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Free giveaway too long/big?

by Happy Steve
6 replies
So we are setting up what might be called a “classic” IM site where offer a free give-away in return for someone signing up to our mailing list.

Our niche is a specific sport and we have finished writing a "quick start guide" for that sport that was intended to be the free give-away. This guide has ended up as 26 pages long without photos (which we have yet to add). This isn't padded out with waffle at all and its all great quality info. We know is pretty long but its all information we feel beginners in this sport should know for safety reasons and because its high quality information for newbies (stuff I wish I knew when I started TBH). We could probably crop a few pages off but we feel the majority of the info is essential

Is this too long?

Am I thinking about this wrong?

Should we split it into different parts such as a 3 part quick start guide delivered via autoresponder?

Should we use this quick start guide as a saleable item and use something else as a free offer?

Any advice appreciated

thanks
#free #giveaway #long or big
  • Profile picture of the author noon88
    I've done free giveaways. They work to some degree but you'll have a large number of people that only want free stuff. What happens is, you'll have a cost of let's say $200 to mail a list of 5000. When that list grows to 10,000, you'll be paying a premium. The problem is, you've now got a ton of people on your list that only want "free" so you're paying them to be there. It's a delicate balance.
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    • Profile picture of the author Happy Steve
      Originally Posted by noon88 View Post

      I've done free giveaways. They work to some degree but you'll have a large number of people that only want free stuff. What happens is, you'll have a cost of let's say $200 to mail a list of 5000. When that list grows to 10,000, you'll be paying a premium. The problem is, you've now got a ton of people on your list that only want "free" so you're paying them to be there. It's a delicate balance.
      Or I have a mailling list of people that are directly interested in my niche that I can pre qualify and sell to no?

      Plus mailchimp is only $50 for 5000 subscribers and $75 for 10,000 - Aweber is about the same
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnZ
    Well I'd say what's important is the readability of it. If it's a bunch of info packed in and hard to read because it's not broken up well enough or the paragraphs are too long then the reader may not even read it or be put off by it.

    If you can ad some stock images or something here and there I think it helps break it up, make it more intriguing or more visually appealing which may help give the reader a better impression. Which I'd say is what you want your reader to come away with.

    If you really have too much info, then maybe breaking each section up into an email a day for a week (or how ever many days) will help make it more digestible for the reader and also get them used to receiving emails from you which is also good of course!

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author TimothyTorrents
    I would recommend dividing the report into two parts and give the first part away for free as teaser and sell the second part.

    I think that would be the best decision.

    Just what I think.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      Steve,

      There is no "best way" to do what you're talking about. I would focus my effort on three things:
      1. Make your freemium the very best quality that you can so that anyone receiving it will (a) begin to consider you an authority on the subject, (b) see that you put out a quality product, and (c) be introduced to your web site which must be the same high quality.
      2. Make a compelling case for the prospect to take some action like getting a second report, commenting on your blog, downloading a discount coupon for a product, etc. You've "extended your hand" by giving a freebie, now you want the prospect to reciprocate and take some action to build a two-way relationship.
      3. Pay attention to the prospect. Attract the most targeted prospects that you can. If you visitors aren't specifically wanting what you offer, your advertising is wasted. Place the prospect into your funnel and follow up, personally and consistently, with him/her. So often, IMers give a freebie and then hope to convince the prospect that they should stay for more. Assume that every new sign-up is going to be your very best long-term customer then cultivate that relationship to make it happen.
      Every niche is unique and at least a little different. Every source of traffic (where you draw your prospects) will give you a different type of sign-up. The point is, you should try a certain sign-up strategy, at least on a small scale, track the results, then change a variable and try again. Over time, you will learn what is your best method of getting results in your niche given your budget and your quality of offerings.

      No two marketer's results are going to be the same as they are not you. In my opinion, if you pay close attention to offering the highest quality, targeting as exactly as you can, then nurturing as personally and consistently as possible, you will become successful over time.

      The very best to you.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author retsced
    If there's no fluff, and the content cannot be trimmed down without devaluing the report, then it is what it is.

    I'm all for keeping reports brief, but 26 pages is fine IMO. If it's not in the ADHD niche, I'm pretty sure interested parties will have no problem consuming the information. Especially if it's valuable and fluff free.

    However, of course you can break it up over a couple of days, which will help build a stronger connection and get your emails opened, well, for a couple days anyway.
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