How
Much Should You Give Away?
Cara Lumen, M.A.
Words
686
Reading time: 3.5 minutes
We
know we are to give value at every opportunity. But how do you
know how much to give away and how much to "reserve"
for paying products or services.
The
answer is you will never, ever run out of ideas or services or
products so keep giving. In fact, having to come up with a new
product or service only helps you grow yourself as you move beyond
your comfort zone, learn new techniques, and reform your current
ideas. When you give great value, you receive great value simply
by giving.
The
Marketing Funnel is Wide at the Top
The
idea behind a Marketing Funnel is that the top is wide and is
meant to offer incentives and free products that entice the general
site visitor to give you their name and address in exchange for
your free report, or newsletter, or mini-e-course. It has great
value and it is free.
After
You Build Trust They Will Pay You
As
you build their trust, through an ongoing newsletter for instance,
they will move closer to purchasing something from you. At this
level, you'll want to provide some low prices items that help
them begin to understand the value of what you offer. You offer
a product proportionate to their trust level.
80%
Of Your Sales Will Come From 20% Of Your List
At
the narrower end of the Marketing Funnel are the higher priced
items that people are comfortable buying after the get to know
you. These are major CD sets, books, workshops, and teleclasses.
You'll want to have products in all three of these levels.
How
Do You Know How Much To Give Away At Each Level?
"Give
as much as you can give and then give more" is a philosophy
I first heard through Michael Port, author of the upcoming "Book
Yourself Solid." He says we must always be aware of the value
we give. For instance, if you go hang out on a forum, give and
give and give value. Don't ask for anything in return. That's
attractive to people and they will ultimately be drawn to you
and what you offer. Make everything you offer rich in content.
Give them more than they asked for. Give them more than they expected.
Besides,
it feels good to give great value!
What
Can You Give Away Right Now?
On
the first day in this current 90-Day Product Factory course I
am taking, I offered everyone in the course three of my e-books
for free. It was truly in the spirit of passing it forward because
all three of those e-books had come into being either in Product
Factory 3 or Traffic School 1. It felt wonderful because I knew
how valuable it would be to have so much information focused in
an e-book as people were working to build their signature products.
I had worked to gather the information and knew its value. Only
after I had offered these e-books to 60 people did it occur to
me that perhaps some of them would be willing to give me a testimonial
to place on my web site. I didn't do it to get something back,
I did it to pass it forward, but I have already made my first
Australian friend and by giving so generously, I have made myself
available in that environment to meet many more people.
In
fact, I got a call from one of the team leaders to be a guest
expert on one of her team calls to talk about e-books. I already
know that talk is going to be recorded, the Power Point put into
Camtasia and the whole offering will be free on my web site to
give value to those who visit. I didn't expect that. I just gave
away value and opportunity knocked.
Give
Without Expecting Anything Back
Give
without expecting anything back. Give the greatest value you have
to give. Give because you want to help others. Give because it
is fun. Give as much as you can give, and then give more.
©
Cara Lumen 2006
Winds of Change Collection
www.caralumen.com
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Intention Coaching, helping Independent Service Providers establish
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WHAT
CAN AN INTERNET MARKETING COACH DO FOR YOU?