19 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
19 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

List building - give away or sell very cheap?

by Toby Makins
15 replies
I've almost finished creating a new WordPress theme designed for bloggers who make money with adsense. The purpose of creating this theme was originally to give it away when someone subscribes to my list.

However, I'm beginning to wonder if it wouldn't be better to sell the theme very cheap ($2 or so) to people who opt-in. That way my list will inevitably be smaller, but it will be full of people who are actually willing to spend (some) money, and I will make a bit of money in the process!

Which option do you think is best? Is asking people to pay $2 and opt-in too much?
#building #cheap #give #list #sell
  • Profile picture of the author Javisito
    People have a lot of different opinions here. Personally I use the paid way and it works great for me. With that said it doesn't mean that it works for anyone.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9555163].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    It's one of those questions to which only testing can give you a "right" answer.

    I offer you a couple of observations, though ...

    (i) If they pay the $2 and buy it, you don't need to ask them to opt in as well: you can automate that and add them to a list yourself (through any decent autoresponder service);

    (ii) It isn't the process of giving something away without charge that makes people "freebie-seekers": either they're freebie-seekers or they're not, so don't imagine that you're losing any "potentially good, monetizable subscribers" by giving them something free - what you're really doing by making it free is keeping all those "good, monetizable people" and adding another group, too (who are freebie-seekers). The only extra "downside" is the marginal additional cost of maintaining a bigger list (I don't mind that, myself, and I believe that I end up monetizing some of those "freebie-seekers", later, anyway).

    .
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9555168].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    http://www.warriorforum.com/email-marketing/

    Email marketing, building distribution lists, maximizing open & click through rates, email deliverability, autoresponders, transactional emails, email triggers.
    Signature
    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

    ― George Carlin
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9555179].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author johnbjr
    Both methods if their ups and downs. Personally I like to the giveaway. I think with the giveaway and providing valuable content for free builds a better relationship and trust.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9555655].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author fated82
    See yourself as a guide. Your job is to take them for free to fee. Meaning, you can give away your theme first and subsequently sell them at the backend.

    Sure, you will have freebie seekers along the way, but if your product really help your intended target audience, you can convert some of the freebie seekers into paying customers.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9558793].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author wawanjogja
    I think better to sell the theme very cheap, get Opt-in and do long term business
    Signature
    Let me Show You How to Protects Your Videos And
    Your Business Against Content Thieves And Hackers >> Here <<
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9558800].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author littledan
    I have a one time offer that is sent to new subscribers immediately after they have subscribed for my free eBook. The OTO starts at $17 and they are redirected to prices of $8.50 and then $1 to give the best chance of a sale. I have sold roughly equal amounts of the two highest prices but I haven't sold any $1 at all.

    I remember reading an article some years ago that suggested that people feel $1 and $2 prices equal poorer quality more than a free offer, and a test performed in the article (sorry don't have it anymore) showed that in a test more items of the same product was sold at a higher price than a much lower one.
    Signature

    Learn how to make more money while working less with high ticket commissions and a top tier business! > www.22s.com/242161 <

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9558914].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Declan O Flaherty
      Originally Posted by littledan View Post

      I remember reading an article some years ago that suggested that people feel $1 and $2 prices equal poorer quality more than a free offer, and a test performed in the article (sorry don't have it anymore) showed that in a test more items of the same product was sold at a higher price than a much lower one.
      That makes no sense.

      It's all about positioning.

      I'm not going to pay $1 for a product unless I know for a fact that it's worth at least 20 - 30 times more. Again, it's all about positioning.

      Only a moron would sell a worthless $1 product to a new subscriber. The trick is make sure they understand that, you're not going to take your family on holiday selling $1 products. You don't need the money. The money is irrelevant. The relationship built on giving massive value to new subscribers... is.

      That's your positioning.

      - Declan
      Signature
      Strong Men and Women put themselves in harms way
      for the freedoms weak people give away for safety
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9566258].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author razorz18
        Originally Posted by Declan O Flaherty View Post

        That makes no sense.

        It's all about positioning.

        I'm not going to pay $1 for a product unless I know for a fact that it's worth at least 20 - 30 times more. Again, it's all about positioning.

        Only a moron would sell a worthless $1 product to a new subscriber. The trick is make sure they understand that, you're not going to take your family on holiday selling $1 products. You don't need the money. The money is irrelevant. The relationship built on giving massive value to new subscribers... is.

        That's your positioning.

        - Declan
        Thanks for great explanation. Yes I do believe "Money is in the list" but I prefer give more valuable content to people rather than keep promoting to your email list. Go for long term relationship with your subscriber. I really annoyed that most of Internet Marketer are solely using email as promotion tools. Yes, you can promote but not that much. I like Neil Patel, Problogger and Matthew Woodward style. Neil is obviously gurus but Matt is clearly new but he is awesome. I suggest go read his blog: matthewwoodward.co.uk and Neil's quicksprout blog.

        Use email to engage with your subscriber.

        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9570318].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Ben Holmes
    Why not do both?

    Offer the theme for free - and offer one year of support for that theme for a low cost as an OTO?

    This would give you the best of both worlds.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9559510].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Alexa really hit it.

      If you give it away free more than likely you are still going to have those $2 buyers still on your List.

      And you will have some other ones you wouldn't have because it is Free.

      And then you can use your excellent persuasion skills with Follow Ups to turn those Freebie seekers into buying customers

      Increased maintenance fees at Autoresponder for increased size of List should be a non- factor, really


      - Robert Andrew
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9559597].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jemacb
    As you realize from the views expressed here, both methods have merit. Personally, I feel that if you are charging to eliminate the freebie seekers, $2.00 is too little. I would quicker recommend $9.99 or a similar price point.

    However, I prefer the Free method. Obviously you would get a larger potential base of 'opt-ins' but this base would be targeted to start with (at least the majority) as the Theme is Wordpress (for only persons that use wordpress), for Bloggers and for those looking to have an Adsense optimized theme.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9562199].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author M1ks
    I think more people will take it for free and you will get more emails for the future. But also with 2$ you will not lose many of them.
    Signature
    Join Launch Focus - Business Guides - Business Forums
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9566174].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Declan O Flaherty
    I always go for the opt-in first, and then sell the OTO for $1. On average, 25% - 30% take the $1 OTO. That's 25 - 30 people who I know have a credit card, and of course, 70 - 75 people who are potentials.

    I disagree that $1 - $2 is too low a price. On the contrary, I believe it's a much better price point than $7 - $9. You get more buyers.

    Note: You have to position the $1 OTO as a premium product.

    Say something like...
    My Goal For Giving You This Guide/offer/whatever For A Stupid-Low-Price Is Not For The $1. But I Do Have An Ulterior Motive

    If You Like It, Maybe You’ll Remember Me, Maybe not. But One Thing’s For Sure… If You Don’t Get Immense Value From This offer, The Only Person Who Truly Loses Out… Is Me!

    You’re Down $1. I Lose All Credibility.

    The key to positioning such a low priced product as an absolute steal, is to promote it just like you would a higher priced product.

    Do it right and you'll make it work.

    By the way. Buyers of a $1 product (once they have been given a fantastic deal) will be far, far more responsive subscribers going forward. At least that's my experience.

    - Declan
    Signature
    Strong Men and Women put themselves in harms way
    for the freedoms weak people give away for safety
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9566246].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Member8200
    What's your next offer? do you have a idea? or the next? or the next after that? NO right?
    Then gather as much emails as you can by giving it free cause you dont know exactly how your gonna work with your leads in your next 2-5 emails
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9572039].message }}

Trending Topics