Preselling Trade Secrets

Compared with their real-world business counterparts, affiliate marketing is different in a rather radical way. One of the most radical ideas is that in online business, preselling is just as important, if not more so, than the business of actual selling.

Just a few years back, online businesses used to do their own necessary work and all other related things in their own sites. The reasoning was that there was no better place to presell their site than on their site itself.

Unfortunately, very few small business sites were successful. Preselling has its own art and science. Also, it was discovered that separate preselling sites are better off alone than incorporating them in the actual selling sites.

It was not long after when secrets and techniques starting cropping up from everywhere. Some were tried and tested to be effective. Some were good, and some are so-so. Here are some of the really better ones.

Information give-away

The first secret is to give away useful free information to the public. In exchange for this freebie, make your visitors give their email addresses.

This is very important in the sense that this should be the primary objective of your site – getting contact data. With this, you will now be able to send your marketing message to them again and again at no cost.

Offer visitors interesting special reports or email courses that will position you as the expert. Your reports could include buying tips, questions to ask during buying, what to look for in buying, and many other pertinent things.

Testimonials

When you talk about yourself, people tend not to listen or go away. But when people without any vested interest in your success sing your praises, the magic begins.

Be an avid collector of testimonials simply because they are so powerful. Sprinkle them all over your site, but never in one grouping.

These testimonials do not have to be from customers alone. Get some from industry experts, well-known personalities and other celebrities (only from those who can give them out for free).

Our story page

A page on different stories of people will humanize your site and present you (and your people) as real rather than a bag of words. For trust and rapport-building, this technique is tops.

Tell the people in your own personal storytelling style the stories behind the company, the people around, and some other interesting tidbits. Here you can talk about your awards and achievements without sounding like a windbag.

Case studies

The stories here are special because they are testimonials with a twist – problems found and solved.

The key to the writing is the explanation of the problem, presentation of the solution that solved the problem and finally, the description of the positive results.

Emotions

Most sites have the common mistake of presenting boring specifications and data in describing their product. Compelling descriptions, colorful imagery – these are just some tools in making your copy come alive.

Make separate mini-sales letters to each of your product and describe its benefits. Highlight the emotion why your prospect should choose it.

All in all, these tips are some of the best techniques there are in the area of preselling. Give them a chance to prove themselves.