How to Convert “Free” to “Fee”

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One of the standard lead generation offers you see is the “Free Offer” – free newsletter, free ABC audit, free initial consultation etc…

While I think that providing value up-front is appropriate in many situations (for example, I publish a free marketing newsletter monthly), the “Free Offer” can be overdone and come back to bite you by devaluing your services in the eyes of your prospects.

Free newsletter leads to free consultations leads to cut-priced pilot projects and so on…

Giving too much away free can send you to the poorhouse. Recently I came to the conclusion that I have been giving away too much free as well, and have been putting in place a range of strategies to turn the situation around to

(A) make my time more productive and profitable and
(B) provide genuine value to a greater number of high-quality clients .

The best marketers are those who have worked out a way to have people pay for their expertise as soon as possible in the marketing process. Sure, start by giving away free information (newsletters, reports, White Papers etc…) – but you also need a strategy to convert “free” into “fee” as soon as possible.

One way to do this is with educational information products. If you’re a speaker or expert, you can impart plenty of great information in the form of products that, even if they are modestly priced (e.g. a $29 e-book), start to place value on your intellectual property.

This breaks the cycle of free consultations and free advice that hold many professionals and other businesspeople back.

I’ve recently co-authored a strategic manual on Internet marketing and lead generation with Jay Abraham that will be go on sale soon…it plugs many of the strategic gaps that hold back regular “offline” businesses from profiting from the internet.

It took me a while to realise the importance of offering premium information – my best stuff – in a form that can be economically accessed by my target market. This new Report will certainly create huge value for clients and also meet my objectives too.

If you’re interested in how to leverage the internet in a way that produces explosive results for your “offline” product or service business, sign up to my Client Attraction Newsletter. You’ll not only receive tonnes of valuable business-building advice, but also get advance notice of the Internet Strategies Report launch.

Also, why not share your stragegies for converting “Free” to “Fee” by leaving a comment. Sensible comments (not about V1AGGRA) will be left a backlink to your site!

Bests,

Will

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Future Trends that Will Make You Think

Check out this post over at Craig Rispin’s Future Trends Blog:

Facts and Predictions to Make You Think

Craig lists a number of facts and figures that demonstrate how fast the world is changing and highlighting the trends that are influencing the way we will live, play and work.

I first heard of Craig Rispin via a Jay Abraham marketing workshop that I recently attended. As a bonus for attending the workshop, we received Craig’s Know First, Be First, Profit First DVD (also available at his website).

It’s fascinating stuff.

In a succinct 2-hour presentation, Craig outlines the Business, People and Technology trends that will deeply influence our lives in the next 10 to 30 years.

Many of the things he talks about made me rethink the way I do business and how I should structure for ongoing growth – in short, having a small team of inhouse staff, plus access to a wide range of specialists on a subcontracted basis.

If you’re interested in how the near future will affect your life and your work, check out Craig’s stuff.

Will

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Launching a New Concept – CloseConnexion

Over the past couple of months I’ve been working with Danielle Rodgers from CloseConnexion to help launch her brand new singles event concept. CloseConnexion holds singles events in Brisbane that are aimed at the 25+ market. The tagline we’re running with at the moment is…

“CloseConnexion…the easiest, most intriguing way for singles aged 25+ to connect.”

Why “intriguing”? Glad you asked!

Danielle has launched an entirely new singles event format based around a table game that she designed called The Meet Market™. Here’s what a recent press release had to say:

Marrying the best of the old and the new in dating, CloseConnexion have developed a unique method of bringing singles together. The emphasis is on encouraging playful, romantic encounters through entertaining conversation.

Singles meet in a comfortable, stylish environment to play The Meet Market™ – a board game where groups of six single men and women discover each other and themselves.

The game forms the catalyst for social interaction in a fun and non-threatening environment.

Its cheeky yet informative format is a great way to meet potential mates at a stylish and controlled dating event. Through the question cards, called “Frequent Flirters”, players are invited to discuss a range of topics that polite folk would rarely attempt on their first encounter. It is the ultimate icebreaker for discerning singles.

Positioning for success

While the dating events / introductions market in Australia is large, it’s dominated by a number of well-established incumbents such as RSVP and Blink Dating (Speed Dating). Danielle has tried to come up with something completely unique that caters to a different market (25+, right up to 60 or older).

Especially when entering an established market, differentiation is your main marketing weapon and CloseConnexion has that by the truckload.

I’ll be attending the Premiere event next Thursday 22nd June at Brisbane’s ultra-stylish Platform Bar.

If you’re in Brisbane and you’d like to come too, book here at the CloseConnexion website.

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The Power of Now

Recently I read this post on Steve Pavlina’s Blog recommending the self-development / spirituality book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

As luck (or was it something else – synchronicity?!?!) would have it, a couple of days afterward I walked through the Cherry Blossom bookstore, which happens to be next to my local coffee shop. Not 20 cm from my face was The Power of Now, so I went ahead and bought it.

All in all, I think it was a very worthwhile purchase. The central message is contained right there in the title – that living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. Do you often find yourself dwelling on the past or thinking about the future (I know I do)?

If that’s you, then you may find this book worthwhile. It not only provides a philosophical basis for focusing on the present moment as you go through your day, but also contains a number of practical steps toward making it happen.

I notice that on Amazon.com, the reviews of this book are extremely polarised. Some people give it 5 stars, others give it 1. I can see how that would happen – some people comment that the content of the book is so simple (live in the present) and that 200-odd pages of explanation were a waste of time.

Personally, I needed that extra explanation to cover all the angles and questions that I had about the concept. For example, how can you reconcile living in the now with future-based activities such as goal setting, or learning from past experiences?

And as a result of reading The Power of Now I do feel a greater sense of wellbeing as I go about my daily life. That, to me, is the only question I need to answer – does it work?

I recommend this book highly, but keep in mind that it wont be for everyone, so no hate mail please

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Attend a $495 Marketing Workshop in Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney FREE

I recently made an offer to my Client Attraction Newsletter subscribers to attend a $495 Jay Abraham marketing workshop as my guest if you’ll invest in one of my new business-building materials.

I’ve decided to make the same offer to blog readers as well – but be quick. The events will take place as follows…

Sydney: Tuesday 6th June 6pm – 9pm
Melbourne: Wednesday 7th June 6pm – 9pm
Brisbane: Thursday 8th June 6pm – 9pm

Read about how to get free tickets here. [sorry, this link has expired]

Read further FAQs about this offer here. [sorry this link has expired]

Will

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8 out of 10 Marketing Approaches You Try Will Not Work

98%* of the books or articles you read about marketing will contain glowing reports of what worked well. You never hear much about the things that fizzed, splatted or imploded.

That’s quite different from the real world. Yes, there are some smart or experienced marketers who can make campaigns work like gangbusters most of the time. But in most cases, the reality is this: Most marketing approaches you try will FAIL or be only marginally successful.

You’ll send out direct mails that get a pitiful response. You’ll place an ad that burns a hole in your marketing budget but goes nowhere. We’ve all been there.

But the important thing to remember is….

It doesn’t matter!

If you follow the rule of conservatively testing marketing approaches on a small scale before rolling them out only once they’ve proven themselves, you won’t go far wrong.

Most marketers don’t test enough options (I include myself here). Over the next quarter I resolve to double the number of marketing tests I conduct – I’ll report back with any interesting results.

Question: what marketing tests have YOU conducted in the past? What were the insights or results?

* This figure may not be strictly accurate. I just made it up.

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