Is it wrong to sell information that is availaable free ??

[Coolneter]

i dont see anything wrong with that.
You are providing a needed service at one spot, instead of people
trying to get the same information from multiple sources.
You would be saving people some time.

[BrianMcLeod]

Stay out of the INFORMATION business. Information is a worthless commodity. It's everywhere and thus has little real or perceived value.

Sell SOLUTIONS, not information. Solutions command a premium because they are specific and specialized.

Solving a problem, scratching an itch, stopping the bleeding -- these all require solutions, not information...

Hope that makes sense,

Brian

[Xerge]

You have probably spent tons of hours searching for info and at some point you wished everything could be on one single place, even if this cost you money.

When you evaluate the time/cost factor while doing your searching activities, you might find to be a much better idea to pay, say, 29.00 dollars/euros for an eBook which is already well researched, instead of you spending all that time figuring it out.

Are you much more productive in terms of money doing your own work?

In so, you better pay for it and keep focused doing and producing wealth on what you know best.

That's how I work and I'm sure many others do the same.

It's simple and makes sense, don't you think?

[TashaR]

I am constantly amazed by how much difficulty some people have accessing information - whether it be in the phone book, in a library or in the online world. I am often asked by friends and family to "google" stuff for them because they can't seem to find the information they need. I am lucky - I am very good at seeking out information quickly - and this is something that people are happy to pay me for, in both my online and offline businesses.

If people are happy to pay for convenience then I can't see why we should not be able to provide that information to them.

I know how to clean my house, but I pay someone else to do it :-) Convenience, and personal choice! It is all about what your customers value.

Tasha

[drill-bitt]

I agree. - About 18 mths ago, I created a ebook, which to be honest I put hardly any effort into, and if I'm REALLY honest, thought would be a waste of time, detailing a DVD back-up process.

It contained links to 3 different apps. All of which were available free online - (And funnily enough also happened to wipe the floor with their premium priced counterparts!)

It consisted of a 5 or 6 page PDF detailing setting up the apps, and that was it.

With a tag of $12.97 per copy, unbelievably I was making around $300-$400 PER DAY...Selling on ebay ALONE... I didn't even bother setting up a website for it.

Free or not is irrelevant. If you find what people are looking for then you can't lose.

It certainly helped my bank balance!

[Daniel Scott]

One thing no one has mentioned yet (that I noticed) is that it's not just about convenience, it's about the quality of the info.

I sell an ebook on sex. Specifically, how guys can be good at it. Naturally, I have spent some time checking out the competition.

Any women here know how useless most men are in bed. But the thing is, by doing a simple Google search, you get a LOAD of information...

...Most of it completely WRONG.

So, anyone who buys my stuff isn't JUST paying for convenience... they are paying for GOOD information that WORKS...

There's lots of information out there. Separating the "right" and "wrong" information, when you have no knowledge of the subject, is tricky at best.

-Dan

[RevenueRabbi]

Take Water (free) Sell it....

Bottled Water 4.99 in New York City.


so, yes!

[Joshua McCoy]

Here's one that just came to me. If you gave someone a gift they didn't like, but you put some fancy wrapping paper on it with a few bows and added a thoughtful card, they might decide they really like it.

[dean_holland]

Originally Posted by LoudMac

Stay out of the INFORMATION business. Information is a worthless commodity. It's everywhere and thus has little real or perceived value.

Sell SOLUTIONS, not information. Solutions command a premium because they are specific and specialized.

Solving a problem, scratching an itch, stopping the bleeding -- these all require solutions, not information...

Hope that makes sense,

Brian

I like that brother !!

Good view, real good !!

[rmholla]

Is it wrong for Amazon to sell books that people could read for free by visiting their local library?

People pay for convenience.

[adorton]

Make it easy for someone to find to find your product or information and they will pay all day long. rmholla got it right, people pay for convenience

[dwshoup]

Dean,

Consider writing a thesis or report in school, you reasearch the subject matter and compile your notes.

you then bring it all together in a coherent fashion.

Information marketing is the same thing. You research the subject matter, compile your notes and bring it all together in a coherent fashion.

As long as you aren't plageurising, the finished product is yours, and an original work. Information Marketing came into being because people don't want to spend hours,days or weeks looking for the information they are seeking. They want the information at the time that they sit down to the computer.

You are providing a service, and as long as it is a quality service, you should do well.

[Louis Raven]

The other day Eric Louviere told me to focus on two things: Traffic and Conversions.

I could have searched this info on the internet for free, but that doesn't mean that dude didn't turn my business around.

Imagine going back into a news agent and asking for a refund on your magazine because you found the info on the news for free?

Are the fortune 500 magazine companies selling secrets? of course not

Louis

[jgoffshore]

Originally Posted by Valdor Kiebach

Hey Dean, like the blog.
I feel that you should think of it as selling your time in compiling the information and creating the product, why pay water bills when you can purify rain water, its the convenience of presenting the info in an easy to read / watch format.

Like the avatar

[jgoffshore]

Originally Posted by Anna Johnson

Some terrific posts in this thread! Let's also consider this: 'free' information is not really 'free'. There is a cost involved in everything. One cost might be $27 for an ebook... another cost might be spending a day (or more) on the Internet hunting for the same information. That $27 is looking pretty cheap...

Gosh - you gave me a fright. I thought you were my ex wife. It's OK you are not, you are much better looking. That'll teach me to scroll too quickly down these posts.......

[Eric Louviere]

It is all about "presentation".

No matter how you may feel about that, it's true. It's all about presentation. Some of the market of prospects out there may think logically and not buy into "presentation" factors, but those are not your target prospects.

Lets see, how much would you pay me for a salesletter that is guaranteed to convert at 5% for a $47 product?

How much?

Heck, many out there would give their big toe for 3% conversions... or even 2%!

What does that mean?? That means that 95% to 98% of your prospects do not buy your stuff right? And you bank on 2% to 5%, etc

Therefore, it's all about presentation. I could say that if you focus 95% of your time on traffic and conversions, you'll FINALLY start making money online... and you may be like, "oh yeah, that makes sense, woppie doo"

But, if someone like John Reese or Frank Kern said that to you, you might be like "Get the heck out of here, that's it. That's brilliant. oh my god!"

It's all about presentation. Some can deliver insights (solutions) much better than others. Some can do it like a MOFO in copy, others in video, but the bottom line is it's all about presentation. Always has been, always will be (no matter how you personally feel about that)

Some even say elections are won based on presentation.

So, I can sell something you can get free online, but if I have the right hook, the right offer and the right emotional triggers -- and can convert -- people will buy, I'll make money and they'll get something of value (solutions)

Eric

[Sam101]

IMHO what you are doing is perfectly alright. Information is freely available online, but
a) It takes hours of searching to locate it IF you can search (really-there are many people out there who cannot even search properly in Google or Yahoo)
b) You must have arranged the information in a logical and/or sequential manner. This takes time, effort and INTELLIGENCE to glue together
c) Perhaps you added some explanations and /or experiences and/or diagrams/charts to make it easy to understand.

Thus you have saved somebody perhaps hours of their own time PLUS added value to the info. When you add value to info by re-organizing it you actually create new info.
This is recognized even in copyright law.

Conclusion: As long as you do not directly copy/paste from another source, but you compile info and add value to that info, you are OK. In fact you SHOULD charge for it because it is now more valuable than the original info.
Just my 2 cents

[dmarze]

Originally Posted by dean_holland

Hey warriors

"Is it wrong to sell information that is available online for free ?"

It is nothing wrong with that. If they don't want to search and dig for information, they have to pay. It is that simple.

[arclight]

Man, if every person stopped to answer this question nobody would be making any money on the internet. There is very little that you can't get for free if you look.
I reckon its a question that needs to be glanced at very quickly and then move on.

[dean_holland]

Originally Posted by Eric Louviere

It is all about "presentation".

No matter how you may feel about that, it's true. It's all about presentation. Some of the market of prospects out there may think logically and not buy into "presentation" factors, but those are not your target prospects.

Lets see, how much would you pay me for a salesletter that is guaranteed to convert at 5% for a $47 product?

How much?

Heck, many out there would give their big toe for 3% conversions... or even 2%!

What does that mean?? That means that 95% to 98% of your prospects do not buy your stuff right? And you bank on 2% to 5%, etc

Therefore, it's all about presentation. I could say that if you focus 95% of your time on traffic and conversions, you'll FINALLY start making money online... and you may be like, "oh yeah, that makes sense, woppie doo"

But, if someone like John Reese or Frank Kern said that to you, you might be like "Get the heck out of here, that's it. That's brilliant. oh my god!"

It's all about presentation. Some can deliver insights (solutions) much better than others. Some can do it like a MOFO in copy, others in video, but the bottom line is it's all about presentation. Always has been, always will be (no matter how you personally feel about that)

Some even say elections are won based on presentation.

So, I can sell something you can get free online, but if I have the right hook, the right offer and the right emotional triggers -- and can convert -- people will buy, I'll make money and they'll get something of value (solutions)

Eric

Thanks for this one Eric !

Very well put, now you state this I see how right you actually are

I guess it comes back to the fact anything can be sold if it is made to look attractive to the buyer !

Thanks again

Dean