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"And you get it FREE for trying out their monthly _________."

by nathanj
10 replies
Ok...

This is not a RANT!

This is ME asking YOU, where you think
the Internet Marketing industry is headed.

2008 has easily been the year for...

'moving the free line...'

With Frank Kern, and now Andy and
Brad at SN doing the largest forced
continuity programs the industry has
EVER seen...

Will the rest of the industry move to
the 'free line' area?

Will we see a jump in the amount of
credit card accepted merchant accounts
being purchased? (as the CC continuity
seems to be the way to do it)

Guru after guru has 'moved the free line'

And as you know...

Monkey see, monkey do.

Would love to know your comments. If
this is too cynical then please let me know
also.

Have a great weekend Warriors.

Nathan J.
  • Profile picture of the author Rob Toth
    I'm missing it...

    Are you asking if we (I) think there will be more instances of forced continuity?

    Sure! It's a proven model.

    But will it be an increasingly larger portion of all the various models? I don't think so. Especially in the land of information marketing... there are more and more people coming on with the basic "sell an ebook" model (without even upsell, downsell).

    And you have to remember that to offere continuity, you have to be able to provide something of value each month. Sure there are outsourcing shortcuts, etc... but it's a bigger bit to chew then just tossing up a rehashed ebook and a salesletter.

    The guys who have the content in place certainly should and likely will put continuity in play. And the "try it free" or another low ticket variation of it is a VERY effective model.
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    • Profile picture of the author nathanj
      Originally Posted by Rob Toth View Post

      I'm missing it...

      Are you asking if we (I) think there will be more instances of forced continuity?

      Sure! It's a proven model.

      But will it be an increasingly larger portion of all the various models? I don't think so. Especially in the land of information marketing... there are more and more people coming on with the basic "sell an ebook" model (without even upsell, downsell).

      And you have to remember that to offere continuity, you have to be able to provide something of value each month. Sure there are outsourcing shortcuts, etc... but it's a bigger bit to chew then just tossing up a rehashed ebook and a salesletter.

      The guys who have the content in place certainly should and likely will put continuity in play. And the "try it free" or another low ticket variation of it is a VERY effective model.
      Definately Rob,

      Do you (and everyone else) then see it being implemented by MORE 'fulltime' marketers?

      As we know 'hype' can easily be implemented within any niche salesletter. We've all seen it... you cannot deny it LOL.

      But again please let me know if I'm being cynical

      Nathan J.

      P.S. I know many more gurus (hate the word but what else to use?) have implemented FC... MFil, MBac, KWell, JBrun etc etc, but will it tricle down to the middle marketer.
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      • Profile picture of the author Lance K
        Indeed some are truly moving the free line. Yet others say they are, but what they're really doing is revealing the real value of what they had previously grossly over charged for. Employing a tactic such as "free line" (which has been around in one form or another longer than most of us have been alive) is just a beginning. If it's not part of a rock solid strategy, you won't get the desired long term effect.
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        "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
        ~ Zig Ziglar
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        • Profile picture of the author Jose Delgado
          While I think Mike is the one that everyone seems to want to "copy",

          I think they truly ARE moving the Free line.

          For some, this is great because they'll just pay shipping and cancel in a week or so.

          Too bad we can't quite do this since we are not top "gurus"(at least most of us. ) that would attract that many people to actually make it a success and profit vastly from it.

          Good point though.
          (did I make sense?) :p
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          • Profile picture of the author nathanj
            Originally Posted by Jose Delgado View Post

            While I think Mike is the one that everyone seems to want to "copy",

            I think they truly ARE moving the Free line.

            For some, this is great because they'll just pay shipping and cancel in a week or so.

            Too bad we can't quite do this since we are not top "gurus"(at least most of us. ) that would attract that many people to actually make it a success and profit vastly from it.

            Good point though.
            (did I make sense?) :p
            Hey Jose,

            True many people will 'fall off the wall' and it is a great way to get a heap of content for virtually nothing.

            Of course the guru's have the most 'pull' when it comes to a launch... but with a steady flow of traffic to any niche FC site. I think you could bank a nice recurring amount .

            Nathan J.
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        • Profile picture of the author J. Barry Mandel
          Using this method has the built in tactic of reciprocity which is super powerful...

          The bottom line is people feel like they have to give something when they get something. It's human nature. There's also the built in emotional "guilty" button if the person does not give back so it adds psychological incentive to go ahead and recipricate. Who wants to feel guilty anyway?

          So will the rest of the industry do it?

          Doubtful.

          Depending on the which fulfillment company is used, how many people can afford to pay up front for 2000 or 10,000 units of a product at let's say about $20 a piece?

          Is this cynical of you to ask Nathan?

          Maybe!
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          • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
            I think marketers talk with each other and say "Good lord, I just made a butt load of money doing the free stuff" so others follow because it works for now.

            Can anyone predict what is next. We seem to rotate through the techniques.
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            Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

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          • Profile picture of the author nathanj
            Originally Posted by Justin Mandel View Post

            The bottom line is people feel like they have to give something when they get something. It's human nature. There's also the built in emotional "guilty" button if the person does not give back so it adds psychological incentive to go ahead and recipricate. Who wants to feel guilty anyway?

            -------------------------------------------------

            Is this cynical of you to ask Nathan?

            Maybe!
            Hey Justin,

            Guilty as charged... even knowing you can get away with a P&H payment and then cancelling to learn is a great option. But yes without even EVER having to meet the person you purchased it from, there is still that feeling of guilt. So many may not stop for that sort of reason.

            Cynical... haha I don't think I'm bashing the ways of FC. More enlightening the WF community to the ways of the jedi

            Nathan J.
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            • Profile picture of the author Ken Preuss
              I would make the argument that we are now seeing cases where the "free line" is really a disguise for a deeper front-end offer - namely forced continuity and/or immediate up-sells.

              However, everyone seems to forget that the free or low-cost offer with forced continuity attached has been used in the infomercial industry for the last 15+ years. It may seem like a new IM fad because more and more gurus are doing it, but it's hardly new.

              As far as the quality of the offer and continuity product, that will continue to vary greatly...just as it has in the infomercial arena.

              All of that said, what you are seeing is proven marketing and sales tactics that date back many years. Namely getting as many people as possible in with a free + shipping or low-cost offer, then having a deep funnel of higher-priced products/services in which to monetize the 20% of those folks who will ultimately supply 80% of the revenue.

              The 80/20 rule is always at work. It's just a matter of what approach the marketer is using to maximize it.

              Ken
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            • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
              Well, I think the 'Free Line' as it stands right now will be short lived... How much QUALITY information can you give away before you start cutting into profits?

              We are in the business of exchanging value for monetary gain...

              However, I see 'Moving The Free Line' as the start to a business model to gain attention, to get the crowd to say 'Hey Look Over There'...

              It can be used to brand yourself or your company and be the start of your marketing funnel.

              It can also be used to launch a new product, a new edition or a revised edition. Even a re-launch of an existing product.

              PLUS...

              You could use the Free Line model to introduce a new product at a drastically reduced price such as "all my best sellers for $1..."

              Even use it as Andy and Brad are doing, were you just pay the shipping and handling which covers your production costs of the CD and puts people into a continuity type of program.

              Continuity has been successfully done with PayPal too and I imagine other online processors (WorldPay, Google, etc.) could be used effectively as well... Using those processors makes it extremely easy to unsubscribe but isn't that the point? Besides it forces creators of that continuity to become a little more responsible in the information they put out... it's got to be good or else!

              You could probably keep a good number subscribed if you introduce next months content topics and a little teaser copy to boot.

              Mike Hill

              PS. I think the 'Free Line' is going to be overused but why not start charging even $1 for killer information because if they have to decide if they even want to spend $1 how long do you think it would take for them to spend $100 with you?

              Some will argue about that however by charging $1 measly dollar you get a subscriber who is hungry for the information. Personally, I'm moving towards the $1 dollar "Kick-ass" information model as the starting point to my system...
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