When promoting products online, such as books, curriculum, or any kind of widget, use this simple 1-2-3 approach:
TRY-BUY-SHARE
1. Try
Most people need to have their skepticism addressed before they decide to purchase. So, let them try before the buy. But, don’t skimp on the quality or amount of samples. For example, if you’re selling a book, don’t just give them a boring sample chapter…that’s usually not enough. Offer additional free resources from the best parts of your material. Good samples will help readers convince themselves that they should move from “try” to “buy.”
2. Buy
State the obvious. Tell people to how and where to buy your product. Make the purchasing process simple by displaying easy-to-see links to major retailers or your own e-commerce store. Allow customers to purchase in as few clicks as possible. If you’re offering discounts, make it a limited time offer to encourage people to buy now.
3. Share
People who buy your product make the best evangelists to share it with others. Empower their fervor by providing tools for them to spread word of mouth. Display digital share buttons, such as the Facebook “Like” button, Twitter “Retweet” button, and the Pinterest “Pin-it” button. For instance, offer engaging videos, pre-selected pithy quotes from your book, or other samples that customers can pass along to their friends. Blatantly encourage people to share your material with others. If you’re offering legitimate value, there’s no need to feel embarrassed about requesting others to help spread the word.
Look at your website and see if all three of these steps are displayed on your product pages. Marketing isn’t meant to be complicated. Use the “Try-Buy-Share” approach to make selling simple and effective.
