ready or generous in giving; given without consideration of a return or reward; without cost, payment,or charge; not subject to special regulations, restrictions; without financial requirement; offered with no attached obligation
Everyday we receive dozens of emails with FREE offers for a must-have product or service. Then after numerous pages of internet text, and several links later, you suddenly find you are required to pay something for this FREE item.
This morning we received yet another email from a well known motivational speaker, promoting anassociates free book Excerpt from the email read..."he is offering you a copy of his book, at no cost. That's right, he's offering you his tried and true (name of book) for free" . The email included a link to "claim your copy." On the first page that this link takes you to, excerpted from the first paragraph title reads: ...(this person) Shares His (product name) With You For Free —No Strings And Nothing To Buy.
Next paragraph excerpt: Now I’d like to make you a solemn promise right now and tell you that I am not going to ask you for a single dime.
In the last few sentences of the lengthy internet page, and after the "click to get your free book", is the sentence: "The book is free. Just pay shipping and handling and it’s yours."
Ok, he finally said mentioned the shipping and handling after nearly 3000 words and graphics and 8 pages. But, what happened to the "I am not going to ask you for a single dime" ? Giving him my email address and my shipping address, and one more click I find that the free book will cost me between $4.95 and $20.00. And now, after not buying the offer, and requesting to be removed from the mailing list, every few days, I still receive yet another email from this company still trying to sell me.
The question is - why not say this simple line - Just pay shipping and handling - in the beginning? And why say something is free, and you won't be asking for any money, if in fact, you will be?
We did a short poll and found that most people would have clicked on the first "click to get.." link and would have not read to the bottom of the marketing page to read the shipping and handling line. Do you?
Now, some people will defend this by saying, "well you must expect to have to pay a fee to ship it", "he has to get something for his product", or " nothing is really free" and "everyone know you had to always look for the fine print" and "there is something wrong with people who are looking for something for nothing." Whether those are your beliefs or not, the question is still, why not disclose the information about shipping costs in the beginning?
Tonight an ad ran on TV from the Video Professor offering a free CD of your choice. In plain view on the screen, during the entire commercial were also the words stating the shipping and handling fee. It appears that he has no problem letting the viewer know immediately and throughout the commercial that the item is free, AND the shipping costs are not included. It appears to be simple and honest.
In today's economy, countless people are desperately seeking answers to assist them out of their financial situations. The price of shipping a "free" product may not be in their budget regardless of how great a seller believes his product to be. On the other hand giving someone all the facts up front may be the honesty his customer is also seeking.
An associate received an email which appeared to be a potential business networking group - on the surface. The following is an excerpt of her reply to the person who sent her the email:
His original message excerpt:" I am not trying to sell you anything. I want to build a private social network of others who have those same questions I have had about how to build a successful business. If that is you, please read this blog post.
>>Blog Post excerpt: This social network is not about finding affiliates for your product or finding a product you want to affiliate with…… You will take a test to determine in which business model you resonate and then you will join this exclusive social network…… If this idea interests you, please read the center column of this site's Main Page.
>>On the main page excerpt: Our Private Social Network: At the present time, there is no direct charge for joining and participating in the social network…
>>Farther down on the page:……You will not be able to sign up for the social networking site until you have taken the profile and received your profile report.
>>Form at the bottom of the page: Complete this form to receive the link for the profile test.
This sign up box submits the entered email address to aweber for verification by email, and then another email is received with a link for the profile test. Now is the first time you are told that the profile test is $100.
After clicking the link to not pay for the profile test, she was directed to a page “Fill this form and you stop receiving reminders to take the profile test.“ Filling in her email address at this point, she was redirected to an error page. For days she received emails reminding her to take the profile test, each one with the link to an error page when she clicked to stop being reminded to take the test. Talk about adding frustration to her initial disappointment in the persons original offer. We've removed the identity of this person and his company, however, she does not when she tells others of her experience and asks their opinion.
Just as there are countless people seeking answers to their financial situations today, just as many are attempting to solve theirs through the sales of good products and services. Everyday new businesses and products enter the marketplace. The Entrepreneurs of today have more opportunity and avenues for their creativity than ever before.
We would love your input:
How do you like to be sold?
Do you respond to FREE offers.
If an offer for something "free" disclosed shipping and handling fees up front, how would that effect your decision to accept the free offer?
What type of marketing motivates you to buy?
