Are people becomming immune to Free plus continuity?

I think you've read it right. Of course we're also easing into the so-called summer slump, but probably most of us here have now either already been snared a couple of times by ambush continuity deals, or at least seen it run past our window a few too many times, so we've grown skittish.

If the same pattern holds into the autumn, it'll be interesting to see what becomes the next big thing the launch tycoons try.

Cheers from warm and smiling Thailand,
Charles

After reading some horror stories from other warriors here
about not being able to cancel and getting billed repeatedly
from some big name and supposedly reputable marketers,
I avoid them like the plague.

The free plus continuity is an old marketing concept that has been used effectively for years, it's not just for the IM niche. It works in any niche as a marketing strategy. You see it on TV infomercials all the time.

I believe it still works and as marketers it's a great way of making recurring income every month offering something of value on a regular basis.

Scott,

It simply could be the recent launch of a free to continuity program is old news.

Many have heard the hype before, and have had less than promised results.

I do find it interesting, that in that recent promotion it was either hype or they were truly expecting to sell out quickly.

With promises of not needing a list, or a lot of information to get people to sign up, the launch that had A fairly large list, multiple testimonials, and informational videos seemed to whimper instead of explode.

My Personal opinion is its about as new and exciting as an opt-in box.

Mark Riddle

I don't think the free plus continuity is what became popular. It was the "giving away" of what has become called the Big Box product of the marketers who have expensive products to give away.

That's why you mainly see the big names doing this - they have the products to give away.

You'll know it's run its course when the same marketers change to something new.

(It could be folks already have an MP3 player.)

The IM community is small - it seems big because we talk
about it all the time. What we do here is very funky and
outside how most people think or even experience marketing
a business.

These launches targeted at the "IM niche" - well, it's a
narrow market with dedicated buyers in it, but it's still
small. Most people don't know or care what a "product launch"
("like New Coke?") is. While PL strategies are good money-
makers for quick-hit cash, the approach has weaknesses.

So what's the big deal?

Haven't you watched enough videos? read enough ebooks?

Just because a "launch" seems like such a great bargain
doesn't mean there aren't a lot of camels drinking from the
well. That's my way of saying it's getting saturated in
the IM niche, as all marketing ploys will be eventually.

Booming markets like IM may seem big when you are up
real close, but study real mass-market mail-order stuff
and you see very little of the launch mentality - but you
do see massive risk-reversal in the offers... but without
the "slam their credit cards" continuity.

I believe the "free plus continuity" model can work effectively as long as the promoter is provided a good quality product and a meaningful backend (i.e the continuity program) which adds value to the buyer. This includes the IM niche and other markets.

And yes as Gail says, there are some not-so-honest operators out there who seek to take advantage of others - some just never learn!

Free+continuity works provided two pillars: over deliver awesome content (so it makes the monthly fee seem cheap) plus traffic generation to the free content sign up page. Really, if you have those two in place the Free+Continuity model works just fine.

Hey Brian - don't tease! I'm sure you have some great hardcore stats! Please please share!

i would agree with you. I believe people are getting jaded over 'free' stuffs.
Also, being presented with so much free stuffs, I think people are starting to expect 'free' stuffs as standard.

well, i think it has got to depend on what 'free' thing you give out.

if the perceive value is high for the reader and you give it away free, they'll really appreciate the stuff.

else, even if you charge a high rate for something relevant to someone who desperately need it, it's also justified rite?

These offers probably are becoming a little less effective in THIS niche - IM. That's because the community is small and really it's the same old leads that see all of the offers. It's just the same poeple being promoted to back and forth.

As for other markets where there are lots of people that don't get promoted with a similar forced continuity program every week, this sort of offer will always be effective. It's been used for years.

I'm assuming you're talking about the IM niche. That's what happens when people get into this idiotic incest driven cross-promotion strategies that deliver dozens of email everyday into people's email boxes. I mean, how many courses and memberships can a person buy?

The myth that you can continue to just share your list with competitors, do cross-promotions and expect this to work forever is bitting the dust. It might work short-term but eventually people get tired of all these promotions. Now, instead of having one marketer promoting every once in a while, they have dozens hitting them at the same time.

Tyrus

Free + shipping totally ROCKS in non IM niches. Than again, most IM funnel strategies do well outside of this niche.

I think folks are definetly smartening up to the concept, meaning they remember to cancel if the continuity program sucks....

But, as always if you have a good offer, with a good product, it works....

I agree with the next guy, taking these concepts back offline...where they started originally is where it's at.

I got an offer that would send me $20 if I would use their link for the "Free Pay Shipping Only" shipping was $10. I could have made $10, but that's assuming that the affiliate really got credit!

There wasn't a specified time when the $20 would be paid.

It's making me think the product must be pretty poor.

Not a confidence builder.

Mark Riddle