Sales Pitches – Question for the forum and for Steve Pavlina

[andersonx]

Steve, particularly interested to hear your opinion on this if you have time. I’m also deeply appreciative of feedback from everyone on the forum from this.

Seeing Steve deliberately break all the internet marketing “rules” by NOT giving a hardcore sales pitch for his workshop got me really excited. However, there are some great products available on the internet (ebooks, courses etc.) that have hardcore sales pitches to get you to sign up and buy. I’ve always had a bit of a problem with this.

(For example "Learning Strategies" which Steve reccomends continually bombard me with IMO slightly ridiculous sales pitches, and their marketing is very "sales-y", this almost puts me off buying from them, but their products are actually really good)

The argument for aggressive marketing strategies:

Aggressive marketing strategies get people to ACT NOW. Since people are great procrastinators, it’s necessary to get them fired up and excited about buying something. You need to be aggressive in your marketing to stand out. At the end of the day, if you’re product is really good, what is wrong with marketing it aggressively anyway?

However, I always have this slightly uncomfortable feeling about aggressive marketing, and big sales pitches. Somehow they don’t seem quite right.

The argument against aggressive marketing strategies:

They are manipulative. They focus on “tricks and techniques”, this seems to lack integrity.

What are the opinions here on big sales pitches for ebooks and similar products? Are you for or against them? How do you feel when you encounter ebooks and other online products that have a big sales pitch?

I’ve just completed an ebook that gives a step by step course on how to catapult yourself out of depression and negativity in a short period. I’m thinking about how to market it. On the one hand, I feel uncomfortable about hitting people with a big sales pitch. On the other hand, I know I’ve got a good product that will help people, and making the product sell well is obviously something I have to consider. If a hard pitch motivates people to take action, then I might just be doing them a favour.

To be honest, I’m already 90% pre-decided, I’m not going to do a pitch. I’m going to give a really down to earth explanation of what the course offers, and give away some free content, to help people get a “taster”. I’m not prepared to compromise the integrity of my actions in any way, somehow I feel this would be wrong.

[Brutha]

How will people hear about your product in the first place and come to your site?

[andersonx]

I think perhaps I was not entirely clear.

I'm not saying I'm against marketing (i.e. keeping in touch with people by e-mail, paying for google clicks etc.)

I'm saying I dislike "hard sell"s and sales pitches.

For example this:

""In This Envelope Is a Single Sentence...

Simply Saying These "Magic Words" in Everyday Situations Could Make YOU a ZERO-DOWNSIDE $3,120 a Month!

... May I Send You the Envelope for Inspection at No Charge?"

No Selling/Network Marketing/Pyramid Schemes, No Running Costs, No Downside, No Paperwork, No Stock, No Work, No Hi-tech

I know how this must sound. When I first heard about this I almost fell off the chair laughing in disbelief. I mean, I'm actually embarrassed to be telling you about this because it sounds so 'get-rich-quick'... "

If I had a pound for everytime I've heard something like this, a clever pitch designed to peak your attention and get you to sign up. It doesn't come across as being really honest, factual and straightforward.

It's just designed to make people feel excited, to get peoples "buying impulse" going instead of honestly relating to people what the product is about.

Steve for example, he is actively advertising his workshop but he's not saying:

"do you want to CHANGE YOUR LIFE TODAY?

This half an hour you spend with me is going to INSTANTLY REVOLUTIONISE YOUR LIFE.

SIGN UP NOW! In fact today, I'm going to offer you 10% off, but this offer WILL END at midnight TONIGHT.

This is your chance to LIVE THE LIFE YOU'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF..."

etc etc. He describes his product in a matter of fact way, and just gives a lot of detail about what its for. He is not trying to make everyone get their wallet out and buy, by whipping them up into an emotional frenzy and getting them overexcited. He's just honestly relating what his product is about.

[ssandra]

Personally I feel that the integrety of marketing is very closely related to the quality of the product.

If you have a great product that does everything that it promises; it doesn't matter that this product has been marketed in a "hard-sales" type of marketing.

Different type of people relate to different type of marketing.

Steve's target audience is consious people, who either don't fall; or are not willing to admit that they would fall for manipulative marketing.

In this sense he was very clever in his sales pitch, by saying that it was not a sales pitch and he would not try and convince you. This will be seen as positive by his target audience. (You could even say that this is also a form of manipulation; all depending on how true he is in his statement that he doesn't want to do marketing...)

People who are depressed and negative are your target. What will they respond to?

I think (from own experience) that a "hard-sales" pitch, where you focus on what they do not want to feel anymore, and what they would like to feel, will be very effective. "soft-sales" marketing will work less well (i think) because people who are depressed or in a negative spiral will be less likely to make a consious decision about their future.

As long as you don't promise anything that your ebook doesn't fulfill there is nothing wrong with "hard-sales" marketing. Or maybe a better term would be "enthousiastic-sales" marketing.

[andersonx]

Thanks ssandra, that was really insightful and I value your advice.

[Brutha]

I think perhaps I was not entirely clear.

I'm not saying I'm against marketing (i.e. keeping in touch with people by e-mail, paying for google clicks etc.)

Somehow you evade the question.
The way you want to market your website has something to do with whether certain practices are successful or aren't.

[spirit4711]

Originally Posted by andersonx

...
To be honest, I’m already 90% pre-decided, I’m not going to do a pitch. I’m going to give a really down to earth explanation of what the course offers, and give away some free content, to help people get a “taster”. I’m not prepared to compromise the integrity of my actions in any way, somehow I feel this would be wrong.

I think it's great to follow your own intuition on this. So go for that. I think too that Steve got out an awesome good 'sales pitch'. I'll model that from now on, feels much better for me too.

You could try the scientific approach: design a hard core sales pitch, and one that fits your values completely. Create 2 different sites and see what works best in terms of sales.

[CoolBee]

I don't like big sales pitches. If I'm interested in something, then I like to get some information, maybe ask a question or two, then take a few days to reflect and so on.

If I am interested in something and get a 'you have 24 hours to accept this offer' thing then I leave it.

[joylangtry]

Originally Posted by andersonx

I’m going to give a really down to earth explanation of what the course offers, and give away some free content, to help people get a “taster”.

I am also one who is turned off by seeing a never-ending 1-page sales letter. I'm especially sick of seeing every other paragraph interrupted by a text box with a testimonial and photo in it. Not that testimonials are bad, just that particular set-up that is now taught as the current standard.

What I do respond to, particularly with digital products, is the first chapter free to download, or an audio of a chapter. If I get to try a portion for free, I will buy it if it is compelling. Especially if I can download the free sample, try it, then immediately purchase and download the end product.

I'm definitely a firm believer in a free sample of an excellent product. Of course, in the context of Steve's offerings, his free samples are already all over his site.

Good luck!

[andersonx]

Thanks Joylangtry. That is a useful insight, I feel the same way.

I'd rather be given free content than a sales pitch anyday.

Spirit4711 - thanks for your comments also. I think the scientific approach may well be worth trying.

[Trezker]

I think Steve's sales pitch was done with truth, love and power. Quite simple really.

The old rules for sales pitches are probably not at all aligned with truth and love, but focuses on power. Truth takes a backseat to deception and love is probably often replaced with fear.

[jendoe]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Personally I feel that the integrety of marketing is very closely related to the quality of the product.

I understand why you would say this, but I don't think I agree... this assumes that people who create awesome, value-packed products are always modest and shun the high-pressure sales techniques... and I'm not sure that's the always the case.

I don't have any evidence, or good examples (unfortunately!) but... I'm not convinced it has to correlate. People with great products can end up hiring dubious marketers to hawk their wares, for example or may have over-eager affiliates doing it for them.

...
Different type of people relate to different type of marketing.

Steve's target audience is consious people, who either don't fall; or are not willing to admit that they would fall for manipulative marketing.

I agree that different types of people react to different types of marketing... it's actually funny, because I took a copywriting course once and someone who was working in the field mentioned that - the advice to always sell the "benefits" rather than the "features" works GREAT, EXCEPT with highly technical people... highly technical people (ahem, geeks - and I include myself here ) don't want to hear all the blah-blah-blah about benefits, they want to know the precise features, "just the facts" so they can compare for themselves.

I found it kind of funny, especially since I tend to research things to death myself and feel like, when dealing with sales people, I often know their product better than they do

re: Steve's target audience, I don't know if that's true... I DO fall for SOME sales pitches. I think it's a matter of having different emotional buttons. For me, pictures of mansions and sports cars dont' matter, because my emotional button is NOT "gobs of money" - but stories that show how this book/class will help me quit my job and live comfortably, controlling my own time and escaping the "rat race" hit a definite emotional button for me. I think we all have buttons, just maybe not always the same ones

In this sense he was very clever in his sales pitch, by saying that it was not a sales pitch and he would not try and convince you. This will be seen as positive by his target audience. (You could even say that this is also a form of manipulation; all depending on how true he is in his statement that he doesn't want to do marketing...)

This definitely CAN be a sales tactic. It's the "I'm so honest and my product is so great, I don't really need to sell it... let me give you the information, and you can make your own decision." It seems especially effective when combined with the "you're an intelligent person, so I don't need to explain the value here to you. Anyone who isn't smart enough to see that, probably wouldn't be able to get much from my class/book anyway" angle

*shrug* To some extent, nearly *everything* is sales (or persuasion, perhaps?). As a geeky type, I HATE HATE HATE this, but...

I don't know, just some random thoughts

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by jendoe

I understand why you would say this, but I don't think I agree... this assumes that people who create awesome, value-packed products are always modest and shun the high-pressure sales techniques... and I'm not sure that's the always the case.

I guess I didn´t make myself clear enough here. I´ll try to explain.

If a product is off high quality and does everything that the sales pitch promises, than that makes the marketing integer.

If the product quality is low, the integrety of the marketing is low.

If the marketing says things that the product is not capable of delivering, the integrety is low.

I do not agree that only modest and non-high pressure sales techniques are integer.

If you have a high-pressure sales technique that promotes a high quality product that delivers everything that the sales pitch says it does.. for me that is integrety.

If you have a modest low-pressure sales technique that promotes a low quality product that cannot live up to what is said in the sales pitch... no integrety there I believe.

[spirit4711]

Originally Posted by jendoe

...
*shrug* To some extent, nearly *everything* is sales (or persuasion, perhaps?). As a geeky type, I HATE HATE HATE this, but...

...

Interesting you would hate sales. I get what you say re high pressure sales. But in my view everything is sales:

you're selling yourself to your partner as their partner
you're selling yourself to an employer as a good employee
you're selling yourself to your employees as a good employer
you're selling your ideas to colleagues, managers, friends, family
you're selling yourself new ideas, interests, goals to achieve etc

Geeks are no exception to either selling or buying. They are selling themselves as technical experts for example. They are selling technology.

In the movie 'boiler room' a manager trains the newbies in sales calls. At one point he states: "In every call a sale is made. Either you sell the client some stock, or he sells you that he won't buy. The only question is: who is going to sell?" Must be geek hell I guess .

[andersonx]

"In every call a sale is made. Either you sell the client some stock, or he sells you that he won't buy. The only question is: who is going to sell?"

Lol. I love that kind of sales talk!

It is true though, "perceived value" (perceived value can be created by sales technique) is often hard to separate from "actual value" (objective observation of what the product is worth).

If I've got 10,000 people who are prepared to spend $250k on Rolls Royce (perceived value), then my Rolls Royce is worth $250k (actual value).

However, the actual value of the Rolls Royce is only $250k because people perceive the Rolls Royce as being worth that.

Everything is sales. However, sales can have a lot of integrity, or it can have no integrity.

[bluedragon]

I don't think there is a moral consideration involved in marketing - any form of marketing - unless you actually lie about something.

In my opinion, the value of a product is non-quantifiable anyway. Can you really compare the objective value of a book vs the value of a coaching session vs the value of 10 pounds of blueberries vs the value of a car? I don't think so.

Private property itself is a questionable concept - it's never clear why it is better for one person to own something instead of giving it to someone else. So I believe whatever you do to convince someone to give you money or buy your product cannot be wrong, since everything related to private property is negotiated anyway.