Copy Riddles member Andrew Townley takes advantage of the Copy Oracle privilege to ask:
I was listening to a Dan Kennedy program today that got me thinking about all those direct mail “free reports.” I was wondering if you had a source of any guidance on how to build one. I remember Parris describing the process somewhere on a podcast or something, but I can’t find it now.
The background, as you might know, is this:
A-list copywriters like Dan Kennedy and Parris Lampropoulos are experts at selling newsletters. Newsletters are a direct marketing staple because they are great for the publisher. Money comes in like clockwork, on your own schedule, without any added selling of your vague and broad and cheap-to-produce subscription offer.
For those same reasons, newsletters are a suspect deal for the subscriber. Many potential subscribers instinctively feel repulsed at the thought of paying good money, every month, for a “cat in the bag” piece of content, whether they are eager to consume it or not.
Enter free reports. Free reports are one effective strategy that guys like Dan and Parris use to overcome the resistance of skeptical newsletter buyers. The recipe is simple:
1. Go through your past content (newsletter or really anything else)
2. Find the sexiest stuff. It can either be a single bit of info, or a small number of related items you bundle together.
3. Put that sexy stuff in its own little package.
4. Give that package a sexy and mysterious new name.
5. Repeat as many times as your stamina will allow. I believe one Boardroom promo offered 99 free reports along with a newsletter subscription.
When you think about it, this is really just the same work that a copywriter would do normally. Look at what he has to sell… figure out the sexiest parts of that… highlight it in the sales material, and of course, make it sound as sexy and as mysterious as possible.
And now for the pitch that probably won’t convince you:
I write a daily email newsletter about copywriting, marketing, and persuasion.
But like I said, that probably won’t convince you to sign up.
So let me take my own advice, and offer you a free report when you sign up:
“Become a Repositioning Specialist”
This report shows you how to start a profitable repositioning business, with your own home as headquarters. In case, you want this report, follow these steps:
- Click here and sign up to my free daily email newsletter
- When you get my welcome email, hit reply and tell me you want the free report