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Statistics for my recent newsletter launch.

by Ed on 20th February 2009

I thought I’d share the statistics for my recent newsletter launch. If you’re planning on launching any type of monthly subscription programme this could be interesting for you.

19.9% of my email list clicked a link in the email I sent out announcing the newsletter, and ended up on the newsletter subscription landing page.

(That’s a lot lower than usual — probably because this launch wasn’t a ’24 hour special’ like my other launches. Ongoing promotion of my newsletter will ensure a lot more people on my email list are made aware of the newsletter.)

20.6% of those people who saw my web marketing newsletter sales letter web page ‘converted’ and became subscribers*.

*Regards subscriber conversions: At the moment none of my subscribers have paid anything, because the first issue’s given away free as a trial issue.
If my newsletter’s good enough then hopefully I’ll retain a high percentage of those subscribers over the coming months. It’s my job to make sure the newsletter remains to a very high standard. (I intend to!)

So the next page that appeared after someone had just entered their credit card details and subscribed saw an upsell page offering my £997 flagship home-study programme for £397.

(And for the cynics out there — that really is a genuine one time only offer… you can’t buy it any other way yet — and when it launches it’ll be £497 for 24 hours and £997 thereafter.)

So 6.25% of the people who saw the £397 one time only upsell offer responded and bought it.

The people who didn’t buy it were then offered a £97 downsell and 13.5% of the people who saw that downsell bought it.

Finally everyone ended up on the final page which thanked them for subscribing.

In a nutshell, the results of this launch were exciting. It means I can give away the first issue of my newsletter totally free — and let the upsells and downsells pay for them. (In technical terms it makes the offer ‘self liquidating’.)

I win by getting more newsletter subscribers, and my subscribers win by (a) getting a free newsletter and (b) the opportunity to buy products at massive discounts.

Some more comments and observations…

I’ve had a few people unsubscribe, but my customer services team haven’t reported any negative feedback. (By negative I mean ‘unconstructive’ or ‘nasty’ feedback.) The reasons have been either because they “can’t afford it at the moment”, or they “found it too technical/basic”. Obviously it’s impossible to create a newsletter that suits everyone at all skill levels. The purpose of the free trial is to allow people to find out and decide for themselves.
The majority of people who subscribed still are — and feedback I’ve had from many of them is that they “love it and are looking forward to the March 2009 issue”.
After checking my records I can see that most of the people who didn’t subscribe and instead emailed or left ‘negatively unconstructive’ blog comments about my launch… have never actually bought anything from me before. Hmmm.

Whatever business you’re in — chances are you could also benefit from launching either a free or paid (‘premium content’) programme like a newsletter, members only or loyalty club programme using this type of approach (or a variation of it.)

In a future issue of Web Profits Monthly I’ll be publishing a special report with more detail on exactly how I did this launch. It was quite technical to setup — but now I’ve done it I can share all that with you.

Ed.

Article by Ed Rivis

I'm the Amazon 5-star rated author of three books about web marketing, and since 2008 have spoken to more than 4,000 business owners at conferences and seminars around the UK. I've also developed software that automatically generates lead pages and home-study programmes that help small business owners like you generate more sales-leads and win new customers and clients, online.

Ed has written 326 awesome articles.

http://www.thekissbusiness.co.uk/ Karin H.

“my customer services team haven’t reported any negative feedback. ”

Could that be because they didn’t ask? Not me anyway.
(And I wouldn’t have given any negative feedback anyway, but thought it strange – knowing you – none was asked for).

Karin H (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)
http://www.auctionmovers.co.uk John Walmsley

Hi Ed,
Dont bother listing this if you dont want but just thought I would point out that by saying the February newsletter wil become expensive shortly you are giving the readership the idea that the newsletter maybe expensive.
We are fickle beings and negative thoughts seem to feed into our brains easier than positive ones.

The only reason I havnt enrolled is that I have been spending serious money with Jonathan. I have your Blog DVD which is excellent and will be put to good use with my new website.

Will be very interested in your future posts as I need to find ideas to generate sales through the site and to keep members coming back time and time again.

Keep up the good work

John Walmsley
http://www.fixitreport.co.uk Paul Henry

Hi Ed

Great results but one question…percentage of what? How many names were on your original list?

And how warm were they?

This info could be really useful to anyone else thinking about launching a subscription service

(there’s an info product in here, I think!!!)

Cheers

Paul
http://www.edrivis.com Ed

@Karin – The next issue will have a feedback form with it, along with other stuff which I would like to have included in the envelope with the first issue… time issues! For the first issue I instead sent out an email asking for feedback and comments – sounds like you never saw that?

@John – Good comment thanks. I was referring to the fact back-issues will be available to order as ‘one offs’ but due to the cost and inefficiencies of processing orders for individual issues they’ll be £60.00 each – quite a lot more than the monthly subscription fee of £19.97. (Okay I suppose I should have just said that instead! )

Thanks for the feedback on my ultimate business blogging home study course.

I’m actually about to release a much updated version of that for 2009 — mainly to respond to requests for a lot more information on how to use blogs to make money. Hope to get that out soon.

Finally, if you’re spending serious money with Jonathan then I’m sure you’re finding that’s money well spent. He’s a marketing & business building Zen master!
http://www.thekissbusiness.co.uk/ Karin H.

Hi Ed

No, since you switch to infusion there seem to be some problems.

(Perhaps not appropriate here, but on infusion’s “unsubscribe or change subscriber options” page you can only unsubscribe completely, not even change details like email address – quite different than on AWeber)

Karin H
http://www.magnetic-innovations.co.uk Tony Clarke

Feb free issue – excellent. I’ve read a lot of stuff from so called ‘gurus’ and I think your stuff leaves them standing. Clear, concise, easy to read and understand – fantastic.
I’m not sure you quite cater for my needs however. I’m a manufacturer selling my products online and don’t have the opportunity for repeat business, only referrals. Can’t quite see how a lot of your teachings around publications etc will help me. I just wantnew buyers every day and the more the better.
We’ll see.
Regards
Tony.
http://www.edrivis.com Ed

@Karin – Yes that is a problem. I’ve been told they’re going to add those extra options soon. However I’ve love to show you InfusionSoft sometime – it’s amazing how easy it is to segment customers by their interest, previous purchases, demographic and other data. Very, very powerful. Since leaving AWeber I’ve had one or two issues with InfusionSoft, but overall… it’s been the best service I’ve ever used online.

@Tony – That is a GREAT observation for more reasons than I have room to comment about here. I’ll blog about this (one off sales versus repeat business) next week.

Thanks.
http://www.thekissbusiness.co.uk/ Karin H.

If I may comment on Tony too:
We are in a kind-like situation, retailer of one-off purchases (who wants a wooden floor every 6 months? ) and are seeing a definite increase in online orders through our webshop. Most of these we can trace back to ‘subcribers’ of one of our many AWeber lists.
We are also able to get repeat orders on ‘add-on’ products, as long as we remind our clients of the existence of it – by ‘snail mail’ every 6 months.

Ed, I love AWeber and our Mamut CRM system – have been receiving info from Infusion but for now our two systems are more than enough for us.

Karin H
http://www.edrivis.com Ed

@Paul – Sorry missed your comment above.

>> Great results but one question… percentage of what? How many names were on your original list? < <

I knew someone would ask that!

To date I've been shy of releasing details of my email list - some people would be impressed, whereas other people who are familiar with the big name USA gurus may be unimpressed (unlike Frank Kern, Matt Bacak, Jeff Walker etc I don't have hundreds of thousands of people on my email list... yet

At some point I will overcome my shyness and reveal my full inside leg measurements!

>> And how warm were they? < <

With this launch... not very! I didn't do a Product Launch Formula style launch -- there was no scarcity play, no major sequence of 'anticipation building video' or other content.

So at the moment only a small percentage of my list have subscribed.

However what I'm excited about are the conversion rates on my landing page and also the up-(and down)-sells. And so far it appears the first issue of my newsletter has gone down a storm with most people (well, the ones who subscribed anyway!) so it's all there.

Now it's just a case of testing different promotions, maybe adding incentives and bonuses to get more people to take out the trial subscription.

As the old saying goes... it's all a test.

>> This info could be really useful to anyone else thinking about launching a subscription service (there’s an info product in here, I think!!!) < <

Hey… great minds think alike!!

Thanks Paul.
http://www.thevisualperspective.com Richard

Ed, I didn’t subscribe. I did not leave negative feedback. I have bought from you before (and been happy with my purchase) so don’t know which one of your groups that puts me in! Up until recently I had always been very impressed with your approach and you “tone”. Around the time you started recommending other people’s work rather than focussing on your own excellent content I started to think of you a little less highly *don’t take that personally, we’ve never met and I’m sure you’re great*. I suspect like most of us you’re trying to work out how to make this internet business work – however I personally think and suspect that an approach more akin to Seth Godin’s will gain you more friends and earn you more money in the long run, regular blogging, thought provoking content (not trying to sell whenever I hear from him which is daily and eagerly anticipated). I shelled out £115.00 in a heartbeat to hear him speak this week as did about 300 others…if you can create the same value around the Ed Rivis brand (and I believe you can because people are looking for someone to trust) then you will make far more (in my humble opinion) than selling the newsletter will ever bring…anyway I may be wrong, I often am!
http://www.edrivis.com Ed

@Richard – You’re in the “very highly valued happy customer” group!

Seriously, even some of the negative feedback I got from people was received well by me – because I’ve taken on board many of the comments and will use it to do a better product launch next time.

The only feedback I don’t care for is where people leave unconstructive one-line character defamations… you definitely didn’t do that either!

Interesting to hear how you took it when I started recommending other people’s stuff. If you feel like that then I’m sure other people will as well. Interesting, thanks.

And hey, as for you being often wrong… me too! (Just ask my wife!!)
http://www.ryanhealy.com Ryan Healy

Ed – Thanks for sharing those numbers. Very interesting. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for your “full inside leg measurements.”
http://www.auctionmovers.co.uk John Walmsley

HI Ed,
I know it is going off track slightly but following your comment about releasing a new Business Blogging DVD will it include Marketing sites and products plus loading to other blogging sites?
On the main stream Perry Marshall seems to have it right as he promots himself as the guru and sells his products through his students efforts.
This keeps the buyer feeling he is on there side and not just selling products
( which he is and has to be to live )
As previously said and from your feedback you are a trustworthy person who we are happy to buy from so please dont go down the American route and start selling everybody’s products.
Will be picking Jonathan up on that one at the June course.

Kind Regards and have a great weekend

John W
http://www.bambo.org.uk Julian

Hi Ed, you got me onboard a) because I know you give good concise advice and b) because you didn’t do a Product Launch Formula style launch – that there was no scarcity play, no major sequence of ‘anticipation building video’ or other content worked in your favour with me. I’ve switched off to this technique now. I’m still dubious of the big claims that go with these launches. They try too hard for me. So far for me, I’ve got more than enough to digest through yourself, Jonathan Jay and Drayton Bird.
http://www.WordofMouthMagic.com Martin Russell

Hi Ed,

Being that I’m in Australia I didn’t subscribe although I’m sure I would love the content. Was that a sensible decision?
http://www.edrivis.com Ed

@Ryan – Looks like I need to do more stretching exercises then!! (Anyone who has met me in person will see the funny side of that comment )

@John – Sorry, could you expand on what you mean by ‘Marketing sites and products plus loading to other blogging sites?’ …not sure I fully understand your question, thanks. (My brain must be in ‘weekend mode’.)

Also thank you for the feedback about Perry – he’s awesome and one of the first online marketers I followed. Could expand on what you mean when you say he “sells his products through his students efforts’? Sounds interesting, thanks.

@Julian – Thanks for the nice feedback. Also, good point about PLF… it definitely can (and frequently is) overused.

Anyone who is subscribed to more than one Internet Marketing Guru’s email list will know that only too well by the weight of their email inbox!

However the reason why PLF is so overused is simply because it’s so darned effective. I still highly recommend it for online product launches… so long as it’s used with the customer’s best interest in mind.

@Martin – Great to hear from you. Yes I think that was a sensible decision. Of course I’d expect no less from a Doctor!

Seriously, my newsletter’s written specifically for UK small business owners who want to use the web to get more sales, so many of the links and references in the publication are UK biased.

However most of the *tactics* are global and will be of value to International small business owners. I’ve not excluded anyone at the moment. I’ll monitor and get feedback from my International subscribers over the next few months to decide whether to keep it open globally or not.

Thanks for your comments.
http://www.auctionmovers.co.uk John Walmsley

Hi Ed,
Sorry for that as I tend to fire off without thinking about the reader.
What I think I was trying to say is can you show us how to Market products through the Blog sites ( Meaning loading your own blog site to the many sites out there ). In addition would you sell through the blog or just have it sitting as an ad which you appear to be doing.
Carol Bentley does the same plus she gets her customers to add comments all the time and then turns the comments into very valuable books. I know you work with Carol and you could possibly start looking at some of the feedback you receive here to produce an ebook.
Another area would be to show the programes you can use to upload to numerous blog sites and so gaining a larger market.
Could you also let us know your views on Ghost writers for Blogs as I would find it hard to keep up with continual input due to my business commitments.

As for Perry Marshall he is very clever at promoting products on a very soft sale by getting JV’s with his students and past students. He will praise their products via a video and squeeze page but at all times he is not pushing it as a sale but draws you in with all the positives to the extent where you feel that it would be crazy not to buy.
Very clever man and would love to get over to one of his seminars when you show me how to make serious money with blogs and white papers.

Hope this has answered your question as the wine is starting to sink in so the spelling will be getting worse than normal.

Kind Regards,

John
http://samuraiwriter.com/blog Mark McClure

@Ed – some useful market research you’re getting here – both from prospects and existing customers.

I thought John W made a great point regarding “expensive” and your newsletter back issues. When a reader is told about the hidden costs of time and labour to retrieve a back issue, they (well, some of them, I hope!) are more likely to accept the explanation. And even appreciate your honesty in saying so.

BTW – are you considering to split-test US copy versus UK copy?

I never cease to be amazed at late night infomercials when I visit the US. With a beer in hand, the family in bed and the ocean breaking on the beach outside (this is Hawaii’s Big Island I’m recalling from a few years back), I feasted on rock solid abs, Carlton Sheets ‘no money down’ RE programs, even Tony Robbins seminars – until 2 or 3 in the wee hours.

Never bought a thing – but learned a lot.
http://www.edrivis.com Ed

@John – Thanks for explaining more – some great questions.

Yes I will definitely be explaining how to sell products through a blog – I had great feedback about my last blogging programme, but a few people mentioned they would have liked even more details about the various ways to make money through blogs.

That’ll be a very big part of the new programme.

As for you other comments – I can say yes to all of those also… they’ll all be covered in the new programme. (The book tactic you mentioned is powerful – great for anyone who is blogging but doesn’t have a real book to their name yet.)

Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed the vino.