…Throw it away.
At my recent WordPress meet-up a guest speaker was dissed by two attendees. This presenter traveled nearly 2 hours to share his extensive knowledge of Custom Post Types and PODs to an intimate group of 8. Granted, the topic was advanced, even for the seasoned WordPress user. Unfortunately, the presenter did not meet the expectations of two vocal attendees, one of whom left a post meeting comment about having wasted his time.
I’m not saying the presenter gave us junk, but this is one example of why it’s important to give real value, even if you’re giving it away.
Why Your Free Offer is Not Really Free
If you’re dreaming up your next free offer it’s important to remember why you’re putting in the time and effort. You’re getting:
- someone’s name and email address
- their time
- plus the understanding that they will hear from you in the future.
You’ve also just opened the door to a potential sale, so don’t disappoint.
How Do You Meet Their Expectations?
There’s a difference between information and knowledge.
I believe that people are hungry for knowledge. Think about it…We could spend every waking day filling our heads with information, but knowledge comes from experience.
If you’re selling your expertise write about what you know. Don’t just overwhelm people with tons of information. Lots of people do that. Just ask yourself, do you trust Wikipedia? Hopefully not! If you really want to stand out, be different. Share your knowledge.
If you’re selling a product talk about the benefits to be received or attained by using your product. Be honest. You’ll gain more loyal followers by always telling the truth.
You Don’t Have to Give Away the Farm
Nor should you! You’re in business to make money. When designing free offers I keep going back to advise I received from Christine Gallagher:
- Tell people what you do and why your product or service will help solve their problem.
- Give them a little bit of the “how” so you can help solve one of their problems right away. This also shows your expertise so you can begin to build trust.
Look Successful
You want to be taken seriously, right? Then you need to look professional — especially if you’re giving something away for free.
I’m a graphic designer who’s been working overtime making my clients’ free offers truly irresistible, from concept to design, because I know when you look more professional, you feel more professional, and when you feel like a pro you project professionalism in everything you do and say.
Go get ’em tiger!
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