Pros have programs and ‘further information’ for SALE on their sites
by Ken Winston Caine
If people like you and what you are about, they want to buy your stuff. They want you to have stuff for them to buy. They want to learn more of what you have to offer. They want to talk to you after you give talks. They want to buy your books at the back of the room. They want to “invest” in you — or actually, they want to invest in themselves through you.
They expect to have those opportunities if you are a professional working in personal development and self-help. They expect to find those opportunities if you are for real and not just some pretender who figured out how to build a website.
You disappoint and confuse them if on your website you don’t offer a report, an e-book, a program, various ways for them to buy into you, to dig in deeper and associate with you.
Don’t disappoint them.
Don’t dispell their enthusiasm and belief in you. They respect you. They want more of what you have to offer. They expect to pay for it.
If you don’t make paid offerings available, they will lose respect. They will quit coming back. They won’t consider you a pro. They won’t feel welcome.
I remember Mike Jay writing something like this a year or two back. And recall thinking at the time, “Yes. That is what I will do on all my sites.” But I didn’t. Didn’t roll out my own stuff. Got sidetracked on another project.
(Got sidetracked creating / developing a highly successful, widely embraced news publication for the personal and business coaching industry.It was called Coaching Insider. I was hired to invent, develop and manage the editorial product. I wish I had also been given the free hand to build in a strong business model. But my publishing business expertise didn’t seem welcomed. I was told that I didn’t “get it.” That the publication didn’t NEED to make money. That it was just a draw and public service and would be supported by other endeavors. That never made sense to me and I said so a number of times. I left that venture when it seemed that the investors’ money had run out. Would have loved to have been privy to the business side of things from the get-go and to have been permitted to build a more sustainable Coaching Insider. But that’s not how the story unfolded. And now I’m finally back to my own work again. In a powerfully committed way. And am remembering Mike Jay’s advice as I begin working on the commercial modeling for my offers and endeavors. )
Not looking up the Mike Jay advice but it went something like this, (and if Mike reads this and wants to comment, correct or elaborate, I hope he will):
Have multiple entry points at multiple pricepoints for visitors. Maybe a $5 short overview report; a $12, 20-page eBook with action exercises; a $37 teleclass recording available via immediate download; a $97 six-week program. (Mike, I’m sure used different pricepoints and products. But that’s the idea.)
Mike Jay said to offer a graduated scale so people can choose their level of interest and commitment and … so they immediately can see the next step.
I liked the wisdom of this, realized that it was true for me when I was surfing sites, and noted that it was compatible with what Robert Middleton teaches in his InfoGuru trainings and newsletters.
Expect to see examples of this showing up on my sites over the next couple months as I — for the first time since establishing a web presence in 1995 — get serious about creating and developing highly profitable, useful sites.
I had always thought of my sites before as an adjunct to my offline work. Now I’m thinking of them as one major aspect of my business and as a funnel that draws people into my work. Looking forward to finding cool, non-hypey ways to to develop this in the next few months.
