Is Good Sales Copy Necessary For A Free Product?

Discussion in 'General Marketing' started by vizmon, Apr 23, 2007.

  1. #1
    I'm giving away this free quit smoking report and thought it wasn't necessary to have a good sales page.
    So far, the conversion really isn't up to expectation. Any thoughts?
    BTW, my site is at http://www.quitsmokingaids.org/
     
    vizmon, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  2. Stax_Daniel

    Stax_Daniel Guest

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    #2
    The first thing I think for pages like that is 'What does this guy get out of giving this thing away for free??'...

    I'm not sure...i don't buy anything from pages like that (the well too overused..."buy me" format)...but since your's is free...i'm not sure...

    Are you advertising it at all?
     
    Stax_Daniel, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  3. WillB

    WillB Peon

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    #3
    Good copy is always needed. You have to get the visitor
    excited enough about your product to want to take some
    sort of action.

    The first thing I would say is to get some imagery on the
    page. Then, make it more obvious what you want them to
    do - a huge arrow pointing to your optin box should work.
     
    WillB, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  4. vizmon

    vizmon Peon

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    #4
    Thanks guys. I thought if it's a free product, and it's something that people need, you wouldn't need to do much with the selling. Guess I'm wrong.
    I have ppc, but the CTRs aren't that great. My conversion is about 15%.

    Will, I will take your advise on the big arrow!
     
    vizmon, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  5. KC TAN

    KC TAN Well-Known Member

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    #5
    I think that the ad copy is pretty neat. Concise and to the point :)

    Maybe just a few modifications to attract extra attention to the sign up box.
     
    KC TAN, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  6. vesparich

    vesparich Peon

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    #6
    Good advice. Whenever I see free stuff, I wonder if it's junk. Most of the time it is.

    Maybe add a few testimonials. Also, I'd put the sign-up box in the middle of the page right below your ad copy.
     
    vesparich, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  7. WillB

    WillB Peon

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    #7
    15% is not good when you're paying for clicks, and your page
    is offering a freebie. You should be converting 40-50%. One
    of my opt in pages does 60-70%.. not that I'm boasting, but
    it is certainly possible.

    Set up your opt-in so the *only* action users can take is to
    opt in. Here's a good example:

    http://www.doubleyourdating.com/
     
    WillB, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  8. aletheides

    aletheides Banned

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    #8
    Yes, to achieve higher conversions good copy is definitely needed, regardless if the product is free or not. Good copy will attract the readers time much longer than bad copy will.
     
    aletheides, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  9. zorde

    zorde Peon

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    #9
    You have to sell the free stuff as hard as you have to sell the stuff you're charging for.

    This is because the web has evolved to one where buinesses use predominantly back end up-sell models, where they capture you with a free sample and then educate and convince you to buy from them.

    Think of a salesman who gives you free advice in order to build trust.

    The problem is, that people are sick of getting their freebie just to find it is a promo product, or to find their inbox hit with all sorts of offers from the freebie author.

    The web is becomming an ever-harder place to do business.

    My advice is build trust with the user before trying to get them to do anything, including downloading a freebie.

    Does anyone agree?
     
    zorde, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  10. zorde

    zorde Peon

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    #10
    I just googled all the pages on your site.

    the what-can-you-do-to-stop-smoking.html page is informative and builds more trust than your landing page.
     
    zorde, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  11. Colm O'Dwyer

    Colm O'Dwyer Peon

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    #11
    Because you're looking for an opt-in, your product will not be perceived as free; that is to say it's certainly not free from hassle.

    You need to convince the prospect it's worth their time opting in to get on your mailing list and get this ebook.

    Ergo, good copy is essential!

    Colm
     
    Colm O'Dwyer, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  12. zorde

    zorde Peon

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    #12
    By the looks of it, you've followed the advice of one too many Internet Gurus.

    Since it's a general topic, why not ask a list of people you know to visit it. Of those who did enter their email, follow them up and ask them why they didn't.

    Tough ask I know, but really that is the only way to get valuable feedback.

    Alternatively use slit testing. Create a few different versions of teh signup page and serve them up randomly. After a week or so have a look at which converts best.
     
    zorde, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  13. sebastya

    sebastya Well-Known Member

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    #13
    a little too short.
     
    sebastya, Apr 23, 2007 IP
  14. vizmon

    vizmon Peon

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    #14
    Thanks everyone. I did some minor changes to the site, but I guess the most important is still the selling part. Am working on it. Can anyone recommend where I can get good testimony? Is there a place where I can "buy" them from?

    Zorde, I have to agree with you on the building trust part. And you're right, I'm actually suffering from guru overload.
     
    vizmon, Apr 24, 2007 IP
  15. stanleytang

    stanleytang Guest

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    #15
    Yes, if the traffic gets big.

    If you get 10,000 unique visitors, a 30% increase in conversion rate (from maybe 10-40 conversion rate) will mean a 3000 subscriber increase.

    Stanley Tang
     
    stanleytang, Apr 24, 2007 IP