Multiple courses for sale...1 "call to action" button, or links to all courses on homepage?

24 replies
Hey, I've had just one product for sale for the longest time. People would come to my site and they had 2 options - either join my free membership, or upgrade to full access for a 1-time fee.

I've broken my content down into 6 individual products, each of which comes with a bunch of stuff.

I will also have a 7th option, which will be "full access" to everything, plus everything else that is ever added. This will be a recurring payment.

I'm wondering which one is advisable to do:

1.) Only have 1 call to action on my home page which is to "join free" (get them onto my list)

2.) Only have 1 call to action, which is promoting the full access, recurring option

3.) Promote all of the products, including the full access, recurring option

Thanks!
#button #call to action #courses #homepage #links #multiple #sale1
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    This is a no brainer

    Always pick the LIST option!

    Get them to join your list - option 1

    FACT: most people that visit that page WILL NEVER COME BACK... unless you have a relationship with them

    FACT: email enables you to legally message people to come back to your site (aka RELATIONSHIP)

    You have to MAKE A CLEAR case for WHY people should BOTHER joining your list

    Here's just the latest screenshot of one of my list-linked sites



    The bottom line: Get them to come back to your OFFER again and again through a mailing list

    SHEPHERD your list members through the KNOW - LIKE - TRUST sales cycle so you can convert COLD traffic into HOT buyers
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    • Profile picture of the author natostanco
      Originally Posted by writeaway View Post


      You have to MAKE A CLEAR case for WHY people should BOTHER joining your list
      This is probably something that I fail to do a lot. I like following a lot of your posts because they make sense and are quite clear.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
      Originally Posted by writeaway View Post

      This is a no brainer
      Cool thanks. This is kinda what I was thinking.

      Maybe you could help me brainstorm a little bit too if you don't mind.

      Previously, my model was to have a "free membership" that was so good, that it would be impossible to refuse. My free membership granted access to 150+ free lessons, all of which could be found in YouTube too...but when viewed from my site they were all organized into topics and also came with a bunch of extra written material.

      They had the option to "upgrade" their membership for a low, one-time fee. Again, it was a no-brainer to upgrade.

      Well, I want to give a lot less away for free now. I want to use this content as part of what comes included with one of the paid products.

      The problem is, now I don't know how to make my "free membership" look as appealing. I was thinking, maybe give a sample pack of lessons that includes a sampling of 2 lessons from each product. Hopefully this will still be enough to entice them to fill out a registration form.

      Either that, or don't even have a "free registration" option. Maybe they could just fill out an aweber form, and the "thank you" page will provide them with the free "sample pack".

      I'm not sure what the best route to go would be for getting them onto my list now that I'm no longer offering so much stuff for free.

      Any suggestions?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Agreed on the list. Gives you the chance to tell them about all the courses in the email series.



    Also...



    - YT videos leading to individual course sales pages


    - Segmenting the big list so you know who's interested (initially, and they could hop from one segment/tag to another with behavioral/link click tracking)


    - "People Who Bought That Also Bought This" recommendations


    - share your testimonials ... get some for the individual courses, see if you can get them in story format


    - re your concern about free content going away, maybe give them one of the small courses as a teaser ... buyers don't know how great the product is until after they've used it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
      Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post

      ....
      Hey this is all great stuff. Thank you!

      Right now, I have links to my homepage, full access membership sales page and a link to my eBook in the description of every one of my videos. Do you think I should keep all that stuff and include additional links to each individual product...or do you think it would be better to just have just one single link that goes to a "course page" where they could then shop around?

      Also, I was thinking for the call to action button on my homepage....instead of having a "Free Membership", which requires people to fill out a form...which is "too much work" for a lot of people.

      Instead of that, I could just have a simple Aweber email form that has them enter their name and email address. After they enter the information, they are immediately taken to a "Thank you page", which will be the page where all the courses are listed for sale.

      They would be able to get to this page without entering their email too, just by simply clicking on the "courses" tab in the navigation bar. This may be considered to be sleazy business practice though...what do you think?
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      • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
        Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

        Hey this is all great stuff. Thank you!

        Right now, I have links to my homepage, full access membership sales page and a link to my eBook in the description of every one of my videos. Do you think I should keep all that stuff and include additional links to each individual product...or do you think it would be better to just have just one single link that goes to a "course page" where they could then shop around?

        Also, I was thinking for the call to action button on my homepage....instead of having a "Free Membership", which requires people to fill out a form...which is "too much work" for a lot of people.

        Instead of that, I could just have a simple Aweber email form that has them enter their name and email address. After they enter the information, they are immediately taken to a "Thank you page", which will be the page where all the courses are listed for sale.

        They would be able to get to this page without entering their email too, just by simply clicking on the "courses" tab in the navigation bar. This may be considered to be sleazy business practice though...what do you think?
        Well go back to "What do I want to accomplish here?" on the homepage. It's not to show off how many courses you've got, is it. The main thing you want to happen is to capture the lead so you have continued opportunities to market to them. Let that be your guide.

        I'm not sure about the "too much work" thing. Prequalifying people is good. The only way to find out is to test.

        I would design the homepage around getting the signup, and would try a second design with links to courses on the side as a split test.
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  • The money is in converting your email list to buyers. The rest of your products in the sales funnel will eventually reach your list, when your email sequences guides your prospects throughout your entire sales funnel.
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    Gonna play black sheep here... not feeling it.

    The whole thing is diluted... 6 different topics PLUS the course as a whole... so what something like beginners, Chords, Rhythm, Lead, Scales and then the course that has all of that and then some.

    how exactly does this play out in a single funnel e-mail? WE say Segmented and I am not sure bKelly knows what that means - or better yet would be able to implement that ( no offense BK, your a smart guy and all - just a bit behind on this end of the marketing aspect )

    I think I get where all of this is going, you would prefer a low cost of entry over the 7 day trial for free entry. I think in doing this you are complicating the machine to where even the likes of me is scratching my head to grasp how this would work ( and in this case that is not a good thing )

    What I would try... I would create intro videos for maybe 2 or 3 of the newly developed courses and on the video page create a link to that specific offer that removes the free trial and offers the X course for $x.xx or whatever it is or the Complete lifetime course. This way you can "Segment" each group - meaning you would have them on a separate mailing list so you could directly push the specific mini Course and the whole package.

    I just think at any point you offer 7 of anything the buyer will run into overload and when that happens the sale is lost.

    What you are doing now if I am not mistaken is working well.. and I understand the want to increase sales, I just think this one in particular is going to take a bit more planning and strategizing to make effective.

    IF you are gung ho solid on doing this.. I might send the segments to a completely different site all together and replicate and rename the content to fit the new site vs messing with what you have now - and I know you are rolling your eyes right now thinking "F that would be a lot of work" and YES it would be, BUT you could stand a chance at doubling your cash flow in time.

    You would basically be creating your own competition, one segmented to all or nothing, and the other segmented into finer points of learning what it is you are teaching.

    I hope this makes sense - and Hope it Helps!
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    • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      ...
      Hey thanks for the input.

      Every other guitar lesson site out there has multiple courses for sale. There is no other site out there that charges a 1-time fee of $59 that grants lifetime access to 3000+ videos...and then the members continue to have access to all the new stuff that added too.

      On top of that, I've been giving out 150+ lessons for free (including fully edited videos and super long written lessons that come with each). Each lesson takes me about 8 to 20 hours to make...do the math, and that's how much stuff I've been giving away for free.

      No other site does this. I'm robbing myself blind.

      Yes, it's been "working" in that I have been making 1 to 2 sales per day on average for over a year now. Not too bad. However, it's not a good long-term business strategy because it constantly requires new customers, and then once they buy I can never sell to them again. That's not a good long-term plan.

      There will be 7 individual "products" for sale:

      1.) The beginner package - consists of 1 course, 18 song lessons and 64 concept lessons

      2.) The beginner to soloing package - consists of 4 courses, 30 solo lessons, 30 concept lessons and a bunch of backing tracks

      3.) The "different sounds" package - consists of 6 courses, 30 lessons and a bunch of backing tracks

      4.) The "chord tone soloing" package - consists of 6 different courses, 40 lessons and a bunch of backing tracks

      5.) The complete backing track library - contains over 2000 backing track videos

      6.) My ebook

      7.) Full Access membership - access all content for $15 per month or $100 annual


      Each package has it's own breadcrumb trail that allows users to see all of what is contained within each package. They can "unlock" it for a one-time fee. This is equivalent to "buying a single course".

      If they want to unlock everything plus have access to all new content, the full access membership is available too.

      Savidge, I definitely appreciate the feedback. But I'm not sure what the alternative is:

      1.) Keep doing what I've been doing, which isn't a good long-term strategy

      2.) Advertise on Facebook again. My last attempt, I spent a bunch of money of the course of 2 months only to make 1 single sale from the investment.

      3.) Sell multiple courses/products (which you are suggesting is a bad idea)

      4.) Not sure what else to do??

      I do understand what email list segmentation is although I have never done that before.

      Now you've got me doubting myself again.

      I can always "switch back"...but I have to keep trying new things.

      I'm always open to suggestions!
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

        I can always "switch back"...but I have to keep trying new things.
        How has this worked for you in the past? you ALWAYS end up right back where you started. And now you have a bunch of time invested in this for what? for going back?

        For better or worse you have created a working pattern here, and you simply need to break the cycle.

        I would suggest... creating a completely separate stream of income that IS the 7 packages.

        what this looks like: a NEW website, a NEW youtube channel, and going back and replicating and rebranding every single video you have to match this new 2nd effort - I am of course assuming you still have all of the master video files to do this, and I am also assuming you are using youtubes "private listing" function to host these videos.

        This STOPS the cycle of "I can always switch back"

        A lot of work? YES... does it keep your current stream of income intact without fluctuation? YES it does - so you would be doing this with NO RISK - THIS is removing that trigger you have ( and rightfully so ) how am I gong to support my family? I need to switch this back.

        I suggest this path will be a win win in the end for you, and break you of the cycle you have been in for what 2 years now?

        so this maybe makes a bit more sense... ALL of your videos currently in the description pitch the all in $59 plan correct? So you would be offering then new 7 package - INLINE with offering $59 all in - you are simply going to sell the $59 all in plan and nothing else, and because of the added chaos, I would suggest your sales will drop. and in he end you will revert back to where you are now.

        So you really have 2 choices. you can take your current stream of revenue, and go into each of the 3000 videos and mention the 7 options plan, and remove any mention of the all in $59.00 plan OR keep the $59.00 plan the way that it is, and duplicate, rebrand and start fresh with a 2nd stream.

        To be clear here, I am not against the plan structure - I think it might work actually, but NOT within the frame work of your existing system - it will create chaos - is it $59 for life or $100 per year?

        Take the time, do the work, and create the 2nd stream.

        Best of Luck
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        • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
          Hey Savidge, I absolutely value your feedback. You understand my situation too, so I just want to do a little point-by-point to further clarify my strategy here and exactly what I'm thinking.

          Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

          How has this worked for you in the past? you ALWAYS end up right back where you started. And now you have a bunch of time invested in this for what? for going back?

          For better or worse you have created a working pattern here, and you simply need to break the cycle.
          Yes you are right. I have always "switched back" due to fear. However, I also have never felt as strongly as I do now about what I have planned to launch on March 1st.

          My current model is:
          • Person signs up to a "Free Membership" that is so good that they can't pass it up. It is 4 years worth of work with new stuff constantly being added. I give away so much free stuff, a lot of people don't see the point in upgrading. The free stuff is plenty.
          • They see that there is an option to "Upgrade" for only a one-time fee of $59.
          • People buy either to support me (because it's cheap enough to do that) or because it's a "no brainer" to upgrade since the "Free membership" was so good.
          • With this model, I'm not motivated to keep adding more courses or to enhance the "paid content" in any way


          My new planned model is:
          • Give away free content on YouTube only
          • People come to my site and there are 5 different products, each of which speaks directly to a certain type of person
          • The only "free stuff" is a little sample of each full product, along with the "sales video" that explains exactly what you get and what it will help to achieve.
          • Each product is sold for an affordable price of $40 to $60 (one-time fee)
          • If someone wants to access everything, they can pay the recurring membership ($15/mo or $100/yr)
          • This motivates to continuously add new courses/products to the site


          Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

          I would suggest... creating a completely separate stream of income that IS the 7 packages.

          what this looks like: a NEW website, a NEW youtube channel, and going back and replicating and rebranding every single video you have to match this new 2nd effort - I am of course assuming you still have all of the master video files to do this, and I am also assuming you are using youtubes "private listing" function to host these videos.
          This would be the ideal situation. Keep what is working, and then add a second site with the new, "experimental model". However, my main drawback with this is that people would realize that the first site is a way better deal then the second site. Or if someone did buy something from the second site, but then they found out about the first site...they would feel scammed.

          What this means is that I would need to create all new content. Yes, I have all of my videos saved. I host all my videos privately on my site using Vimeo, not YouTube. I have no problem creating new content...I do it all the time. I just can't think of an ethical way to "sell everything for $59" on one site, but then "sell it in 5 to 7 different parts, each for $59" on a second site.

          The second site would have to be all new stuff, and I'm looking at about 6 to 12 months worth of work in order to create such a site. Also, I would simultaneously have to keep up with my current YouTube channel, or else it will stagnate.

          My time is also more limited these days now that I have a kid. I have 3 to 4 days per week to work each week...so I have to make the best use of my time. Another shot at a "site restructure" is less time-consuming than trying to create a completely new second site, while still maintaining my current one.


          Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

          so this maybe makes a bit more sense... ALL of your videos currently in the description pitch the all in $59 plan correct? So you would be offering then new 7 package - INLINE with offering $59 all in - you are simply going to sell the $59 all in plan and nothing else, and because of the added chaos, I would suggest your sales will drop. and in he end you will revert back to where you are now.

          So you really have 2 choices. you can take your current stream of revenue, and go into each of the 3000 videos and mention the 7 options plan, and remove any mention of the all in $59.00 plan OR keep the $59.00 plan the way that it is, and duplicate, rebrand and start fresh with a 2nd stream.

          To be clear here, I am not against the plan structure - I think it might work actually, but NOT within the frame work of your existing system - it will create chaos - is it $59 for life or $100 per year?
          Maybe I wasn't clear in my intentions with the new plan. The new plan simply gives me more products to sell instead of just 1 MASSIVE product

          - Course 1 ($60)
          - Course 2 ($60)
          - Course 3 ($60)
          - Course 4 ($60)
          - 2000 Backing Tracks ($45)
          - eBook ($20)
          - Full Access Membership ($15/mo or $100/yr)

          I keep adding new content...about 1 new lesson each week and 3 new courses per year.


          Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post


          Take the time, do the work, and create the 2nd stream.

          Best of Luck
          Investing time and doing the work has NEVER been an issue for me. I can easily sit at my computer for 20hrs straight day in and day out. I just need to make sure that I'm spending my time wisely.

          There's a gamble in investing my time into a second site as opposed to the less-time consuming, "restructure what I already have" option. I may waste a whole year building a second site, when I could have simply optimized what I already have.

          OR, I may come to find that I ended up right back where I started (again) because I have found comfort in the model that already seems to work, and I'm scared to let that go. This could have been time spent towards the 2nd site...
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          • Profile picture of the author savidge4
            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            This would be the ideal situation. Keep what is working, and then add a second site with the new, "experimental model". However, my main drawback with this is that people would realize that the first site is a way better deal then the second site. Or if someone did buy something from the second site, but then they found out about the first site...they would feel scammed.
            when you buy something... do you keep looking?

            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            What this means is that I would need to create all new content. Yes, I have all of my videos saved. I host all my videos privately on my site using Vimeo, not YouTube. I have no problem creating new content...I do it all the time. I just can't think of an ethical way to "sell everything for $59" on one site, but then "sell it in 5 to 7 different parts, each for $59" on a second site.
            ethics? I can tell you I split sell stuff at different rates all the time. I direct market stuff with advertising to a squeeze page for A dollars, and will turn around and sell it on eBay for B dollars and might even go so far as to sell it on Facebook for C dollars - You are going to have a hard time convincing me this is "Unethical" - THIS is business - price fixing is illegal ( LOL ) you optimally want to sell at the point of what the market will bear.

            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            The second site would have to be all new stuff, and I'm looking at about 6 to 12 months worth of work in order to create such a site. Also, I would simultaneously have to keep up with my current YouTube channel, or else it will stagnate.
            I don't think you have to have all new stuff... I would replicate what you do have with new intros and outros and branding overlays if you used them. and keep your existing site current because you are left with having to do this for the sake of your current members that paid for "Lifetime"

            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            My time is also more limited these days now that I have a kid. I have 3 to 4 days per week to work each week...so I have to make the best use of my time. Another shot at a "site restructure" is less time-consuming than trying to create a completely new second site, while still maintaining my current one.
            Then take a little longer and do this right... YOU are the one imposing March 1 as a launch date. YOU are the one creating the friction and tension in this. take your time and do it right ONCE and not find yourself in a position of having to revert.

            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            Maybe I wasn't clear in my intentions with the new plan. The new plan simply gives me more products to sell instead of just 1 MASSIVE product

            - Course 1 ($60)
            - Course 2 ($60)
            - Course 3 ($60)
            - Course 4 ($60)
            - 2000 Backing Tracks ($45)
            - eBook ($20)
            - Full Access Membership ($15/mo or $100/yr)

            I keep adding new content...about 1 new lesson each week and 3 new courses per year.
            and THIS is why you are successful. I love this new structure, it makes a lot of sense, you will go far with it... but I think to start you will run dead flat - this is why I would be mitigating Risk.

            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            Investing time and doing the work has NEVER been an issue for me. I can easily sit at my computer for 20hrs straight day in and day out. I just need to make sure that I'm spending my time wisely.

            There's a gamble in investing my time into a second site as opposed to the less-time consuming, "restructure what I already have" option. I may waste a whole year building a second site, when I could have simply optimized what I already have.
            Easier ALWAYS comes at a cost... in this case the cost is potential risk of falling flat on sales for a period.. and has been replayed how many times now.. what happens? you revert back - is THIS a wise use of time?

            The "Harder route"... you say a years time... no RISK and only the potential of reward... and NOTHING to revert - and no time wasted or lost

            Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

            OR, I may come to find that I ended up right back where I started (again) because I have found comfort in the model that already seems to work, and I'm scared to let that go. This could have been time spent towards the 2nd site...
            Your words and not mine LOL so why set yourself up for that being a possibility, when you don't have to.

            Because we have not gone there yet lets look beyond the switch over. when plan B ( aka 7 course ) starts to equal in profit of plan A... there is no longer risk to then migrate plan A over to the same thing. you then have 2 legit properties bringing in traffic and income and NO WHERE in this journey have you pinched yourself financially and let fear enter into your life.

            Again lose the self imposed time restraints.. plan this all out do it right and it is going to take the amount of time it takes. Don't kill yourself with 20 hour days - know that plan A is going to pay all of your bills etc, and migrate yourself into a better future - forget easy and take the hard route - which I think because we are talking about it, you KNOW to be a safer better route long term.

            Best of Luck!
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            • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
              Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

              ...
              You make all very good points. I'm actually finished with the "restructuring" of the site, so regardless of whether or not I change the pricing model, everything has been re-organized into 5 different sections already. I told my email list that the new design would launch on 3/1/2020. I also told them that if they haven't jumped on the $59 for anything and everything deal, they need to do it before March 1st.

              A lot of people were saying that they were having problems with the navigation of my site...and that's because they have 3000+ pages to sift through! So my solution was to organize the content up into 5 distinct areas of focus.

              In doing that, it became increasingly difficult trying to differentiate what content was going to go to the "free members" and what would go to the "full access members". It was right then that I decided that I was giving WAY too much free stuff away before....

              My point is...that everything is going to be re-organized anyway. This absolutely NEEDS to be done, so the model is going to be changed regardless.

              I'm a snap of the fingers away from having the entire new model in place, but now I'm second guessing everything!!
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              • Profile picture of the author savidge4
                Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

                A lot of people were saying that they were having problems with the navigation of my site...and that's because they have 3000+ pages to sift through! So my solution was to organize the content up into 5 distinct areas of focus.
                listening to your user base, and actually acting on the idea A++++ Retention of existing users equates to referrals from existing users. THIS is a smart business move.

                But lets really break down an optimal scenario for you. I still think the overall "Package" is going to dilute things. IF this was me I would create a number of sites ( more work lol )

                Site 1:
                Keep your existing site with the new structure in place - dont rock the boat - maintain the consistency this provides.

                Site #2
                This site would sell Course 1 only - with internal advertising for the ebook ( meaning this advertising is only seen once they have joined and are navigating through all of the content - would be banner ads etc within the pages of content ), the back tracks, and the all inclusive package of $15 a month $100 per year ( upsells )

                Site #3
                Same as site #2 but for Course 2

                Site #4
                Same as site #2 but for Course 3

                Site #5
                Same as site #2 but for Course 4

                Site #6
                would be exclusively for the backing tracks - with upsells for course 1 thru 4 and the e-book internally

                My thinking here NOT offering the full course is that players looking for backing tracks are not "beginners" and may want to specifically learn more focused skills.

                Site #7
                Would be exclusively for the ebook, with the upsells of the backing tracks and the full package.

                Site #8
                The full course $15 a month $100 per year with internal selling of the ebook and the backing tracks

                Once sites 2 through 8 are producing the income you "Need" you THEN migrate Site one to your home all inclusive option with all 7 options available on the front side.

                THIS in terms of market targeting etc would be the "Optimal" choice. people search "Backing Tracks" People search specifically for "Option 1 thru 4" and depending on the title for your e-book there is traffic to be had there. Creating single focus options for all of these decreases the diluted nature of what over time Site one turns into.

                again a perfect world... takes work an amount of time, and removes the need to "fall back"

                At this point the restructure sounds like a MUST... go ahead and "try" the new pricing, and when you fall back... simply fall on "Plan B" ( layed out here ) and go from there - The truth is, I could be wrong and all of this goes swimmingly well for you - but this time if it doesn't, you now have a direction to head - so in the end it is a win win for you.

                Hope that Helps!
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                • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
                  Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post


                  At this point the restructure sounds like a MUST... go ahead and "try" the new pricing, and when you fall back... simply fall on "Plan B" ( layed out here ) and go from there - The truth is, I could be wrong and all of this goes swimmingly well for you - but this time if it doesn't, you now have a direction to head - so in the end it is a win win for you.

                  Hope that Helps!
                  This is really great stuff. I had considered a second site before, but never EIGHT other sites!!

                  I really like where you are going with that though. I also like the idea of "trying" it out with my current site as is, since everything is already in place and I just have to pull the trigger.

                  If it doesn't work out as I would like, then I will absolutely be doing as you suggest here. This is some next-level internet marketing stuff!!

                  There's just one thing that I don't understand...you keep mentioning "market the eBook internally". Are you suggesting to have 1 eBook for each course/site to use as my freebie giveaway? And only market that 1 ebook/course on the site to users that are NOT logged in....

                  Then, once they are logged in, display the other courses to them, including the Full Access option?

                  I think I understand, but I just want to clarify .
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                  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
                    Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

                    There's just one thing that I don't understand...you keep mentioning "market the eBook internally". Are you suggesting to have 1 eBook for each course/site to use as my freebie giveaway? And only market that 1 ebook/course on the site to users that are NOT logged in....
                    With the exception of site #7 and later site #1 I would only offer the book to those that ARE logged in. I dont know the context / title of the e-book but am assuming to some degree it applies to all aspects of what you are selling.

                    Again the concept behind 8 site is to minimize and focus the selling effort. the "One page one purpose" concept at play, but in this case on a larger scale. Selling one thing and one thing only will out sell trying to sell 8 things all day long - its just how it works. An example I used n another thread was "Pepsi". Pepsi owns and sells a kick tone of things.. but look at pepsi.com and you will only see the 14 "Pepsi" branded products. No water products, no Cereal, no nothing Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Zero, etc etc

                    Unless you have the budget to "Brand" like Walmart or Macy's or Home Depot... a site full of a ton of options simply does not work - and even then, jump on these companies mailing or text lists.. and you will quickly see "Deal of the day" - focusing specifically on a single product.

                    Originally Posted by Bkelly301 View Post

                    Then, once they are logged in, display the other courses to them, including the Full Access option?
                    On sites 2,3,4, and 5 I would with the use of banners upsell the book, the back tracks and the Whole $15 a month $100 per year package. I am seeing that maybe you want to offer the other courses but you can drop those offers in retention based monthly e-mails. make sense?
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                  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
                    Originally Posted by savidge4

                    But lets really break down an optimal scenario for you.
                    I want to clarify this point for others. This breakdown and multi site formulation is what is needed for Bkelly, and his existing architecture. He has a site that is producing income, so as we have been discussing here, you don't want to disrupt, a clear path of income. Keep in mind Bkelly is in this to win this and this is his career. this is full time for him. So we are talking about the welfare of his family here. Mitigating RISK is super important.

                    There are some other underlying factors at play here. I have been watching his progression now for a number of years and I understand his strengths and weakness' to a point, and in offering advice as I have, I am working around some of these. e-mail list segregation would be one of these.

                    From reading above, you see where I bring this up, and the response is he knows WHAT it is, he just doesn't use it. The concept of a number of sites would suggest there will be a list for each site - I am in a way forcing the list segregation. As he adds value to course 1, 2, 3, and 4 - he can directly contact those that own each course. He will understand he will have the ability to sell the other courses, the e-book and the backing track and the full blow course option to each of these.

                    Basically this structure is reducing the level of complication and working within what I see as his level of comfortable. With this there is some added expense - maintain 8+ domain names - but i see for him in particular the added $80 a year expense is better spent than trying to figure out segregating a mailing list across 8+ different interest segments.

                    If this was me setting all of this up.. it would be done across 1 site:
                    • Main - full course
                    • Main/course1
                    • Main/course2
                    • Main/course3
                    • Main/course4
                    • Main/e-book
                    • Main/Backing track
                    but again with this comes a level of backend sophistication that would require a decent amount of learning curve and probably the addition at some point of a more robust CRM like infusionsoft that comes with a pricetag within itself - in short I am following KISS and the more drawn out 8 site format is exactly that - and I believe inline with Bkelly's knowledge and comfort zone.
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  • Profile picture of the author gluckspilz
    What writeaway said.

    Focus on building your email list FIRST... ALWAYS!

    Especially how you have multiple products and recurring membership.

    Some powerful followups and you're pretty much in the green... assuming the offer converts.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by gluckspilz View Post

      Focus on building your email list FIRST... ALWAYS!
      Im going to go out on a limb here and state this is NOT true. There is really no statistics that suggest this. If you go the e-mail list route which bkelly already does BTW. you will get in most cases about 3% of your traffic to join a list. Yes you can improve this number - I understand that. And from there you are going to SELL to 3% of the list you have captured.

      It sounds really good in principle - but if you straight up sell directly, you can sell to 3% of the same traffic. 3% up front or 3% of 3%, which is more money in the end?

      I will throw in a caveat here - IF and I mean IF you have the plan in place to have a stream of offerings, then YES get the list. However, transition this to selling hard product or in Bkelly's case a single course just go for the sale.

      I would argue that Money is NOT in the list, it is in the Traffic.

      So here is the flip side of this, I sell products. I look specifically for products that may be re-occurring when I can like air filters and the like. I DO NOT have an upfront e-mail capture process on 90% of my sites.. I just straight sell. However, once I have created a sale, I then have a list of known BUYERS - equally to anyone that has a mailing list and segregates buyers from tire kickers. I simply am not paying to have tire kickers names on my mailing lists.

      You have to understand that Tire Kickers COST money... at scale ( mailing list of 100,000 contacts ) and 97% are tire kickers your monthly e-mail expense will drive you in a hole faster than a hummingbird flaps its wings.

      This industry, MMO is conditioned to think mailing list mailing list mailing list - and over the years I have backed away from it, and make MORE now than I did with a list - because I figured out that I am selling to the same percentage up front vs 3% of that number later.

      I will say I would bet that over 90% of the people reading this that have a list - have probably never sent their list a single e-mail - aside from the thank you e-mail. I will bet 7% do send e-mails and they simply do not understand basic communication skills and have never made a sale from their efforts. - so one really has to ask the question why would you implement this hurdle?

      THAT is CLEARLY a dead end road for the majority. Spend ALL of your energy SELLING, and increase your odds of actually doing that.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
        Savidge...check out my last reply. You posted this at the same time I responded to your initial response.

        Regarding the email list...I agree with most of what you say. Most of my sales have come from upfront. However, I always make a bunch of sales on holidays when I do a sale (usually 25% off). So the email list has proven to be beneficial in that regard.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
    ^ What savidgeid4 said ^


    When I first joined this forum the popular push was The Money Is In The List and I argued that "The Money Is In Targeted Traffic First and Money Is In The List Second."


    My God was that an open door for criticism.


    Long story short, the first person on this forum to earn $1M from a Traffic Course endorsed "The Money Is In Targetd Traffic First and Money Is In The List Second.", so people started to take Traffic seriously and more importantly started to take action.


    After three months (+/-) the majority of people that previously criticized the argument and implemented what they learned learned from the Traffic Course were reporting huge spikes in their profits.


    Great Post Savidgeid4.. Golden Nuggets!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
    Bkelly301,


    You have done a fine job of up-scaling your business since joining the forum and you deserve a lot of credit for being open minded and receptive to suggestions. Kudos to you!


    My own suggestion at this point in your journey is to focus more on Targeted Traffic more than changing your price schema.


    Yes, you are out-there 'socially' selling yourself and your product which generates Targeted Traffic to your business. One to two sales a day is darn good. Good on you!


    Consider that if you keep marketing yourself 'socially' to the same market your business becomes a job and for a solo marketer you may eventually discover the business is working you instead of you working the business.


    There are other if not better ways to increase your ROI and that is and always will be.. Target Traffic First and The Email List Second.


    Personally, I am not in the music business and I know just enough about it to be dangerous. Meaning I know more about Traffic and List Building and I am still dangerous.


    The people I know in the music business are behind-the-scenes influencers in their niche of the music industry and they have always told me it is not who you know - it is how to get in front of the people you need to know. We hunt and fish together, lol.


    If you can figure that out then you may discover that source of Targeted Traffic.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
      Originally Posted by Jeffery View Post

      My own suggestion at this point in your journey is to focus more on Targeted Traffic more than changing your price schema.
      Hey thanks for the reply. I completely agree with everything you said here.

      There's just one thing which I'm not sure if I made it clear or not.

      I need to change my "model" because it is not a good long-term strategy. Having only 1 single product, which does not give the people an opportunity to buy off me again in the future is not good for the long-term.

      My primary goal is not to make more sales. Rather, it is to have a way to get repeat business from people, which leaves me with exactly 2 options:

      1.) Completely STOP working on my current website...leave it as is, and don't touch it. Then create a second website that sells multiple products.

      OR

      2.) Work with what I already have, risking that the "new model" may result in less income than the "old model"

      No matter which route I take, I still have the same end goal in mind - Have a long-term, sustainable business.
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  • Profile picture of the author gluckspilz
    Wow, nice thread! Lots of different opinions.

    I guess not everyone is a fan of building their email list.

    I guess this is just my personal advice then.

    But if I have multiple products and a recurring membership, it will not make any sense to direct link at all. I'll need to split test 8 different offers to see which one converts better which is a complete mess as I'll need lots of traffic to have some real data.

    On the other hand, if I focus on building my email list, I can eventually sell all my products and more to the same lead. Again, it doesn't make sense to me to direct link to an offer if I have a library of my own products to sell.

    Of course, if we're talking about a zip code/email submit/lead gen CPA offer, that will be a different story. But multiple products that I personally own where I get 100% of the earnings... Building an email list is a complete no brainer to me.
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