereare NO SPACES in the file name, otherwise it won't be recognised).

    On your thank-you page (NEVER call it "thank-you") you add a link to your pdf. The link will be mynewdomain.com/mydocument.pdf (make sure you include the .pdf extension)

    Clickbank have required text you have to add to your thank you page. As this is your first product, there is a simple way to make that text non-searchable, rather than purchasing software to protect your downloads. (freebie seekers and scammers know to search for that text string and find your download page without paying)

    Type the required text in your word processor and then use a snipping tool of some kind to copy the text and save it as a graphic. Import the graphic into your thank-you page. The required text is there for purchasers to read, but is invisible to search engines and therefore cannot be searched for.
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    • Profile picture of the author vickybabe
      Excellent advice do i only need one domain for sales and thanku page?thank you very much cant imagine how helpful and explanatory that was.
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      • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
        Yes - one domain is all you need. You can design two separate pages. Just don't include any links from one to the other.

        Your sales page (which is the one you want people to find if they type www.mynewdomain.com into their browser) will probably have to be called index.html.

        Your thank-you page should be called something else. With no link from your sales page, a non-searchable name and no searchable text, it should only be found by people who have purchased and been sent the link by you.

        So in public_html you should see two pages - called index.html and somethingelse.html, along with your pdf file.

        If your product becomes popular, consider purchasing download protection software so that people can't just pass the link to their friends or add it to Warez sites.
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    • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
      Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

      Type the required text in your word processor and then use a snipping tool of some kind to copy the text and save it as a graphic. Import the graphic into your thank-you page. The required text is there for purchasers to read, but is invisible to search engines and therefore cannot be searched for.
      Thank you rosetrees! Why didn't I think of that? I put my email address as a graphic on my sites so the bots can't harvest it, what a simple way to do that with the download link.

      People will just have to type it into their browser bar to get the download.

      Thanks

      :-Don
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      • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
        Originally Posted by Don Schenk View Post

        Thank you rosetrees! Why didn't I think of that? I put my email address as a graphic on my sites so the bots can't harvest it, what a simple way to do that with the download link.

        People will just have to type it into their browser bar to get the download.

        Thanks

        :-Don
        I usually make the link itself clickable - but I use a graphic for everything else. So the graphic might say something like "click on the link below to download your guide to permanent happiness" and the link would say something neutral like: PHGuide
        With another graphic for all the blah required by Clickbank (I don't actually use CB!)
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  • Profile picture of the author tma
    I'll advise you start a WSO. See your success before going out. I don't what u're selling though
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  • Profile picture of the author kidino
    OK, this is going to sound like an ad. Maybe it is...

    but what if there's a service that allows you to upload your files and you can just simply start selling. The website will take care of Paypal integration, thank you page, expire downloads, etc...

    Sell eBooks, Files, Downloads, Digital Products with Paypal - UPLOADnSELL.com
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    DIPPEC - PHP Script for Selling Digital Products with Paypal. No more monthly SaaS fees. No more commission fees. Keep it all for yourself (except for Paypal fees).

    Free Pricing Table Builder

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  • Profile picture of the author jimmyab
    Originally Posted by vickybabe View Post

    ....Just wanting to know if i need a domain or hosting for my pdf(ebook), or can i link straight to it...
    Hey vickybabe

    For maximum control then domain and hosting is best. You would then upload the ebook to your domain and create a link to it on your 'thank you' page. Plus it allows you to access and edit it quickly and any time you need to.

    Little tip* - if it's not critical that your domain be a ".com" - then try ".info" - cheap as chips and it allows you to test response etc. After you see results, then buy ".com" if you need to.

    Hope this helps.
    Signature

    Stop pointing to your signature

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    • Profile picture of the author Ruth Hendrickson
      It always amuses me when internet marketers get bent out of shape over marketing techniques such as asking a customer to opt in to receive a download they purchased. What's the big deal? After all, you can opt out at any time. It's not like you're stuck with receiving emails. Furthermore, you can bet that all the big companies capture your email and use it once you become a customer, without asking you to opt in.
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