Blackhat? Not sure.. but worked!

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Joe Motion

I simply emailed an old list of previous buyers (in the
gardening niche) a simple page that contained a .ZIP
file containing a small relevant report..

On that simple page it says 'Download the .ZIP file here
by right clicking then clicking save as' etc..

Below that it has a PayPal payment link for the password
to the .ZIP file.

Of course the content inside the .ZIP file is password
protected. They need to pay to get the password.

I had a ton of sales - and then followed the email up a
few days later with a quick link to the PayPal payment
link with a note that the password is given after payment.

Have you sold them anything before? How did the conversions compare?

David

Thanks

Signature

Free Report: How IM Gurus Pull in 100k-$2mil A Year (Its Not What They Teach You)
---------------------------------
The Nuts and Bolts of Starting-Up and Running a Successful Membership Site
==Membership Academy== aMember/Wishlist Hacks and How To Videos

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6846800].message }}

tooAlive

12 years ago

If someone pulled that on me, I'd immediately unsubscribe from their list.

If their product had an ounce of quality in it and they were honest, they wouldn't be pulling all those tricks to get me to bite.

Thanks
4 replies

Signature

<img src="$2,387.44-clickbank-check.jpg">

"Action is the real measure of intelligence." - Napoleon Hill

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6846822].message }}

1byte

12 years ago

Originally Posted by tooAlive

If someone pulled that on me, I'd immediately unsubscribe from their list.

If their product had an ounce of quality in it and they were honest, they wouldn't be pulling all those tricks to get me to bite.

Yeah, that's not cool. I would be miffed if someone did that to me.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6846888].message }}

Joe Motion

12 years ago

Originally Posted by tooAlive

If someone pulled that on me, I'd immediately unsubscribe from their list.

If their product had an ounce of quality in it and they were honest, they wouldn't be pulling all those tricks to get me to bite.

Hey,

Yeah - I've pulled it. Saying that though I've had 0% unsubscripton rate
from the list so far - but the original product sold did over deliver (IMO).

Stats.

I've sold to these subscribers before - so I know they're interested
and ready to buy. They come from cold traffic banner ads. I email
them once every few weeks with relevant (and topical) info (not
always selling to them).

After they've purchased my main product they're put on an automated
email sequence for 2 weeks.. with quality info and Clickbank affiliate
offers then they just get the odd email I outlined above.. and this sort
of thing I'm explaining now..

Open rate was 32% (open rate is always high in this niche).

72% downloaded the .ZIP.

With a total of 60% paying for the password (which cost $9.97).

Made me high $X,XXX.

Thinking of adding it into my automated email sequence but will
wait on feedback from here, and, of course, customer feedback!

Just thought I would share anyway.

Thanks

Signature

Living in SE Asia.. BKK.. PM me for a beer!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847025].message }}

SOCAL777

12 years ago

Originally Posted by tooAlive

If someone pulled that on me, I'd immediately unsubscribe from their list.

If their product had an ounce of quality in it and they were honest, they wouldn't be pulling all those tricks to get me to bite.

Seconded. As it stands, I've been on an Unsubscribe frenzy of late. It's one thing to promote products once a week, but some marketers spam up to 10 times per week.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847449].message }}

Will Edwards

12 years ago

Originally Posted by tooAlive

If someone pulled that on me, I'd immediately unsubscribe from their list.

If their product had an ounce of quality in it and they were honest, they wouldn't be pulling all those tricks to get me to bite.

Friend, you don't need to engage in this kind of stuff. The comment above explains why.

Will

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847558].message }}

USA

12 years ago

tooAlive

If someone pulled that on me, I'd immediately unsubscribe from their list.

If their product had an ounce of quality in it and they were honest, they wouldn't be pulling all those tricks to get me to bite.

Ditto! My sentiments exactly.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6846843].message }}

Robert Kren

12 years ago

This does sound interesting though. I would like to hear more details on how it was all put together.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6846850].message }}

travlinguy

12 years ago

It's not black hat but it's pretty cheesy.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847051].message }}

David-JP

12 years ago

Im not sure there's anything really wrong with this- as long as you made it clear that the file was password protected and they needed to make a purchase to unlock it- I really dont see an ethical difference between this and giving them an unlocked version after paying.

I've known people in the investing world who sell spreadsheets with macros built in, the spreadsheet is password protected and they need to order to get the unlock- As long as your sales page is clear doesn't seem black hat to me.

If you were simply sending them to a download page, and not explaining they would need to order to get the unlock, frustrating them until they come back and buy. Or if your download page wasn't very descriptive... that would be a hat of a different color.

David

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Free Report: How IM Gurus Pull in 100k-$2mil A Year (Its Not What They Teach You)
---------------------------------
The Nuts and Bolts of Starting-Up and Running a Successful Membership Site
==Membership Academy== aMember/Wishlist Hacks and How To Videos

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847171].message }}

tooAlive

12 years ago

Originally Posted by David-JP

I've known people in the investing world who sell spreadsheets with macros built in, the spreadsheet is password protected and they need to order to get the unlock- As long as your sales page is clear doesn't seem black hat to me.

I don't have a problem with that at all. I actually do a similar thing myself in a different niche. As long as you're transparent, and the customer knows.

Originally Posted by David-JP

Of course the content inside the .ZIP file is password
protected. They need to pay to get the password.

I had a ton of sales - and then followed the email up a
few days later with a quick link to the PayPal payment
link with a note that the password is given after payment.

A lot of people downloaded the file with no intention of
originally paying - then tried to open the .ZIP and saw
the password - after getting the update there curiosity
got the better of them (and they already had the file
on there harddrive) - so a lot of hard work was already
done - and just paid!

This is what I wasn't too crazy about.

From what I understand, he's sending a locked .zip file one day to create interest, and following it up with the password for sale in another email a few days later.

I wouldn't do that to my list. It might work, but it just doesn't build honesty or credibility in my book.

Although offering the password for sale and the free locked download in the same email, along with a description of what you're doing is totally different.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

<img src="$2,387.44-clickbank-check.jpg">

"Action is the real measure of intelligence." - Napoleon Hill

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847225].message }}

Black Hat Cat

Banned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by tooAlive

This is what I wasn't too crazy about.

From what I understand, he's sending a locked .zip file one day to create interest, and following it up with the password for sale in another email a few days later.

Then you didn't actually read what he said BEFORE that part. Try it again:

I simply emailed an old list of previous buyers (in the
gardening niche) a simple page that contained a .ZIP
file containing a small relevant report..

On that simple page it says 'Download the .ZIP file here
by right clicking then clicking save as' etc..

Below that it has a PayPal payment link for the password
to the .ZIP file.

Nowhere did he say he sent them a locked file one day, and then a payment request for the password the next day. The download page made clear they'd have to pay to get the password if they downloaded. The follow up email merely reminded them of what he had already told them on the download page.

Nothing blackhat or greyhat here.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847436].message }}

Joe Motion

12 years ago

Originally Posted by tooAlive

From what I understand, he's sending a locked .zip file one day to create interest, and following it up with the password for sale in another email a few days later.

I think you misread my original post..

On that simple page it says 'Download the .ZIP file here
by right clicking then clicking save as' etc..

Below that it has a PayPal payment link for the password
to the .ZIP file.

But I do think people downloaded with the intention of just opening
the file - then being disappointed it was password protected. Also,
this is the gardening niche - they're not marketing/computer savvy.

Setting everything up for this was such a breeze too.

Thanks

Signature

Living in SE Asia.. BKK.. PM me for a beer!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847460].message }}

idoitbigtime

12 years ago

Its not Black
its Gray Hat

Thanks

Signature

"How To Make $100+ A Day On Facebook
With Only 30 - 60 Mins Work!" (step by step)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847179].message }}

nick04

12 years ago

It will work till the time you don't get caught. And it sound pretty much like gray hat

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847476].message }}

JawadAshraf

12 years ago

I think it will work nice in other niches except IM/MMO. Have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing by the way. Keep it up.

Thanks

Signature

Make $13000 In 24 Hours Using This Secret Bitcoin Lifestyle System With Your Small Investment Easily Today! Click Here To Watch The Video For More Details NOW! http://bitcoinlifestyle.uk

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847485].message }}

ArielT

12 years ago

Thanks for sharing, It's not blackhat, but I personally don't like the idea

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847511].message }}

vCr8

12 years ago

First of all I would not tag it as afree report to download.. then on the other hand if the report is really of substance, I would not really mind paying for it.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847920].message }}

Diesell

12 years ago

It's not Blackhat...but you trick people a little bit! They buy it because they are interested right...so i gotta love it ;-) Thanks

Thanks

Signature

Do You Need *TRAFFIC* And Want To Get *PAID* To Use This Secret Buyers Source?
It Takes Only 5 Min. A/D !

Go Here => Secret Traffic Source

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6847944].message }}

Joe Motion

12 years ago

Thanks for all the feedback!

I think I'm going to leave this out for the time being (even though it made me $X,XXX!).

Thanks

Signature

Living in SE Asia.. BKK.. PM me for a beer!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6853407].message }}

smokey58

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Joe Motion

Hey,

Had a chat with a friend out here in Thailand that gave
me this little trick for selling reports... I gave it a go and
it worked incredibly well... my conversion rate almost
doubled.. but I get a feeling it's kinda black hat...

I simply emailed an old list of previous buyers (in the
gardening niche) a simple page that contained a .ZIP
file containing a small relevant report..

On that simple page it says 'Download the .ZIP file here
by right clicking then clicking save as' etc..

Below that it has a PayPal payment link for the password
to the .ZIP file.

Of course the content inside the .ZIP file is password
protected. They need to pay to get the password.

I had a ton of sales - and then followed the email up a
few days later with a quick link to the PayPal payment
link with a note that the password is given after payment.

A lot of people downloaded the file with no intention of
originally paying - then tried to open the .ZIP and saw
the password - after getting the update there curiosity
got the better of them (and they already had the file
on there harddrive) - so a lot of hard work was already
done - and just paid!

I'll test most things, and this worked so well.. but I
feel its a bit black hat ninja style...!

What's your opinions?

Black hat? To me it's more like BS. I would opt out of your email very fast. I'm surprised it worked so well. Sooner or later it will catch up with you.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6853420].message }}

Joe Motion

12 years ago

Originally Posted by smokey58

Black hat? To me it's more like BS. I would opt out of your email very fast. I'm surprised it worked so well. Sooner or later it will catch up with you.

Why would it catch up with me? haha

It was a test - and I'm holding off using it now. And for the record
the guy that told me about it is making 6 figures a year.

And I wouldn't brush *any* strategy off before TESTING it!

Thanks

Signature

Living in SE Asia.. BKK.. PM me for a beer!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6853750].message }}

GowthamV

11 years ago

[DELETED]

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8301608].message }}

Blackhat? Not sure.. but worked!

Trending Topics

Some interesting stats about brand comms

Meta AI now has Google Search results

Fixing a massive traffic drop after rebranding

Looking at the average screen time and socmed usage

What's the Best IM-Related Skill to Learn Today That Can Help in the Future?