How to Use a Free Report in your Marketing Efforts

“7 Ways to Avoid Getting Ripped Off by _________,  just enter your name and e-mail for instant access”.  That’s it, isn’t it? That’s how you’re building a database of names interested in your niche.  And when the prospect exchanges their information for your information it’s game over. You won! Congratulations!

But what is it you’re giving them? I’m sure it’s good information – perhaps even great information. And it’s quite possible you created this report by putting together 7 of your Ezine Articles or rewriting some PLR. (Actually, I’m not sure what you’re doing to write your reports – leave a comment at the end, I’m curious).

Moreover, I’m willing to bet your report is written in the second or third person with sentences like “A person looking to hire a ________ should first do this. . . ” or “You should do this: _____________, before engaging this kind of service.”  And your reader probably had no problem understanding it – and was likely appreciative.

So my question to you is “Are you becoming the expert in your field merely by giving away the free information OR are you becoming the expert because you are the information?” That’s a huge distinction.

Well, I’d like you to scrap that report. That’s right – toss it out. Or at least open the editable version and start editing. Your “free report” shouldn’t be generic. It shouldn’t be a compilation of articles or PLR snippets. It should “BE YOU” (which is a great book, by the way – ask if you’re interested in reading it).  Take your 7 tips articles and write them in the first person. That’s the first step.

The first person is so cheesy isn’t it? Well, instead of saying “The first thing you should do is . . . “, start with “I’ve noticed many of our clients were making this mistake. As in the case of Betty Clemens, we were able to help her avoid that mistake by first doing . . .”

See. You’re not only providing the 7 tips but you’re proving the worth of the tips by showing them in action and proving that you’re the expert when it comes to implementing these tips. Explain how you or your client screwed up the first time, learned from it, then tweaked and now “own it”. Put you and your expertise into it.

Don’t just give away a free report. Give away a little bit of you to engage that little bit of them that wants to hire you. Give them a taste of your expertise. Imagine how much more comfortable you would feel if the pamphlets your doctor gave you were all about experiences with his patients? That generic garbage doesn’t make you an expert – it just makes you the source.

If you’re interested in learning more about that “expertise part”, read my post on “Dog the Bounty Hunter”.

And don’t forget to leave a comment about how you’re creating  your reports. I’m sincerely interested.