Email Marketing - Should I Tell Them the Price?!

12 replies
I have an interesting question that I haven't been able to test out yet but was wondering if any other warriors had opinions/tests on it.

Basically, in a non-IM niche, do you talk about the price of the product you're promoting in your emails?

I don't know whether saying "Right now the author is offering $5 off the regular $20 price to those who buy online through links in [My Site's Name]'s emails or pages!" (or something like that) would be an encouragement to click through to get them to click through to the vendor or if it will just make them think "oh, here's a promotion" or "looks like this is something where I'm being asked to whip out my credit card" and so they never ever make it to the vendor's copy.

Basically I'm wondering if it qualifies visitors more or discourages them?

I of course plan on testing it both ways but don't have enough time to test each copy effectively for the whole email series before christmas and the holiday season is probably going to be a big selling point for this niche.

For those of you who read through, any thoughts?

I really do appreciate it!

- Brandon
#email #marketing #price
  • Profile picture of the author anders3397
    Rather than tell them the price, give the reader some valuable information as a teaser to click through to your sales page.
    You're right thought that the only way you're really going to know in your market is to test.
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    • Profile picture of the author celente
      Originally Posted by anders3397 View Post

      Rather than tell them the price, give the reader some valuable information as a teaser to click through to your sales page.
      You're right thought that the only way you're really going to know in your market is to test.
      yes andes is right, why havent you been testing.

      You will be surprised what works and what doesnt sometimes.

      Just test tweak, and then test some more. Simple, you do not need to keep asking people for ideas here, you already knew what the answer was, I can tell from your response.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexander K
    Basically I'm wondering if it qualifies visitors more or discourages them?
    As a member of my mailing list, you get [product] a very special coupon that lowers the price to $5! Act now, coupon only works for the first 20 buyers.

    Ermmm... that is kinda (well it is) being untrue. But putting it that way, would encourage. Perhaps tone it down a little, but hopefully that gives you an idea?

    Testing is always a good idea as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Branlan17
    Yeah might have to try something like that, thanks guys : )

    Anyone else?
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  • Profile picture of the author stella689
    Bran,

    I think using or mentioning price will be fine as it is an email and though effective but still customers rarely reply to mails or tend to have some information about the product or the services. Mentioning prices shows a clear picture of the service and the firm as well. But yes one thing can be done in order that it must not seem promotional in straight context that using promotional lines like best buy, instant buyer offer and etc could be in small banners in either of the side
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  • Profile picture of the author robnoble
    Personaly I wouldn't mention price unless it was a product that prospects already know the price and you were offering it at a substantial discount.
    You can't do nearly as good a job of preselling the prospect on the offer in the email as you can on the webpage.
    Why would there be any need to qualify the click when there is no cost involved?
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Here's a useful ditty to keep in mind about when to reveal
      the price...

      Price before value kills the sale

      What that means is that you've got to do a good job of
      demonstrating the value of the offer sufficiently well
      before revealing how much it's going to 'cost.'

      Unless the price is an amazing selling point, e.g. a heavy
      discount and a strong reason for buying, then let the
      sales page do the job of building the value and then let
      it reveal the price.

      Ultimately though, you need to test the two options for
      yourself to get the right answer for your traffic and the
      specific offer you're making.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
      Signature

      .

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      • Profile picture of the author barbling
        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        Here's a useful ditty to keep in mind about when to reveal
        the price...

        Price before value kills the sale


        Very very true.

        When I promote to my lists, I will first talk up the value-added benefits and then mention what percentage is off, or how much savings is gained, etc.etc.etc.

        For example, often I'll release things at DIMESALE. And instead of saying, I'll start off the price at $0.97, I'll say

        And I'll start the price off at considerably LESS than $9.97!

        Folks scroll down to see that "9.97" is really, say, "2.79".

        Then after the price gets higher, I adjust the sales copy to reflect whatever it currently is.

        Seems to help...
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      • Profile picture of the author HarrisSun
        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        Price before value kills the sale
        Shaun
        words of wisdom
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      • Profile picture of the author BlackRob
        Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

        Here's a useful ditty to keep in mind about when to reveal
        the price...

        Price before value kills the sale

        What that means is that you've got to do a good job of
        demonstrating the value of the offer sufficiently well
        before revealing how much it's going to 'cost.'

        Unless the price is an amazing selling point, e.g. a heavy
        discount and a strong reason for buying, then let the
        sales page do the job of building the value and then let
        it reveal the price.

        Ultimately though, you need to test the two options for
        yourself to get the right answer for your traffic and the
        specific offer you're making.

        Dedicated to mutual success,

        Shaun
        Love that ditty Shaun, and how very true. Sadly too many marketers forget this point, and wonder why their sales and clickthroughs are low. If you follow this ditty, then you should see more sales, and thus, more earnings.
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  • Profile picture of the author jonluk
    Always sell the value of what you're promoting.
    If you sell the value correctly then the price is irrelevant.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Branlan17 View Post

    Basically, in a non-IM niche, do you talk about the price of the product you're promoting in your emails?
    Yes, and in detail, but after reviewing/recommending at length, etc.

    Exactly as Shaun says, above. Value first, price later.

    I'll often mention that something costs (say) only $67, and then go on and say how much I almost wish it were $197 instead of $67, because long experience has taught me that more of my readers will be inclined, instinctively, to take something at a much higher price more seriously, and strongly suggesting to people that they really shouldn't let the "only $67" price prevent them from taking this one seriously ... or something like that.

    If I'm ever "apologising for a price", you can be sure I'm apologising for it being "too low", not "too high".

    Originally Posted by Branlan17 View Post

    I don't know whether saying "Right now the author is offering $5 off the regular $20 price to those who buy online through links in [My Site's Name]'s emails or pages!" (or something like that) would be an encouragement to click through to get them to click through to the vendor or if it will just make them think "oh, here's a promotion" or "looks like this is something where I'm being asked to whip out my credit card" and so they never ever make it to the vendor's copy.
    Personally, I wouldn't dream of doing that.

    First, because I'll never "compete on price", which I always think is a huge mistake, in this context. (I build my business from people who want what I recommend because I'm the person recommending it, not because they can save $5).

    And secondly because that email's going in my autoresponder series, so I can't have anything "dating" in it.

    If there's some temporary discount, I have to think about all the people who haven't subscribed yet and are going to get that email 3 months later. I can hardly go back and change them all the time! One needs a simple, automated system whereby one can put one's emails into the autoresponder and then leave them alone and forget about them, as much as possible - leaving one free to concentrate on developing one's business rather than going back over ground already visited all the time, or messing about with "broadcasts" instead of normal follow-ups ("Nightmare City"/"Chaosville"). :p

    Originally Posted by Branlan17 View Post

    I of course plan on testing it both ways
    Always a good answer.
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