In our last ezine, we launched a new information product and a new email newsletter template with a simplified design and layout — I LOVE the new template because it really focuses on getting our loyal subscribers awesome content in a way that is easy to read and digest.
Brian and I are also working on an upgrade to our own website design (we’re so excited), but we won’t be ready to debut that until later. We’re in the design facelift phase right now and, as you can imagine, we’re nitpicking everything from the menu and the flow of content, to the paths our visitors travel, and every pixel of spacing.
The new upgrade is already so good, I’m having some website shame of my own (unheard of, I know) in regards to this one!
Why upgrade the site? Well first we do it every 18 months to 2 years as we continue to learn. Second, we’ve gained immense clarity (I’m talking crystal clear) about our brand and we need refine things a bit.
Now, along with gaining complete clarity about the Bourn Creative brand and where we want to take it, I’ve gained clarity in other areas too!
But My Clarity Lead to Infoproduct Irritation
This all came to a head while Brian and I were strategizing for 2012/2013.
You see, we were cleaning out my office and my office closet. At the same time and as we were making decisions, getting focused, and narrowing things down – I came across a bevy of information products. I found ebooks, binders, audio courses… and in debating on whether I should keep them or not, I had to ask myself – “Did they really provide value worth holding onto?”
Unfortunately (except for two) the answer was no. Most were over-hyped and didn’t deliver the goods.
So Brian and I got to talking and I don’t know about you, but…
- I’m sick and tired of over-hyped information products promising to be the answer to all of your problems, and I am sick of them falling short big time.
- I’m sick of products only delivering the what and the why and leaving out the how — the part you really need — just so they can sell you down the road!
- I’m happy to have bought information products that were awesome and provided value and saddened to see them lost in a see of bandwagon-ers who don’t compare.
- I’m sick of downloading at 60 page ebook, only to find 30 pages of it is more selling, the authors history, and filler.
- I’m sick of every product ending in the number 7 because at some point in product history, someone said 7 sells better.
- I’m sick of the overpriced nature of the industry. Incredible authors spend years writing books that truly transform lives and business that sell for $14.95. Why should the ebook you created last week (I have to print myself) cost me $97? Don’t get me wrong — if you have a good reason, I’ll pay it happily and pay you what you’re worth — but most people just make up a number.
I know you need resources, tools, strategies, and information you can use right now. I know you’re sick of spending $47, $97, $127 or any other number ending in 7 to get a product that is half mediocre content and half filler. I know because I want the same thing.
It’s time for a change and we’re taking a stand
This year, In the spirit of “be the change you want to see,” we’ll be rolling out a series of quick-start guides and resources — without filler and fluff.
We are committed to bringing you the information you need to transform your business into an extraordinary brand and create a website that works when you’re not working — and we’re committed to doing it with integrity.
I’m excited to share with you that our first Guide: Anatomy of An Opt-In: A Quick Start Guide to Creating an Irresistible Opt-In Offer That Does More Than Build Your List was launched in our ezine last week!
This Quick Start Guide, in 17 focused, step-by-step, content-only pages, will walk you through how to finally fix your opt-in so you get more hot leads, more new clients, & more money by covering:
- 6 Basic Steps of A Website Opt-In Process
- Why Permission Is The Core Foundation of Your Opt-In List Building Success
- How to Decide Between Single Opt-In or Double Opt-In For Your List
- 10 Critical Strategies to Follow When Setting Up Your List Building Opt-In Process
- 8 Critical Components of a Wildly Successful Website Opt-In Box
- 4 Vital Things Your Must Know When Creating Your Irresistible Free Offer
- How to to Create The Best Irresistible Free Offer For Your Niche Market
- How to Use Your Free Opt-In Offer to Get More Clients and Make More Money in 4 Simple Steps
- How Follow Up Sequences Build Wildly Successful and Responsive Lists
- Done For You Content: Basic Opt-In Process and Follow Up Sequence Examples
Our subscribers have been snatching the Guide up like crazy — first because it’s awesome, and second because it’s only $5!
I won’t make any claims that it is going to completely transform your life, but I will tell you that the content is awesome and it will help you make your opt-in more effective.
All of our Quick Start Guides will be launched through our ezine, and made available to our subscribers and community members for only $5. That’s the only place you can get them for now, and the only place you’ll ever get them for only $5!. With the debut of the new site, you’ll find the guides available everyone else for anywhere from $10-$20.
If you want access to our Quick Start Guides for only $5 — and you want to receive tips on WordPress, website marketing, and online branding, subscribe to our weekly ezine in the upper right-hand side of the page (and get our basic SEO course for free) — we publish every Saturday or Sunday (depends on our weekend plans).
Our next guide will be released in February!
I’d love to have you join our community!
About Jennifer Bourn
Worst Email Marketing Tactic I Have Seen In a While
Clients & Customers Can’t Resist … And You Build Your List The Benefits of Making an Irresistible Free Offer
Infusionsoft’s Biggest Fan
Why Use an Email Marketing Service Provider to Send My Email Newsletter?
Email Marketing List Etiquette: 12 Tips on What Not To Do With Your Ezine List
There are designers that can make it pretty, coders that can make it work, and marketers that can make it sell — at 
Bourn Creative is a 
There are so many things to consider about products we buy and feel they don’t deliver value. Sometimes they really, truly do not. Sometimes they haven’t because they are still in the box. ;-) I agree it is time to shake things up, and your idea is great. I’m glad to read your stand about products and what your market truly needs, and I’m betting they will respond.
Sue
Oh Sue – you’re so right about that fact that some fail because the buyer never even tried to use it! I’ve been guilty about buying, shelving, and forgetting about some products. I think that buyers need to do more homework before making a purchase and not just take a well-written sales page at face value.
Jennifer,
I love that you are taking a stand. This week I blogged about a similar topic — over-promising and under-delivering. It does have to stop. It’s all about integrity… I wish more people had it.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that you and Brian are stepping up and being the change. I’m right there with you.
Write on!~ (and in this case Right on!)
Lisa Manyon
Thanks Lisa :) I’m thrilled that there has been such positive feedback about our first quick guide (and so many sales)! I’m so excited to release the next one in February. It feels good to know you’re creating something of great value that so many can put to use to make an immediate difference in their website (and conversions) without breaking the bank!
BRAVO! I love seeing forward-thinking entreprenuers taking a stand for this industry. I also recently cleaned out all my info products and kept just 2 myself. Pretty sad really!
I love your new $5 module and providing great content within it.
I can’t wait to grab some of these from you… and I’ll also follow along and be the change.
Awesome Andrea! I think one of the problems entrepreneurs face is information overload. Everyone is producing content and everyone claims to be an expert … but many are just regurgitating other experts’ content and each time it becomes less and less helpful and “true” Some information out there – especially about websites – is blatantly wrong, but the person is marketing themselves as an expert and unsuspecting entrepreneurs don’t know ay better and get sucked in … then thousands of dollars later we get hauled in to clean up the mess.
My goal is to provide the content entrepreneurs need in a clear, simple, easy to understand format at a price that makes sense. And I want them trust that whatever we produce will be awesome, correct, and useable.
Awesome that you guys are gutsy enough to take a stand. I’m with you on these:
- I’m sick of downloading at 60 page ebook, only to find 30 pages of it is more selling, the authors history, and filler.
- I’m sick of the overpriced nature of the industry. Incredible authors spend years writing books that truly transform lives and business that sell for $14.95. Why should the ebook you created last week (I have to print myself) cost me $97?
Loving what you are doing and I know you are going to make a difference in the industry – BRAVO!
Heidi Alexandra
Thank you Heidi! If you want to be a thought leader and have people pay attention to you, you’ve got to have a voice and a point of view… I’ve always had both but have been pretty PC about voicing my opinions so no one would be offended … but that’s done with. I’m tired of all the BS and bad information – and I’m jumping on my soapbox!
Jennifer,
Wow! This is excellent. A great idea and you are implementing it. This is exactly the type of ‘big’ thinking every entrepreneur needs to have.
Mitch
Thank you Mitch!
Jennifer, I love your style so much. You are such a forward thinker and why we all TRUST your content so much. Thank you for distilling things down for us and really taking a STAND for what we all know is a bunch of B.S. I had the same thought (LOL!) about the #7 trick and thought – my clients are too smart for that – I see right through it – why wouldn’t they? Congrats on being REAL – and transparent. You are a fearless leader in this field and we need more of it. xoxoxo
Thanks for your support Brenda! We’ll be releasing a new quick guide each month this year – $5 for ezine subscribers :) I love this and am so excited to share content that people can actually use!
Jen, you and I have known each other for a long time now. And, it is funny because you and I seem to have very similar pet peeves. I just want to say THANK YOU for stepping up and taking a stand against all the poop out there. You are such a pillar of integrity in a world of garbage.
One of the things that irritated me when I owned my CPA practice was the unbelievable amount of crap out there that claimed they could completely change my life and my business. And, like you mentioned, they fell amazingly short. When I left the entrepreneurial world, I left with sadness in my heart. Honestly, it has been a deterrent to wanting to come back!
Thank you for bringing integrity back to small business.
Thanks Kristi! That’s the problem – everyone and their brother can claim to be an expert because technically they may know more about a topic than someone else … then they try to jump on the “passive income” bandwagon and put out junk with great sales pages. And who gets screwed over? The small business owner. I’m ready to use my voice and our expertise to be a resource for accurate information that doesn’t leave things out of purpose just to squeeze your wallet!
This is so exciting Jen! I’m thrilled to see you move forward with this, especially because you and I just had a conversation about this project a few weeks ago and the fact that Wil and I are doing the same thing. I LOVE that you are over-delivering and serving your market in this way! Way to blaze the trail girl!!! :)
Thanks Sydni! I can’t tell you how awesome it’s been to receive such positive feedback on both the content and the price! Plus, we’re able to use this as a vehicle to deliver awesomeness to those who wouldn’t normally be working with us privately.
Hooray for the Bourns! I just pitched about 50 documents I had downloaded that were taking up space and had little value. You made me laugh about the price of everything ending in a 7. Guilty! Now I am going to step out tomorrow and make my offer NOT end in a 7.
Everything you offer and deliver is jam-packed with awesome content. I would never be able to toss your stuff away…! xo
Amy – Right there with you. I’ve totally been guilty of that too! At some conference I went to the expert on stage said it converts better with a 7 and that Walmart prices everything with a 7 … then I think every single person at that conference went home a re-priced everything :) But I think buyers are much more savvy these days … they know exactly what you’re doing!
We were having a similar conversation in a mastermind a few years back and one of the members declared “fluff is for pillows” and I SO agree. I love that you’re taking a stand on this and I hope that more experts start to carry this torch. Also love that you also provided some insight into the strategy behind your $5 guides – thanks! Can’t wait to see the upgrades you make to the site!! xo
Gina – I’m itching to launch the site upgrade … I love it so much that I have website shame even looking at this one :) And – I love the phrase “Fluff is for pillows” Amen!
Jennifer
I LOVE the stand you’re taking against over-hyped and way-too expensive information products! It’s really awesome!
I am an author and my book sells for $20 and I can totally relate to your comment about info products for $97! Too funny about your comment about the product ending in the number 7!
I missed your January Quick Start Guide but look forward to the Feb one – and love the concept
Trudy