If youre selling a product or service on the Internet, one of the best ways to increase your sales is by offering a free trial, also know as a teaser, demo or limited version. By enabling your potential customers to review your product and providing them with an easy ordering process, you can increase your sales immensely.
Free trials are not exclusive to software programs. There are many ways you can offer a free trial no matter what product or service youre offering. For example, if youve written a book, consider offering it in an electronic version, better know as an eBook. You can include your entire bookwithin the eBook and choose to lock out certain chapters.
In order for your potential customer to gain access to these chapters they will be required to purchase the full version. You can include an order form and instantly take orders, right through your free trial Ebook. When you receive an order, you simply send your customer a predefined user ID and password that you set up when you create it.
A good program to assist you in creating an Ebook is Ebook Edit Pro. http://www.web-source.net This program will compress your HTML documents into a self-contained executable file. This HTML may be a web site youve created or HTML youve specifically prepared to be compiled into a downloadable .exe file for distribution. This .exe file is a completely freestanding program and requires no installation. When clicked on, the program instantly opens your book on your clients desktop. In addition, WebCompiler will enable you to lock out certain pages of your Ebook or an entire directory.
The key to using a free trial version is to offer your product for download from your website and allow it to be freely distributed. Provide some valuable free information, but save your most important information for the unlocked version. Make your locked chapters sound very intriguing and create curiosity. Tell your potential customers what they will receive by purchasing the full version, provide a complete list of all the benefits, and provide them with an easy ordering process.
To further increase your sales, provide your potential customers with instant gratification. You can completely automate your entire ordering process simply by using a CGI script. There are scripts online that will allow you to make your product available for download, take the customers order, approve it right online, send your customer a password and send you a confirmation of theorder, all completely automatic.
- CGI Resource Index - http://cgi.resourceindex.com/
After youve created your product, consider setting up an affiliate program for massive distribution. There are many affiliate CGI scripts available to assist you in running your own affiliate program.
- The Affiliate Program - http://theaffiliateprogram.com/
- ProTrack - http://www.affiliatesoftware.net/
If youre selling a service on the Internet, you can offer your potential customers a free trial as well. For example, if you offer a search engine submission service, you can provide your customers with a limited free submission to the search engines.
To entice your customers to purchase your full service you can, not only submit their site to your full list of search engines, but you can create doorway pages, insure their pages are optimized for the search engines and provide a resubmission service every month for a year. In addition, provide your clients with a free report of each submission process.
Prior to doing your customers last submission, contact them and inform them that their submission contract will soon be expiring. Tell them how they can renew their submission process and offer another enticing freebie such as, If you renew your submission contract before (date) we will also submit your site to over 1000 Free For All Sites.
This type of free trial will not only increase your current sales, but it will promote future sales as well.
The possibilities are endless. By offering your potential customers something of value for free, providing instant gratification, and an easy ordering process, you can dramatically increase your sales.
Copyright Shelley Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design Mastery ( ) and eBook Starter - Give Your eBooks the look and feel of a REAL book ( )
Visit to sign up for a complimentary subscription to eTips and receive a copy of Shelleys acclaimed ebook, Killer Internet Marketing Strategies.
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.
There are many types of professionals on the Internet. Business consultants, writers, web designers, software developers, the list goes on and on. What does it take to be considered a professional Well, according to the definition from Websters dictionary, a professional is Engaged in, or worthy of the standards of, a profession.
Does this definition mean that if you are engaged in a profession you are automatically considered a professional Of course not. Creating a professional image entails a great deal of time and effort. Not only should you have a great deal of knowledge and experience in your chosen field, but you must conduct your business in a professional manner. Developing a professional image on the Internet will include all aspects of your business.
Attitude
Courtesy
Honesty
Product
Customer Service
Technical Support
Refunds
Web Site
Fellow Business Owners
Attitude
Your attitude is one of the most important aspects of developing your professional image. It can make or break you. The way you deal with your peers, customers, questions, complaints, requests or compliments will all reflect upon your professionalism.
Courtesy
Let your customers know how much theyre appreciated. Be well mannered, respectful and warm. Always remember to say please, thank you and youre welcome.
Honesty
Never be dishonest with or mislead your customers. It will eventually catch up with you. Tell it like it is. You have to earn your customers trust to create long term relationships.
Product
Always over-deliver in all aspects of your business. If you over-inflate the perceived value of your product, your customers will be disappointed and probably not buy from you in the future.
Customer Service
When dealing with your customers, go above and beyond the expected. Listen to your customers and validate their feelings. Just because you know and understand something, dont assume they do.
Technical Support
Poor technical support is probably one of the biggest complaints from unsatisfied customers. Make yourself completely available to assist your customers. Answer their emails and return their phone calls as quickly as possible. Work with them until you have a satisfactory solution.
Refunds
Always happily refund your customers money if they arent satisfied. Dont argue the issue or write nasty messages. Be courteous, apologetic, and ask your customers why they werent satisfied. Remember... The customer is always right, even if you feel theyre wrong.
Web Site
Your web site is a direct reflection of you and your business. It should look professional in design, contain your complete contact information, including your phone number, provide complete product information and an easy ordering process.
Fellow Business Owners
Creating your professional image on the Internet not only includes your business and customers, but it also includes being respectful to fellow business owners. If someone requests a link exchange or any kind of business promotional exchange, answer their email. Thats considered a professional courtesy. Whether youre interested in their proposal or not, you should at least acknowledge their request. Failure to do so is not only considered rude, but unprofessional.
Always strive to do-the-best-you-can-do and everything else will fall into place.
Copyright Shelley Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design Mastery ( ) and eBook Starter - Give Your eBooks the look and feel of a REAL book ( )
Visit to sign up for a complimentary subscription to eTips and receive a copy of Shelleys acclaimed ebook, Killer Internet Marketing Strategies.
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.