“In which Charlie feels duped.”
When I published my ebook a while ago, I didn’t debate for a single second about whether it would cost anything to download. I knew from the outset it would be free. But one thing I did debate was whether the download would be available to everyone or only those who signed up as RSS subscribers.
That debate lasted about 3 seconds, and I decided to make my ebook available to every man, woman, child and amoeba, subscriber or not.
When free isn’t really free
What helped me make this decision was going to a site to pick up a copy of an ebook that sounded interesting. Though it was written by someone I’d never heard of the description sounded enticing and I wanted it. When I found out it was free I wanted it even more. Free is by far my favorite price.
So I followed the link to the website, clicked on the appropriate link to acquire the ebook, and was immediately confronted with this message:
“Subscribe to download.”
My smile disappeared. Then it turned into a frown. I began to squint suspiciously, the same way I would if I were in a New York City subway and some guy with a trench coat and no pants started smiling at me. I stared at the “sign up now” link, pondered for a moment whether the ebook really was free and decided it wasn’t. There’d be no signing up today. Not for me.
To me, free means free. It doesn’t mean free if. When there’s a conditional after it, the word “free” sort of becomes meaningless.
Now, I can see why a download would be available only to an RSS subscriber. Fat RSS numbers mean increased advertising rates, a higher price if you sell your site, potential paying customers, etc. My beef isn’t with having/making subscribers. It’s with making an otherwise free download available exclusively to subscribers.
Let’s look at this both ways:
Subscriber-only downloads:
- don’t necessarily appeal to brand new visitors to whom you are an unproven entity
- gain a (somewhat coerced, possibly suspicious) subscriber
- add time to the process
- exclude people who don’t want to manage another RSS on top of the 85 they already have
- are reminiscent of spam and junk-mail
- make me think instantly of how I’ll have to unsubscribe later…more time added
On the other hand, offering free unconditional downloads to anyone
- will almost certainly earn more downloads in the long run
- won’t turn off strangers who have to trust you or take your word for it
- will earn you actual devoted subscribers who aren’t just looking for a hand-out (if your book is good)
- costs all interested parties less time
- won’t make anyone suspicious of your intent, spam, etc.
Let’s sew this one up
If your freebie is good, people will subscribe. If your freebie stinks, well, they’ve just wasted their time. Twice. While I’m not for always taking the path of least resistance, I think it’s a good bet that many of your potential customers are.
Speaking of wasting time and subscribing, the best way for you to read other insignificant rants of this type is to subscribe. Please do so now, or you’ll regret it forever.
5 Comments
Charlie, I TOTALLY agree with your post. So often I go to download a freebie and there’s the dreaded sign in form. Crap I say, I know I can unsub if I want but its an extra effort to do and really do I want to sign on to something to get something? Sometimes I do, mostly I don’t. As I have a partner who has a sign in page for an ebook on share trading, I understand the desire for gaining lists of emails, its dollars in your pocket at some point but I would love to see the day when we do everything for the love of it, to share with others purely our creations. Am I an idealist? Absolutely. Thing is I see this is the way we are going, when we all do what we love and its not driven by money or fame, its just for the pure love of it! You Charlie are already on that track, thank you!
Lise x
PS. You know I love your ebook and it was totally free!
Hey Lise! Good to hear from you again! Glad you liked the post.
I’m with you for sure. I have no problem with people making money, and lots of it. But if you’re a complete stranger and want me to take part in your business model, you better make it super easy for me. FREE to me means no expenditure of time, money, effort…
…okay, so yeah, I’m really lazy apparently. I’m just saying…
I think this post is right on. I recently subscribed to some sites that I have only nominal interest in to check out their ebooks, and yes, I felt coerced.
Regardless of advertising dollars, I see the point of an ebook as a way to attract real subscribers and followers to your ideas and site. I have seen many blogs say something to the effect of, “You have to subscribe to see the ebook, but I know you’re just subscribing for that.” Of course I am. You made me. I didn’t want to subscribe and it doesn’t inspire any particular loyalty to you.
On the other hand, when ebooks or white papers are free, actually free, and I enjoy them, it inspires a lot more confidence and faith in the site than it would have otherwise. Yours is certainly an example of this.
That’s how I got here via Naomi at IttyBiz and glad I am.
Maya
Considering the number of feeds I already read as part of my job, I dont want to have more feeds.
(Okay, dammit, this apostrophe issue is chasing me around your blogs. Im gonna go nuts because not putting an apostrophe is like nails on a chalkboard for me…)
*ahem* As I was saying…
So yes. I dont want another feed in my reader. I want to choose to have the feed and not be forced into it. Subscribe to download? CLICK! Im so gone.
Maya -
Thanks! I appreciate it. And I agree that there’s something about someone offering themselves up for free that inspires confidence. Putting yourself on the line with your product and betting on success isn’t easy. Maybe that’s why so many people don’t it.
James -
I hear you. I think it’s just the nature of things that aren’t voluntary. Like, I don’t mind helping friends move into a new house, but the second someone says “Hey…you owe me, so you better get over here,” I instantly turn very unwilling.