What to Get Rich Online? Provide Massive Value FREE
There are many reasons why you should offer free, valuable information online. By offering free resources of high perceived value you can create a steady stream of leads to your business. The goal is to capture the prospects details for follow up marketing, typically email marketing.
Making the Sales Process Easy
The key is to set up a system so prospects will only receive the free resource if they supply their contact details. If the free offer is of high perceived value people will “opt-in”. If the resource is of high quality and relevant they will “buy-in”. They will begin to know you, like you and trust you before they have even made direct contact.
People avoid providing their details unless there is a good reason to do it. People have two common objections that will stop them from giving their details. They might fear being harassed by a sales person or fear their details will be sold for other marketing purposes. Your offer must be compelling enough to outweigh these concerns. Reassure your prospects by stating on your website that you will keep their information private and confidential.
Why You Must Have a Database
You will forget prospects if they are not entered into a database. We are all guilty of this at some stage. What about the business person who handed you their business card expressing an interest in your product or service but you forgot to follow them up? What about that lead who said they would be in a better position to buy in 3 months time? Consider the cost of not following up prospects. Not only do you not win their business but you need to go out and prospect for more business, starting from scratch and spending more time and money. It can be a vicious cycle when you always chase the quick sale, discarding the rest. Relationship based businesses are built for long term success.
Whether your prospects buy today or go into your database for future campaigns, the value of each relationship can be instrumental in growing your business. Maybe they never buy from you but you have been in front of them for so long now they refer other people to you who are ready to buy.
Not Ready to Buy Yet? No Worries!
In an ideal world you will be able to follow up your leads and close the sale pronto. Unfortunately that’s not always possible and that’s why email marketing to a database is so powerful. People will often research products or service ahead of time, before they can afford or need it. Providing information sets you up as the best point of contact when they are ready to buy. Using the details you have captured to stay in contact, you will eventually pop up in the right place at the right time (whenever that will be).
What’s the Purpose of Your Free Resource?
There are a variety of ways to provide valuable, free information to your prospects such as information packs, booklets, ebooks or members only resources on your website. Each resource has it’s own pro’s and con’s. Defining your goals and objectives will help you develop your own unique strategy. Providing information about your products or services before meeting prospects can increase the chances of making the sale but you must balance it with useful, valuable information they appreciate. The resource can be used to educate, build trust and create buyers’ interest by revealing the potential benefits your product or service provides. You may even be able to educate them about options they may not have considered.
Scared to Give-Away the ‘Secret Sauce’?
Newbie’s often struggle, trying to deciding what information they are prepared to give away. The concern is giving away too much and leaving very little IP to sell. The truth is, many marketers find they can give away far more than they first anticipated once they see the benefits.
Re-purpose Information
If you already have information based resources, you can often adapt it into a compelling free offer. Consider how you can rework the content so it becomes a valuable resource for your target market. The more valuable the content, the better the response. For example, if you have a simple sales brochure, make it an ‘Information Pack,’ which addresses a particular need in your target market and adds more value.
Create a Sales Funnel
Don’t just send one resource and leave it at that. Create a system so your prospects are regularly in contact with you. Every contact made increases the probability they will remember you when the time is right.
Your database is also commonly referred to as your sales funnel. It is a numbers game, the more you fill your funnel the more sales you will make. Your prospects need to be worked through the process from being a suspect to a lead to an opportunity to a sale. Without a database you will try to shortcut the process and when you get a ‘No’, you will no longer build that relationship with your prospect. Today’s prospects are tomorrow’s buyers. Over time you will be able to analysis your various marketing material and see how successful each campaign has been in generating sales.
