Why Are Free Things so Hard to Sell

29 replies
Kitsy Lane is something that is free to join and requires very little to set up. I make money selling jewelry I didn't have to pay for and so will my downline. Everyone wants to join Younique, and It Works for $99 but not a free opportunity that operates the same way. I just don't get it Big Dan?
#free #hard #sell #things
  • Profile picture of the author LWYSIWYG
    I agree with hpgoodboy, I've never heard of Kitsy Lane, and probably a ton of other people haven't either. If you were to SHOW them the benefits of this unheard of company, you could quite possibly explode your downline and sales.

    Another unfortunate reaction from people is something that actually has to do with psychology. When people see "Free" they don't always perceive value in it. Perhaps they think it has cut corners, or just not "up to par" with other paid options.

    You must show them the value in it, if someone isn't buying (or in your case signing up for free) it typically means their perceived value is too low.
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  • Profile picture of the author wickid
    I agree with LWYSIWYG...I think it has to do with the perception of FREE. We're all brought up believing you won't get something for nothing...services that charge a fee for entry have the perception that since they cost money...they MUST be better than the free one.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Yes, ironically it's the sign of the times. Where even "Free Things" have to be sold. If not, most people don't want it. In fact, they'll run the other way.

      I can remember the days when the mere word excited most people. Now they just yawn unless you put some major benefits behind it (that is, unless the benefits are self-explanatory).

      Now you have to tell them why it's free, why they should want it and how they'll benefit. And it better be believable.

      If you don't, most people's knee-jerk reaction is ...
      • Cheap!
      • Inferior!
      • Or something that will "trap" them into something - they'll have to work hard to "wiggle" out of!
      It's almost getting to the point where if someone uses "Free" they have to have a disclaimer. Telling them what they won't get with it. For example, No Obligation... No Spamming ... No Email Address Required, etc.

      In fact, you may even get a more loyal customer base if they had to pay a small fee for something, like shipping and handling, processing fee, etc.

      But if you want to sell 'em ...you gotta excite 'em! Even if it's Free!
      That's the "New Normal" ... Welcome!
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  • Profile picture of the author Anne Laidlaw
    Yes there are just too many free offers out there that have a hidden cost or catch.
    Unfortunatly there are some great free offers/products out there but very hard to get the word out.
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  • Profile picture of the author BKKBound
    Value perception

    The reality is that if something is perceived as without value then it is hard to sell. If gold was free...would it still be valued so highly? Buyer psychology is funny sometimes and this is a good example where having a product or service for "free" sometimes is bad product positioning.
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  • Profile picture of the author bwh1
    Smells a bit like a promo post to me. sorry if not.

    If you make money with it, then write up a report HOW you do it, why it's a cool biz and what you think is the kick for whom joins.

    Offer it to the community here with a link in it to signup to your downline for whom is interested.

    FREE usually is associated with cheap, no value. So you need to pack value around it and offer it for free, even if worth $99 bucks.

    By the way, how much money did, do you make? I know guy's which surf at Neobucks for 0.01 cts and say that they make money.

    If it's a low amount you will face troubles to get a good amount of people join it.

    Just my 2 cts
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  • Profile picture of the author MrFume
    There is nothing stranger than 'people' - an old English expression (actually is 'There's nowt queerer than folk'!) They move in mysterious ways their wonders to perform...I don't think there is anything more irritating and infuriating than the way people en-masse behave. If you could predict it you would be very wealthy. I have seen this time and again, people just have no clue what is valuable to them, and what is bogus - they will opt for the brash, hyped option every time even though there are incredible offers around that charge very little, or nothing that may not thrust it in their face. Propaganda ministers throughout history operate on the principle that people are pretty simple - experience tells me they are correct.
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  • Profile picture of the author shaheryarpatel
    If you are giving something for free people would be thinking that this stuff is not much value able and kinda useless. This is human nature. But if u started selling for some good money then there are many chances that the people would get mad for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zaflow
    The answer is 2 things, Branding and Marketing, the younique guys probably did those 2 better

    The trick is to get people's attention and explain to them what they will get, if they want it, they'll get it, the cost doesn't matter
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  • Profile picture of the author PressureCooker
    Sometimes it takes just is much effort to "sell" something free these days than it does just charging people. Maybe we should even charge people to be on our mailing lists. Hey, there's a thought!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Pagulayan
    As your title suggest, probably because you're selling it

    People are always on the lookout for that 'catch'. And the moment they feel they are being sold they balk.

    I don't want to sound all 'guru-wy' but stop being salesy. A perfect example is this post that you made. You could've not name names but you did. Which to me, seemed fishy.

    I may be wrong but case in point is, if you're promoting your free offer the way you asked in your post, people are going to be wary of it because it smells like there's a catch.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ihate9to5
    Some people have this perception that something that is free has no value.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    It takes just as much effort to sell something for free as it is to sell something for money. Can't under-estimate the task of "selling" just because something costs $0.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    Originally Posted by Emily Walker View Post

    Kitsy Lane is something that is free to join and requires very little to set up. I make money selling jewelry I didn't have to pay for and so will my downline. Everyone wants to join Younique, and It Works for $99 but not a free opportunity that operates the same way. I just don't get it Big Dan?
    Get this... price is rarely the #1 reason people buy or don't buy... it's way down the list.

    If you're talking about a network marketing business the first
    thing you need to do is stop trying to sell it. That isn't how network
    marketing businesses are built.

    If nobody is showing interest in your deal it isn't because there's
    something wrong with the deal. It's because you are showing it to
    the wrong people.

    You need more training than I can provide in this space.
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  • Profile picture of the author artinsoft
    If people hear the word "free", they think there must be a catch somewhere. Back in the nineties when i started online marketing, you could sell anything to people if you gave them something for free first! People did download virtually "tons" of my free reports, but that was another time, these days, you have to offer a little more...

    IMHO -Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author gthapalia
    I think there are two reasons.
    1st one: it is just the doubt about the product.
    2nd one: it is the taking free things for granted, and not seeing value in it.
    So, always charge them.
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  • Profile picture of the author IDoTheLegWork
    I visited Kitsy Lane. There just isn't enough information given
    to make a decision no matter what the price. Up to 25%? What
    does that mean? Do I get to use my own domain or is it just
    a subdomain? And there is no mention of an ML/Network
    Marketing structure.

    There is ZERO marketing or sales to prospective "boutique"
    owners - no wonder it's difficult.
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  • Profile picture of the author Edwin Torres
    Yeah maybe people are suspicious that its free. Try creating videos really educating people on the opportunity, and tell them how its not a scam and proof of the free stuff you've gotten from there.
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  • Profile picture of the author NK
    Hidden costs vs open costs. When I get offered something for free I would assume there is something else behind it whereas something I have to pay for most likely won't have any other costs in it.

    Flawed logic, I know, but that's how most people will view it. A lot of people runsat least one smartphone now, most of them on iOS or android. And these people usually download apps, games, etc. They now have been trained to believe that free stuff comes with stuff you have to buy later on and paid stuff comes with everything unlocked.

    Humans are lazy by nature. They rather spend some money and be done with it rather than doing research into both packages to see which is better or which actually costs more.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Lumbergh
    Id also factor in that FREE always sounds suspicious and implies some form of follow-up-cost. Most people are abit suspicious when it comes to keywords like "free"
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Let's not get carried away.

      Free is not a bad word. It can still work.

      You just has to be smart and use it more strategically now than ever before.

      You can't just throw it against the wall (or at your market) and assume it'll stick, like in the past.

      You have to build value first ... or immediately after you introduce it.
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      • Profile picture of the author NK
        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        Free is not a bad word. It can still work.
        It does work. That's why marketers are still doing it. That's why free apps still does better in general that paid ones. But it's not going to be something people jump at just because it's free, compared to 3-4 years ago.
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  • Profile picture of the author newbieleoling
    It definitely works. Create value to the free stuff and tell them what benefit they getting inside the free stuff.

    One effective ways is to create a short sale page with payment and everything and insert the link at the bottom or top of the squeeze page and show them that is actually a product people buying at $27 for example and you are giving for free for limited time or for first 100.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ghoster
    Two reasons:

    1) Free things have little perceived value

    2) Free often has strings attached
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    On the whole, you get what you pay for.

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  • Profile picture of the author moneymagneto
    Why do Diamonds have any value?
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    • Profile picture of the author NRabosa
      Originally Posted by moneymagneto View Post

      Why do Diamonds have any value?
      Hey, I found this one: Paradox of value - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

      As long as people perceive that "water" is free and very essential to life, diamonds are still given a higher regard in terms of pricing. The same goes with promoting free items. People tend to go for diamonds instead of water because it is the luxury of obtaining something sweetens the deal.

      Younique may work the same way. Exclusivity of its own for $99? If you can afford the membership then that means you can also afford to spend money buying jewelries.
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  • Profile picture of the author moneymagneto
    Why do Diamonds have any value?
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  • Profile picture of the author Highway55
    Here's my little value rant on Free...

    Free does not necessarily mean "no value" - but it sure does have less value than it did 7-10 years ago. One has to measure time when deciding is free is worth having. Example: You only have time to review one thing - will you spend that time on the free thing, or something you paid money for? Your answer is a direct reflection of how you value your own time.

    You cannot give away free information or memberships or anything effectively... unless you position it, first.
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