Hi John,

I believe that you have to have a top product first and then think about the bonuses.

In my mail order business, bonuses do increase your response rate ... no doubt about it. I create all of my own bonuses, this way they are unique to what I am offering. On my order form I actually stamp the cut off date for the bonuses ... this is usually ten days after the posting. The many customer who order on the last day is testimony to the fact this works.

When I've finished creating my main product, I always then think of the bonuses. I ask myself: "What would my customers want? What would be the perfect problem soving bonus?' If you keep your mind on your customer's wants, needs and desires, instead of your own bank account, coming up with bonuses will be easy.

I remember reading what Ted Nicholas said about bonuses. "If you can't sell 'em, don't try giving them away."

Too often when I read sales letters on the net, the bonuses are piled one on top another in a mind numbing number and these bonuses are supposed to be worth $1980.00 ... all for the sake of a $20.00 ebook. If they're worth that much, they wouldn't be giving them away.

In my humble opinion ... just keep your mind on your customers, their worries, their fears, their wants, desires and needs and you will not only come up with a perfect product, but also a perfect bonus that's been specifically designed to help your customers. Because when it comes right down to it, the most important asset your business has is a current list of satisfied customers.

All the best.

Pete Godfrey
Australia's Extra-Income Expert

> I just got in an email from one of the
> marketing folks, and it is similar to many
> that I get on a daily basis.

> Here it is...then I will make a comment.

> "Perceived Value - The Art of Making
> Your Product Look Like It's Worth 20 Times
> What You Are Charging For It"

> Here's another technique that is perfect for
> Internet marketing.

> Increasing the perceived value is easily
> done by simply adding bonuses that cost you
> little or nothing to add and create a
> 'package deal'!

> Let's say you are selling a book on getting
> to the top of search engines....

> You could add 2 or 3 web marketing reports
> you found as bonuses. You could add some
> free software you discovered that made your
> job 100 times easier, you could add this
> e-book you're reading now and so on.

> Write down every benefit the reader will get
> from theses bonuses and make a bulleted list
> of them!

> This can make your $29.95 book seem like
> it's worth $229.95!

> Look for things that can go along with your
> product as bonuses but yet cost you very
> little to produce. With a little effort you
> can easily make your current product seem
> like it's worth 20 times what you are
> charging for it.

> It will actually be worth more than you are
> charging if you put some good bonuses
> together. And that's great - it cost you
> nothing extra and will blow your sales
> through the roof. Everybody wins.

> I am probably old fashioned, but I just had
> to get this off my chest.

> I feel the concept of "perceived
> value" is being overdone.

> What happened to actually giving real value
> versus "perceived" value.

> It seems that in the end, people will (or
> maybe they already have) become so
> "innoculated" to sales pitches,
> because like advertising, it just isn't
> trusted by the majority of folks anymore.

> Maybe I'm not "getting it".

> Oh well...

> I feel better now.

> Regards,
> John Palma