This was a recent post from Michael, over at Standing Start Profits. I thought you might enjoy it. I found it very informative. You can read more of Michael’s stuff over at his blog Marketing Tools Today.

Follow these suggestions and you will find that people will actually download your free report.

1) Your free report HAS to provide value TO THE READER, NOT YOU! Too many write free reports and load them up with affiliate links and such. I think those days are over because other IM’ers are on to what you are trying to do and the chances of your report going viral is slim.

No one wants to pass a report on to their list where YOU get the biggest benefit, and not their readers.

By packing free reports with affiliate links you are providing value for YOURSELF, not the reader.

In my report I had no affiliate links and only a link to my website in the footer of each page. This has seemed to work well because I have received emails from other marketers offering to their list (I know this because I happen to be on their list,lol, and it is exciting to see that happen.

2) Your name and reputation are more important that your affiliate link.

Build a name for yourself as someone who provides quality information first before you start telling people how they should spend their money. A recommendation from a TRUSTED source is what gets people to click. Don’t try to get someone to pull out their credit card when they have first met you. It’s like trying to get a kiss on the first date, chances are you will get slapped.

When I see an offer from Kevin Rielly, I click. When I see an offer from Big Mike, I click. When I see an offer from Tiesto, I click.( And many others!) But compare the number of posts made by those individuals to the number of offers they have made!

I received value from them LONG before they ever asked me to purchase something.

3) Don’t require an opt-in for your free report, but offer one.

I have tried this both ways and I have to say that I get far more opt-ins by NOT requiring an optin for the free download. It’s a numbers thing. By NOT requiring an opt-in you get MORE people who download your report which yields in more opt-ins. It sounds backwards, but it’s true!

MAny people will click on your link for your download and hit the back button as soon as they see a required optin form to get it.

Free means free. Requiring an optin is still “charging” someone for it imho.

The WSO I ran had a 61% optin rate, even though it wasn’t required. I was pleased with those numbers. Again, by not requiring an optin, you are showing that your first concern is providing value to the reader.

4)Make sure that your free report is of high enough quality that you could have slod it if you wanted.

Giving away a free report is a waste of everyone’s time if the content reads like it should be free. Giving away something for free is only beneficial if it COSTS you something. Again, I know that sounds backwards, but it is true.

5)Ask for feedback.

Just because you are giving it away for free doesn’t mean that you don’t have a responsibility to improve on it.

Thanks Michael, again, check out his blog ~ there are plenty of gems there too ~ Marketing Tools Today.

If you’d like to get involved in more of these kind of conversations come on over to Standing Start Profits.

[tags]free report, get your free report downloaded, why people don’t dowload your report, marketing tools today[/tags]

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