Today we’re discussing strategy. A very specific example of strategy, which we will get to in a minute.
But first, let me mention some of the marketers I admire. Their names make up a very short list. There are only slightly more than a dozen, and all but five of them are now deceased.
The group no longer with us includes Claude Hopkins, John E. Kennedy, Albert Lasker, David Ogilvy, and Rosser Reeves. Pretty heady company, wouldn’t you say?
Two of the names remaining on my list are still very much alive: Bryan Eisenberg, and Jeffrey Eisenberg of Future Now, Inc.
When people first started offering things for sale on the Internet, any site which managed to funnel 2% of the shoppers landing on the site all the way through to check out was considered “successful.”
But, about a decade ago, Bryan and Jeffrey were already saying “Wait a minute. 2% is the average response rate for direct mail. But on your web page 2% conversion means you’ve driven off 98% of the people who came looking for what you’re selling. Shame on you.”
Future Now, Inc. was the pioneer in conversion rate marketing. They invented the method for architecting and optimizing multiple scenarios to convert web site visitors into customers. This methodology is called Persuasion Architecture.TM
It’s the reason that companies like General Electric, Overstock Dot Com, NBC Universal, Volvo, and the Walt Disney Company pay Bryan and Jeff multiple tens of thousands of dollars for consultation.
I’ve just read an advance copy of their new book, Waiting For Your Cat To Bark – Persuading Customers When They Ignore Marketing.
Their last book, Call To Action, made the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best seller lists. I predict Waiting For Your Cat To Bark will be an even bigger seller, and even more influential.
But, as the Eisenboys have been teaching since they started Future Now, Inc. in 1998, why would any astute marketer leave the result to chance?
Which brings us to the specific strategy I mentioned.
When Call To Action was first released, Bryan and Jeff taught a one-time-only seminar on its content at the legendary Wizard Academy in Austin, Texas. The cost was $3,000 per attendee, and the event sold out.
This time, they’ve slightly changed the terms.
As before, there will be a one-time-only seminar at Wizard Academy for Waiting For Your Cat To Bark. This time, the tuition has been reduced to only $1,800, and each attendee will receive 100 hardback copies of Waiting For Your Cat To Bark at no additional charge. Or, if you prefer, buy 100 copies of the book and attend the seminar for free.
Either way, the Eisenbrothers believe you’ll be sending a whole bunch of those books to friends, colleagues, clients and potential clients.
Now suppose that a hundred people should take them up on this offer.
One hundred people learn directly from Bryan and Jeff the techniques they used to improve the conversion rates from as low as 0.5% to well over 56% for clients such as Leo Schachter Diamonds.
On the same day ten thousand copies of Waiting For Your Cat To Bark will be sold, boosting it’s position on the best-seller lists.
My prediction? Those one hundred attendees will become evangelists for Future Now, Inc.
After helping to skyrocket Waiting For Your Cat To Bark directly up the best sellers charts, those evangelists will start making gifts of ten thousand copies of the book, boosting the Eisenberg’s reputations, and quite likely sending them dozens of new clients for conversion rate consultation.
This is brilliant marketing strategy.
Can you use their example? Can you package knowledge with huge numbers of sales and boost your reputation in the process?
You may also be interested in the Eisenberg’s first book, Persuasive Online Copywriting, and in the video series which became an extension of the book, The Principles Of Online Copywriting.