Which of these 2 ideas do you think is better?

15 replies
I want to decide on how to set up some autoresponders / info products - 2 options I have in mind are below.

First some info about the material:

I've written an ebook on a subject area that I am expert in. The ebook is about 55 pages.

I'm now writing a shorter document - it'll probably be around 5 or 6 pages - on a specific thing in the same subject area.

I'll also send out useful emails to people who download one of the products.

I want to develop a list - that's my main priority - and for some of that list to become clients of my service.

But I'd also like to make some money from the info products, if possible.

I'm confident both the ebook and the shorter document will be very useful for people. The ebook particularly.

Following are 2 options I have in mind - which do you think is likely to be best?


1. I give away the ebook for free, saying people can choose to pay the cover price for the ebook if they wish - and saying that those who choose to pay will get a gift: which will be the shorter document I mentioned.

2. I give away the shorter document for free and try to sell the ebook to the people who download the shorter document.


Does either of those options sound good?
#ideas
  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    If it was me, I'd go the second route of giving away the
    shorter download for free and focus on selling the 'ebook'
    to build the more important buyers list.

    (By the way, I wouldn't call it an ebook because that
    cheapens it. Use some copywriting skills to give it a
    more valuable sounding name).

    You can also use your paid 'ebook' as a lead generator
    for your higher paid services.

    Dedicated to mutual success,

    Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by applegreensnake View Post

    1. I give away the ebook for free, saying people can choose to pay the cover price for the ebook if they wish - and saying that those who choose to pay will get a gift: which will be the shorter document I mentioned.

    2. I give away the shorter document for free and try to sell the ebook to the people who download the shorter document.

    Does either of those options sound good?
    Yes.

    The problem is that they both sound "replete with potential", as the saying goes.

    The first one is particularly interesting, to me. I instinctively like it.

    (A small point, and I may be being super-cautious, but you might want to be a bit careful over (a) legal/regulatory issues and (b) TOS of people like PayPal, if trying the first one? Arguably, it's not quite clear whether you're actually "selling" something there. This may not be an issue at all - I just don't know, and would take advice on it, myself, but I do like the sound of it).

    Maybe you have to try both, split-testing, and see which works better? Perhaps not so easy!
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  • Profile picture of the author GSMarketing
    Afternoon,

    I've got to say I'm not sure I entirely like the first option (not that I wish to disagree with Alexa) but here is why;

    You will not get many people who will pay the cover price to get the gift until they have downloaded the book for free. My assumption here being, why would you pay for something you could get for free when you do not know the quality you are getting?

    Assuming they then love the book (which I'm sure they will) they revisit your site to hand over the cover price because you rocked their world. They get a 5 page extra report. I think they will feel let down (unless it is unreal) and may be a little p'd off.

    Now the alternative being, they read your free 5 page report (maybe this could be a little longer?), think yep that's decent, I'll purchase his 55 page book. It kicks ass and now I'm feeling happy, oh so happy!

    Just my take on things. I'm sure everyone else will have their own opinion.

    Good luck

    G
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  • Profile picture of the author cassandraw
    I think the second option is probably the better route to go, because many people wouldn't decide to pay the cover price.
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  • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
    Originally Posted by applegreensnake View Post

    I want to decide on how to set up some autoresponders / info products - 2 options I have in mind are below.

    First some info about the material:

    I've written an ebook on a subject area that I am expert in. The ebook is about 55 pages.

    I'm now writing a shorter document - it'll probably be around 5 or 6 pages - on a specific thing in the same subject area.

    I'll also send out useful emails to people who download one of the products.

    I want to develop a list - that's my main priority - and for some of that list to become clients of my service.

    But I'd also like to make some money from the info products, if possible.

    I'm confident both the ebook and the shorter document will be very useful for people. The ebook particularly.

    Following are 2 options I have in mind - which do you think is likely to be best?


    1. I give away the ebook for free, saying people can choose to pay the cover price for the ebook if they wish - and saying that those who choose to pay will get a gift: which will be the shorter document I mentioned.

    2. I give away the shorter document for free and try to sell the ebook to the people who download the shorter document.


    Does either of those options sound good?
    Give the short report away first. Gain list members, provide content and then up sell them on your 55 page ebook.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    The first one has been proven to work in many venues. However, I have my doubts about it working well in the smash and grab world of IM, MMO.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jackson Tan
    no hard and fast rule.. you want to know the exact result then you need to test it out..

    one other suggestion.. divide your shorter version on 3-5 parts and send them to your list and then sell your ebook. there plenty of ways to have your sales funnel.. just which is more effective in converting..

    just my 2 cents..
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  • Profile picture of the author MrPete2000
    I would go with option #2 for the simple reason that very few (if any) people would PAY you for a product you are openly willing to give away for free. They won't. I wouldn't either to be perfectly honest.

    If you really want to give it away for free, why not consider offering it via email? Send a few pages every week for several weeks. This would require readers to remain loyal to your list in order to get the whole book. Also, for the impatient readers, you could include the BUY-NOW link in each email to download the entire ebook in PDF format all at once.

    Just throwing a few ideas at you. You can always test a few small samples of people and see what works for you.

    Be careful that you deliver the BEST value after they leave money with you. Nothing worse than parting with your money in anticipation for something great and it turns out to be a let down or plain old crap.

    Regards,
    Pete.

    EDIT: This was my 100th post! Woohoo! ;-)
    Signature

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    • Profile picture of the author Ricky Allen
      Well as I often do give away the free report to those who join your mailing list.

      On your website along with the sales letter include a link that allows people to get your free report when they sign up to your email list I use aweber for this but there are various options.

      Once they are on your mailing list you can give them more valuable information about the topic your report and ebook are about at the same time persuading them to buy your product.


      Ricky Allen
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    • Profile picture of the author xemxie
      Originally Posted by zivkovicp View Post

      I would go with option #2 for the simple reason that very few (if any) people would PAY you for a product you are openly willing to give away for free. They won't. I wouldn't either to be perfectly honest.

      If you really want to give it away for free, why not consider offering it via email? Send a few pages every week for several weeks. This would require readers to remain loyal to your list in order to get the whole book. Also, for the impatient readers, you could include the BUY-NOW link in each email to download the entire ebook in PDF format all at once.
      I totally agree. Once someone has their hands on your product - why come back to pay? I guess it all depends on the niche you are in ... maybe the honesty niche?

      But I have seen the option to "receive chapters over a longish time or buy now" work very well - and once they buy, they are "customers" ie a"custom"ed to buying from you!
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  • Profile picture of the author applegreensnake
    Thanks for your replies.

    I'm still thinking about this.

    I'm also thinking about a third option - giving away the first couple of chapters of the ebook. I'm going to think through that process and I might be back with questions about the best way to do that.
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  • Profile picture of the author applegreensnake
    thanks xemxie,

    so I have a new set of options i'm considering:

    -- receive chapters one at a time, for free, over a longish period; or pay to receive the full book immediately. (all people would also receive ongoing emails with useful stuff)

    or:

    -- receive the first 2 or 3 chapters for free with the option to choose to pay for the full book. (all people would also receive ongoing emails with useful stuff)

    anyone have thoughts on that?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jon Penberthy
    DEFINITELY option 2! Give away the short report as a taster and get them to opt in to receive it then sell them the main Ebook you have on the back end.
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  • Profile picture of the author andreabolder
    I'd definitely go the second route. Create a squeeze page with high converting copy, and a series of autoresponders that give value but move subscribers closer to a buying decision.

    This is typically how I set up my campaigns when selling ebooks:

    1. offer value packed free report (10-20 pages)
    2. create high converting squeeze page using optimizepress
    3. When lead subscribes it redirects them to sales page for paid offer (in your case it will be an ebook)
    4. follow up with a short autoresponder series where I email them every day for 5 days then every 4 days after that - providing a combination of value and sales copy.
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  • Profile picture of the author moshiurmax
    Originally Posted by applegreensnake View Post

    I want to decide on how to set up some autoresponders / info products - 2 options I have in mind are below.

    First some info about the material:

    I've written an ebook on a subject area that I am expert in. The ebook is about 55 pages.

    I'm now writing a shorter document - it'll probably be around 5 or 6 pages - on a specific thing in the same subject area.

    I'll also send out useful emails to people who download one of the products.

    I want to develop a list - that's my main priority - and for some of that list to become clients of my service.


    But I'd also like to make some money from the info products, if possible.

    I'm confident both the ebook and the shorter document will be very useful for people. The ebook particularly.

    Following are 2 options I have in mind - which do you think is likely to be best?


    1. I give away the ebook for free, saying people can choose to pay the cover price for the ebook if they wish - and saying that those who choose to pay will get a gift: which will be the shorter document I mentioned.

    2. I give away the shorter document for free and try to sell the ebook to the people who download the shorter document.


    Does either of those options sound good?
    You can use the second idea . For me it will be effective
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