This week's focus:
Some people think that giving away free samples of their product is unwise. "We're giving away the farm!" they cry. "No one will feel the need to buy my book or product if I give away free content." Au contraire. Let me give you an example that may change your mind.
A few months ago, I helped Lysa TerKeurst and her publisher plan the marketing launch of her new book, Made to Crave. We decided to take a large chunk of content from Lysa's book and create a free resource called the "21-Day Challenge." Lysa made this resource available on her website and offered it to organizations. Plus, her publisher turned it into a free e-book that was available on Amazon for a limited time.
Many people would have looked at our sampling strategy and said, "You're crazy! Don't give away so much free material. The samples will cannibalize sales of the book." Yet, listen to the actual results. Made to Crave hit the New York Times bestseller list for 13 weeks in a row and sold over 100,000 copies in the first 6 weeks. The power of free didn't hurt, rather it helped. Giving away free content didn't diminish the sales potential. Instead, the opposite happened. Offering readers free content got them excited and made them want the whole book. Plus, they were informed enough to spread word-of-mouth.
Therefore, don't let the "fear of free" scare you away from creating free resources and samples for your customers. Heck, even the Bible promotes the concept of sampling. Psalm 34:8 says "Taste and see that the Lord is good." If it's good enough for God, why not give sampling a try in your marketing strategy?
Free Teleconference Call with Rob Eagar
Thursday, April 28th, 8:00pm Eastern
Behind-the-Scenes of an Unlikely Bestseller:
An Interview with New York Times Bestselling Author, Lysa TerKeurst
- Think outside the typical promotional box to create bigger buzz for your book.
- Build an author platform that grows at a consistent rate.
- Identify what makes audiences respond to an author's message.
- Discover new strategies that help sell more books, reach more people, and change more lives.
Special Product Announcement:
Rob Eagar's 5-hour teaching series, Speak and Sell Books in Any Market, is now available as a mp3 file download and 5-CD audio set. Even better, the previous price of $125 has been reduced to an amazingly-low $75 for the mp3 format and only $99 for the CD's. Click here to purchase now, and you could be listening to Rob's top-level instruction within minutes on your computer, iPod, or smartphone.
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