20 replies
Thoughts from other warriors on the use of free wso's? I've heard two camps. 1. Great to build a list if you have a great offer. 2. Your probably building a list of freebie seekers and list might not be the best list to promote to in the future. I have a good video product discussing increasing your sales conversions and am thinking about running my first wso. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
#free #wso
  • Profile picture of the author AmandaT
    Low priced items will get you a higher quality list but a free WSO will likely get you more subscribers. Personally I would suggest a low priced WSO. Even $1 means that they are actually buyers and will help cover the cost of your WSO. You will need an upsell if you want a chance at affiliates with a low priced WSO though.
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    • Profile picture of the author IntoughShape
      Originally Posted by AmandaT View Post

      Low priced items will get you a higher quality list but a free WSO will likely get you more subscribers. Personally I would suggest a low priced WSO. Even $1 means that they are actually buyers and will help cover the cost of your WSO. You will need an upsell if you want a chance at affiliates with a low priced WSO though.
      whats an upsell?
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      • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
        Originally Posted by IntoughShape View Post

        whats an upsell?

        An Upsell is a sales technique whereby a seller induces the customer to purchase more expensive items, upgrades, or other add-ons in an attempt to make a more profitable sale
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      • Profile picture of the author AmandaT
        Originally Posted by IntoughShape View Post

        whats an upsell?
        An upsell is a more expensive related product you offer after they buy the initial product. You'll want to carefully select one because many people are off put by many upsells.

        You could also do both a freebie and a paid product. A freebie isn't a bad idea for a first WSO if you have plans for a paid product down the line.

        Really you should look at what you have to offer and decide what is going to work best for you. Either one can work great but in different ways.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
    What's going to happen here is you'll get some to agree to your first argument while others will agree with point number 2.

    Might I suggest you go ahead and do it... employ your marketing skills and see what happens. Also, freebie subscribers are as good as the person marketing to them and that goes for people who have bought something from you in the past as well.

    You've taken the time to learn about internet marketing so now implement and see what happens. Give it your very best shot, put everything you have into it and keep moving things forward. Try other things as well and you'll soon discover what's working from what isn't.

    The reason I mention this is because what works for one will not always work for the other. There are a lot of factors involved with every step that it's tough to put a finger on what's going to work for you without actually going out and doing it.
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  • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
    I always argue with people about freebies. I love to give freebies, Yes the list is not that great, but everyone is a potential customer for later. So If I spend 100 bucks to develop a product and then give it way to get some mails. Lets say I get 1000 mails, If just 3 percent of those people become regular customers then I made my 100 back and then some.

    Yes both have a place, I think free is fine to start with and maybe later after you have did a few products as a thank you for being there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Barry Huddleston
    I'm also in the boat you are in. This is my gameplan:

    I have free plugin that people can download.
    I have a paid version in development.
    I'm going to give the free one out and then slowly market the full version to the people that downloaded the free version.
    This can be done in a series of follow up e-mails.
    Of course giving good value and building trust. Perhaps ask how they like the free version.

    Then when they look at the added features of the paid version they are more likely to jump in a buy.

    This can be done with most products, services and software.

    If you get creative you can gain the interest of your list and raise the conversions of the paid product.

    Hope this helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author Nickels
    ive never ran a wso but i would like to assume that all the people visiting the wso section are potential customers and likely buyers at some point.
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    build theirs.
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  • Profile picture of the author FrankMiller
    Yeah that makes sense. It might be better to charge a small amount for a product just to build up a buyers list
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Maggs
    I would go with a good product priced around $10 and give 100% to affiliates to promote, the affiliates then have a good incentive to work for you and you will be ruling out the freebie hunters and getting buyers.
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    • Profile picture of the author Anthony La Rocca
      Definitely agree, Rob. Can't forget having a solid OTO/downsell with at least 50% comm on that too..even extra incentive

      Originally Posted by Rob Maggs View Post

      I would go with a good product priced around $10 and give 100% to affiliates to promote, the affiliates then have a good incentive to work for you and you will be ruling out the freebie hunters and getting buyers.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rob Maggs
        Originally Posted by LaRocca View Post

        Definitely agree, Rob. Can't forget having a solid OTO/downsell with at least 50% comm on that too..even extra incentive
        Yep, you are right on the mark there
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  • Profile picture of the author louie6925
    As was mentioned earlier, what works well for one marketer, doesn't always suit another, and in this game its all about testing and seing what works for you! so why not try numbers 1 and 2 and see what gives the best long term results?
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Cole
    I would say that if your product is good, then sell it. Even if it is just to recoup your investment of posting the wso.

    Another point to consider is free wso's can also get good numbers of sub's onto your list, but how many are simply adding their junk email account to sign up for the free offer.

    If they buy your wso, then you get their main paypal email address onto your list...
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  • Profile picture of the author wlasikiewicz
    Don't give it away, sell it for a discounted price but do not give it away. People are not loyal online and they will take your product and run.
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    • Profile picture of the author katarina1
      I think those people on your list,if you overdeliver with a free wso,will remember you the second time when you have something too sell.Offer them discount price before everybody else see your offer any you will make sales.Also,those people could be your affiliates and spread the word on twitter,facebook and other places about your wso. I would do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by martimoney View Post

    I've heard two camps.
    Looks like you have some of the camp-followers from each posting in your thread, too?

    You're doing this to build a list, you've said.

    So, what sort of list do you want to build?

    (a) A list of people who are known to have either a credit-card or a PayPal account and both the ability and willingness to use it online (even a $1 WSO will identify them), or ...

    (b) A bigger list including the people above mixed together with a larger group of others of whom that isn't true, with no way to tell the difference between the two kinds of "subscribers"?

    Does it become an easier decision, when you look at it that way?
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  • Profile picture of the author Imogene
    Of course, this is really the best technique of building list and you can do your marketing work with that list successfully...you can also set to any software and you can do automated work as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author CollegeCEO
    I think it depends on the quality of the WSO. If you have a product that you put a lot of hard work and dedication into I wouldn't give it away just to build a list. For free WSO's I would recommend maybe giving away something short and simple. Maybe a "light" version of your official product to get people warmed up and subscribed to your list. Then when you have a more developed product you already have a potential list of people who liked the "light" version and will want to get the full on version.

    Take a look at what Preeti did with her Linkedin WSO's. She started out with the free Linkedin makeover ebook that had decent entry level info and now she has released a new paid WSO that is a bit more heavy duty. People such as myself that got the free one enjoyed it so that when she released a related product we were more willing to buy it than someone who may have just discovered the product.

    So overall I would say free WSO's are a good idea when used correctly.
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