Mark Everett Johnson shares with publishers ten ways to get both customers and editors involved in their internet marketing efforts
As you probably know, you can’t attend every session when you go to a conference. Sometimes other sessions run to long, or you have two great sessions where you need to pick just one. That’s why I appreciate the notebook SIPA gave out that this years 2009 SIPA 33rd Annual International Conference in Washington, D.C..
While flipping through, I found the notes for one session, called “50 Ways to Sell One-Shot Products in 75 Minutes”. There’s a huge list, but I thought panelist Mark Everett Johnson (a freelance copywriter) put together a spot-on top 10 list of ways to sell one-shot products.
Here are those top 10 ways to sell one-shot product below, and I think you’ll tend to agree with them:
1. Find out exactly what your customers want (ask them, record their answers, and sell them what they asked for).
2. Involve your entire team in product development so the editors don’t create things the marketers can’t sell.
3. Pre-test topics and concepts with a customer survey.
4. Pre-test titles via e-mail or Google Adwords (don’t let editors alone control titles).
5. Design covers for marketing, not just for editorial.
6. Feature an expert as the editor/creator. Content has more impact when the author is an authority.
7. Test one premium, two premiums, three premiums… or no premium at all.
8. Test prices. Don’t price based on format, length or other one-size-fits-all formulas. Price based on supply and demand.
9. Who said one-shot has to be a one-shot? If you find a hot topic, make it two or three shorts… or a new one-shot every six to twelve months.
10. Use a bounce-back with every one-shot and other customer communications.
Have any of your own tips for selling one-shot products? Let us know in the comments!
