Are You Guilty Of Indecent Exposure?

With the rise of many an internet marketing guru, we’ve been taught (actually hammered) into believing that we should always be asking for the sale.  Many of these instructions have almost become mantras in our industry…

“The money is in the list!”

“ABC: Always Be Closing!”

“Buy or die!”

“Your product only has to be good enough…just have something to sell!”

“Follow your passion!”

We’ve even developed terms like the “squeeze page,” aptly named so we can “squeeze” some personal information out of our visitors, so we can then hammer then with more sales messages.

Really.  REALLY?  This advice is pure rubbish.  It may have worked in the early days of marketing on the internet, but not anymore.  Marketing in this manner is akin to walking around exposing yourself to unsuspecting bystanders.  

Think about it….someone ends up on your site, either via another link or an ad.  And the first thing they see is, “Here, grab your free thingy!”  Seriously?  In all likelihood they don’t even want to see your thingy.  They are looking for information.  They are chasing THEIR passions, problems, and curiosities.  They don’t have any interest in seeing what’s under your coat.  

The marketers using these methods are seeing dramatic DECREASES in opt-in rates…often times below 1%.  Why?

Because THE JIG IS UP.

Website visitors have seen thousands of offers, and already KNOW that when they give you their email address, they’re just going get a bunch of automated messages, designed to get them to buy something.

Want to see more sales?  Stop worrying about opt-ins.  Start helping your prospects.

How do you do this?  It’s simple.  Provide with content that is actually VALUABLE to them.  Without sending them directly to an opt-in page or a sales page.

Yes, you can do this.  And given today’s technology it’s very easy.  Just start employing retargeting correctly.  It’s a very 1-2-3 process:

1.  Awareness:  Create content that allows your prospect to gain valuable information about their current problem.
2. Comparison:  Provide content that helps your prospect understand that there are numerous ways to solve their problem….hinting that yours is one of them.
3. Conversion:  Provide a way for them to get more information about your solution with an Opt-in.

In the above sequence, your paid traffic goes to #1.  Yes, that’s right.  Your paid traffic goes to PURE CONTENT.

You then retarget readers of 1, with an ad leading to 2.  You can also retarget readers of 2, with an ad leading to 3.  This way, they’re already part of the conversation.  They’re already familiar with you.  The more times you give them value, the more they trust you.

With this method, you WILL make more sales, and you’ll see a dramatic INCREASE in opt-in rates.

You see, there’s a time and place to “show your stuff.”  But, don’t do it too soon.

Here’s a mantra to consider:

“People hate to be sold, but they love to buy.”

Psychologically, this is a universal truth.  We always feel better buying something when it’s OUR decision, not when we’re pressured.

You want to be passionate?  Great.  Follow your passions.  If you want to be rich,  find out what your customers are passionate about, and help them get what they want.  That way, you’ll have a lot of extra money to chase your own passions.

Now please….close your damn coat!

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Jeff Schechter

With the soul of an entrepreneur, and many business ventures under his belt, Shecky is the Marketing Director at Black Box Social Media LLC, (BBSM) an online marketing company that uses the latest digital marketing strategies, such as video marketing and pay per click marketing, to allow businesses to get found and generate leads online. Shecky is passionate about training and coaching other entrepreneurs to achieve high levels of success in their own online marketing ventures.

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