Comments on: Something New! Open Discussion: Tawk Amongst Yaselves

By: remarkablogger

remarkablogger — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:45:26 +0000

Thanks for your comment. Do you really think it's a choice between one or
the other?

By: remarkablogger

remarkablogger — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:45:26 +0000

Thanks for your comment. Do you really think it's a choice between one or
the other?

By: robertjfischer

robertjfischer — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:40:54 +0000

There are two models that you can follow. You can give away free samples and then sell products or services- the traditional model. Or you can become a thought leader and develope a tribe. With this approach you give till it hurts and then give some more. This is the apprroach that Seth Godin and David Mearman Scott have used. They do not make money from their blogs and free ebooks. They make money from workshops, speaking and consulting. Both models can work, but the blogger needs to decide which model he will follow. Being succcesful as a thought leader will ultimately lead to far greater monetary awards, but it is more difficult and fewer people will succeed.

By: remarkablogger

remarkablogger — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:59:14 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Gillian. Offering a free report that is of no value
is a mistake, absolutely. Offering something valuable for free is a
different matter altogether. That value is communicated in the same way as
for paid products: with a price and with benefits and testimonials. The
price isn't something they're paying, but what it would be worth if you sold
it.

And if it isn't worth selling, then, paradoxically, it also isn't worth
giving away.

By: Gillian

Gillian — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:49:36 +0000

For my businesses helping people to launch and grow their business I chose to only do a free in the following situations:

free teleseminar so that potential coachess can get a feel for my style
free teleseminar when I amlaunching a book or home study course
sample chapter of a book I am selling so that people could get a feel as to whether it would meet their needs.

I think offering a free report to encourage people to sign up for a newsletter is a bit cheap - they either want to read more about you or they don't plus - you shoudn't have to bribe them besides - if the report is of no value to them they might choose not to sign up when otherwise they would have done so.

I do intend to have resources such as checklists etc available on my websites since these can be helpful to people whatever business and whatever stage they are at but I am not going to make getting them require signing up. Maybe a big mistake on my part but free should be free.

By: remarkablogger

remarkablogger — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:38:36 +0000

Thanks for sharing your ideas on this. I think this is something many of us
need to hear, the feedback that's missing. “Sleeping better:” I couldn't
have put it better myself!

By: RiverwoodWriter

RiverwoodWriter — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:20:22 +0000

As a blog consumer, I'm not sure consumers are as concerned about what's free and what's not free as long as you, the blogger, are providing lots of value (as James points out) to relieve the pain or worry points in the personal and/or business lives of your readers. If I'm consistently getting this, I'm going to come back again and again. Then when a product is offered, I'm more likely to jump on it, even if it may include some of what I've gotten for free. I'm paying for CONVENIENCE–or as Michael pointed out–you're paying for the packaging.

This is a worthy discussion, but I don't think bloggers need to spend an inordinate amount of time or energy on it…just keep spending time and energy identifying your target market and learning all you can about what keeps them awake at night. When you've got them “sleeping better” you'll have a loyal fan.

By: Dave Doolin

Dave Doolin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:54:27 +0000

Not much I can say here. Not making any money to speak of yet.

Will follow along.

I suppose I could say that my days of giving stuff away are coming to a rapid close. I don't have the capital to continue indefinitely.

By: Grant Griffiths

Grant Griffiths — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:04:14 +0000

Free and paid for? Yes! And it depends...

It seems the common practice these days is to get them in the door so to speak by offering something free. But, the free stuff had better be damn good. The internet is very busy with new offers daily. And providing that "ethical bribe" to get them to sign up to be on a list so you can than get them to buy from you is common practice. Is it the right thing to do, yes if done right. Is it the wrong thing to do, yes if done wrong.

I guess my point in all of this, there is no right or wrong answer. I tend to watch a handful of people who, in my opinion are the best at marketing online, and do what they do. I also think you have to weigh your decision to give away free stuff with who your audience is. And, if you are blogging and posting some good stuff like Michael, you are giving away free stuff every time you post to your blog.

The next key is trust. You have to build trust with your audience to build a relationship with them. I don't think just because you give them something for free, will you build that trust.

In the end, you need to know you niche, your target buyer, your readers and whether free will work or is even necessary.

By: Melinda | SuperWAHM

Melinda | SuperWAHM — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:35:09 +0000

I was discussing this with James from Men With Pens a couple of months ago and he suggested the free content on the blog should be one step removed from your main work. So you're not giving away the same stuff as you sell. I don't always manage that.

However, what I write tends not to be as detailed or in-depth as what I'm selling - the info products anyway. So it's more like a small sample, and the bought products are the whole enchilada.

And as you pointed out to Jennifer, as a Coach, when I sell 'me' it's always going to be different to the free content AND the info products because it's personalised, it's in the immediate moment and it's dealing with that particular clients specific issues.