My case study.

[Dien Rice]

Hi Gordon,

I have to agree with you... I was never attracted to the "template" approach... But...

It's apparently wildly popular! So it makes sense to sell it...

It's part of the "done for you" trend...

People want things that are "done for them"...

And, the seller can charge a lot more for it, too...

I won't say who, but there's a prominent online seller (very successful), who sells marketing-related stuff...

What he's been selling the last few years is primarily a "done for you" solution to business...

From his email promos and videos, it looks like he promises to...

- provide the product that you sell
- build your email list of prospects for you
- write your email ads

It seems pretty much all you have to do is click a button to send the already-written-for-you email to the already-built-for-you email list!

In the end, the deal costs around $2,000...

People buy because it's a "done for you" solution... All they have to do is click a button, and they have a business! (That's the promise...)

However, he doesn't promise to do this for you forever. He and his team might do it for you for a month or two or so. After that, you're on your own...

(Though I wouldn't be surprised if there's a "continuity fee" if you want him and his team to keep doing this for you further into the future...)

It's not for me... I guess I like learning how to do it, so I gain the skills...

Unlike money and things, nobody can ever take your skills away from you...

Best wishes!

Dien

Originally Posted by GordonJ

Just as an example, The cult of copy has 35k members, many of which have the Viking VElaciptor writing guide. So, they follow that and try to make their work fit into someone's TEMPLATE.

And this is across the board, pick a group, a guru, and that is in fact what they sell, the SHORTCUTS on how to do it.

Here's my very cynical interpretation.

Oh, you can't think on your own? Don't worry, you don't need a brain, just follow these 7 steps and you don't have to sweat about being creative.

It is 6cent Koolaid sold for five dollars to the thirsty, who are sitting next to a fresh bucket of purified water for free.

Just my take.

Gordon

[GordonJ]

Since I have very recently offered a done for you program (information product, promotion, even an AUTOMATIC PRODUCT VENDING site)...I have to say, I reject about 8 out of 10.

Sure, I can do it for you, out of the gate. To get you started. THEN WHAT?

And this is where I have to leave most behind. Because they don't know what they want, and lack a plan of action, the whole done for you idea only gets the rock rolling...but if it is up a hill, one can expect Sisyphus results.

I don't know who you are referring to, but I guarantee, in the end of the day, he/she is making more from doing it for you, than you are making.

DFY, is a leverage, but the long game needs continuous activity, and some of that just can't be done by anyone but you.

Gordon

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Hi Gordon,

I have to agree with you... I was never attracted to the "template" approach... But...

It's apparently wildly popular! So it makes sense to sell it...

It's part of the "done for you" trend...

People want things that are "done for them"...

And, the seller can charge a lot more for it, too...

I won't say who, but there's a prominent online seller (very successful), who sells marketing-related stuff...

What he's been selling the last few years is primarily a "done for you" solution to business...

From his email promos and videos, it looks like he promises to...

- provide the product that you sell
- build your email list of prospects for you
- write your email ads

It seems pretty much all you have to do is click a button to send the already-written-for-you email to the already-built-for-you email list!

In the end, the deal costs around $2,000...

People buy because it's a "done for you" solution... All they have to do is click a button, and they have a business! (That's the promise...)

However, he doesn't promise to do this for you forever. He and his team might do it for you for a month or two or so. After that, you're on your own...

(Though I wouldn't be surprised if there's a "continuity fee" if you want him and his team to keep doing this for you further into the future...)

It's not for me... I guess I like learning how to do it, so I gain the skills...

Unlike money and things, nobody can ever take your skills away from you...

Best wishes!

Dien

[Dien Rice]

Hi Gordon,

I think one big difference is, when they have a report ("done for them"), they have an asset they can sell for years to come, even for decades...

With this other marketer I'm referring to - I guess one asset his customers will have is the "created for you" email list.

But, if I remember right, that done-for-you email list was only going to have I think 50 people on it... It wasn't going to be very large...

An email lists also get "stale" after a while... People's email addresses change, or their interests change...

(Oh, and when I said he would "provide the product that you sell" - I meant that his customers would be selling the product as an affiliate... they wouldn't own the product themselves...)

However, having said that, I sent out an email a few weeks ago, and I made some sales. I went through some of the sales out of curiosity... I saw one guy had subscribed to my email list on 30 June, 2008 (I just looked it up now again to confirm)...

...and this was his first purchase! Wow... That's quite a while... a 14-year gap between subscribing and buying!

Maybe that's an indictment of me as a marketer! Though I'm also pleased that he was apparently happy to stay on my email list for 14 years... and keep reading!

(I do my best to try to keep things fascinating - and also useful - for the reader... )

Best wishes,

Dien

Originally Posted by GordonJ

Since I have very recently offered a done for you program (information product, promotion, even an AUTOMATIC PRODUCT VENDING site)...I have to say, I reject about 8 out of 10.

Sure, I can do it for you, out of the gate. To get you started. THEN WHAT?

And this is where I have to leave most behind. Because they don't know what they want, and lack a plan of action, the whole done for you idea only gets the rock rolling...but if it is up a hill, one can expect Sisyphus results.

I don't know who you are referring to, but I guarantee, in the end of the day, he/she is making more from doing it for you, than you are making.

DFY, is a leverage, but the long game needs continuous activity, and some of that just can't be done by anyone but you.

Gordon

[GordonJ]

Dien, Just the fact you've had an email list and have been mailing them for that long, puts you head and shoulders above many out there.

I think you have some great STORED VALUE, on the whole how to front, you can bring to the market, and you have some bought/hidden assets to make that a relatively quick and easy thing to do.

Maybe now that he has become a customer, his wallet will open up and a deluge will follow...just don't bank on it, ok?

Gordon

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Hi Gordon,

I think one big difference is, when they have a report ("done for them"), they have an asset they can sell for years to come, even for decades...

With this other marketer I'm referring to - I guess one asset his customers will have is the "created for you" email list.

But, if I remember right, that done-for-you email list was only going to have I think 50 people on it... It wasn't going to be very large...

An email lists also get "stale" after a while... People's email addresses change, or their interests change...

(Oh, and when I said he would "provide the product that you sell" - I meant that his customers would be selling the product as an affiliate... they wouldn't own the product themselves...)

However, having said that, I sent out an email a few weeks ago, and I made some sales. I went through some of the sales out of curiosity... I saw one guy had subscribed to my email list on 30 June, 2008 (I just looked it up now again to confirm)...

...and this was his first purchase! Wow... That's quite a while... a 14-year gap between subscribing and buying!

Maybe that's an indictment of me as a marketer! Though I'm also pleased that he was apparently happy to stay on my email list for 14 years... and keep reading!

(I do my best to try to keep things fascinating - and also useful - for the reader... )

Best wishes,

Dien