Know what? I am all for keeping some things back when promoting a product or service. But when the one thing you keep back totally derails your being able to use a product, that?s when I start to get a little annoyed. First an example of what I?m talking about and then the real crux of the problem and how, if you do this, it can really damage your credibility.
There was a piece of software that I was thinking of using. It looked really great. Essentially, it was a squeeze page that was auto generated via whatever text you typed into the software itself. All you had to do was pick the look of the squeeze page. Oh, one other thing. You did need an autoresponder account. Hey, no problem. I currently use Aweber. So I was all set.
Then I went through the whole step by step process of setting up the software. Mind you, this was all free too. How can you beat that? Well, I got to the step where I had to setup my autoresponder. That?s when I discovered that I had to get a GetResponse account. Had to, as in I had no choice. If I was going to use this software, that was the service I had to use. Otherwise, I was out of luck.
It would have been nice if they simply said on the sales page that you had to use GetRespone.
So in essence, two things were not really true.
1. You DID need to spend some money as in the form of an autoresponder.
2. You couldn?t use just ANY autoresponder. You had to use GetResponse.
The end result was that the whole experience left a very bad taste in my mouth. Something that I was already dead set on using was something that I couldn?t use because of the restrictions put on it ? restrictions that were NOT spelled out at the beginning.
And no, I am NOT getting a GetResponse account when I have a perfectly good Aweber account that I have had for years ? one that has generated me thousands of leads.
Okay, this is an example but it?s just a small piece of a bigger problem.
As I said, I am all for holding some items back in your sales copy. If we disclosed everything in regard to the product we were selling, nobody would buy it. For one thing, the copy would be so long, nobody would read it.
But simply saying these 8 words would not have been a big deal.
?You need a GetResponse Account to use this.?
How hard is that? For the people who don?t have an autoresponder, since it was said that you would need one, they have no reason not to get it since they already know it?s a requirement. For those who already have GetResponse, it?s a non issue and actually makes it an easier decision.
But for those who are using another autoresponder service, like Aweber, and have no desire to sign up and have to pay for another one, it keeps them from wasting their time going through a process that ultimately ends up with them abandoning the process before completing it.
Now, in fairness. There was a ?please note? section added to explain to people that it was compatible with GetResponse. This was probably done because of all the complaints. But you have to go through the WHOLE copy in order to find it at the very bottom. If somebody just reads the relevant parts at the top and clicks on the ?buy now? button before getting to the bottom of the sales letter, because it sounds so good, they?ll never see the restriction.
That restriction should have been included in the MAIN part of the sales copy BEFORE the ?buy now? button. I didn?t need to read all the way to the bottom. I could see right away that this was a great piece of software. Something this important, you don?t stick as a ?oh, by the way? at the bottom.
This is poor execution of a great idea. I have no doubt this system is amazing from what I?ve read. And like I said, if I didn?t already have an autoresponder, I wouldn?t have cared.
Some things you can leave out. Some things you not only CAN?T leave out, but you have to make them crystal clear AT THE BEGINNING, especially if they can make the whole process crumble at your feet without it.
Imagine I was selling some system and let out the fact that you SPECIFICALLY needed a PayPal account to use it and a whole bunch of people in countries that PayPal doesn?t support bought this system.
No, this isn?t something I can include as a ?oh, by the way? at the end of my sales letter. This is something that has to be made CRYSTAL CLEAR BEFORE they reach that buy now button.
This person didn?t have to disclose to me how the software works or even if it was software that he didn?t design himself but had outsourced. Couldn?t care less. But I DO care that it is something that I can ONLY use if I do XYZ and you didn?t tell me XYZ until long after you hit me with the first buy now button.
Again, this is poor execution.
If it seems that I am just going on a rant because I am PO?d and this is just sour grapes, think again. I am an Internet marketer for over 9 years and have seen it all. Nothing phases me anymore. I can tell hype from substance. In this case, I had NO problem with the offer on the surface. The problem I has was wasting my time on something that I wouldn?t have if a MAJOR part of the whole system was spelled out UP TOP.
I hope you will take this as a lesson to you the next time you go to promote something and a major part of it can determine whether or not somebody can use it and you bury that information at the bottom of your sales letter.
Do you think that?s going to make the prospect respect you? Do you think they?ll EVER consider an offer from you again?
I don?t know if leaving out the GetResponse part until the bottom was intentional or not. My guess is that this person gets commissions (since the software is free) from all the GetResponse sign ups. Don?t know, but it?s not relevant to the issue. But if you have an agenda, be warned. It may just come back to bite you on the fanny.
Be up front with people.
At least where it REALLY matters.
To YOUR Success,
Steven Wagenheim
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