It’s early on Good Friday morning as I write this blog post and I’m almost ready to go away for the weekend but I thought I’d get this information out to you first while it’s still hot on your mind.
As you probably know this week I ran a Firesale, if you missed it you can check it out here, the sale is over but you can still see the sales page to see what I did. The sale was a huge success and generated over $20,000 in sales, not bad for simply selling a few of my existing products at a discount. In this blog post I’m going to share some tips with you that will hopefully help if you ever decide to do something similar.
First of all I am not claiming to be a Firesale expert, in fact I had never ran a Firesale before and now it’s over I know I made a few mistakes. The main mistake I made was not notifying affiliates sooner. I only let my affiliates know 24 hours before launch, this is really short notice as most affiliates will have promos marked out up to 2 months in advance. I still got quite a few affiliates to promote but I know I could have had more if I had mentioned it sooner.
Another mistake I made was not warming up my own subscribers before launch. I actually never mentioned this sale to my subscribers before the site went live. Looking back I should have maybe sent a couple of pre-launch emails out. Maybe explaining what I was going to do. So if you ever do something like this notify your affiliates and subscribers sooner and you should see better results.
Now I may have made a few mistakes but I know I got a few things right. In fact the biggest thing I got right was adding an affiliate program in the first place. I initially wasn’t going to do this but at the last minute and with the advice of Dave Nicholson I decided to get affiliates on board. This resulted in a ton of sales generated by affiliates (thanks for the advice Dave). I also told all affiliates they would be paid on Friday (today) and I know this appealed to a lot of affiliates. After all we all like to get paid promptly when we promote a product so I decided to pay out as soon as the sale was over. I got round this by not offering a refund on the sale itself. Whether this was the right thing to do I don’t know but I don’t think many people would have refunded anyway as the value was so great.
And this brings me on to the next thing I feel I got right. I piled on the value, not only did I offer almost all of my products for one low price, I also offered extra material such as consultations, business reviews and more. The reason I did this was because I realised a lot of people would have already bought some of the products on offer so I wanted to offer something extra to tempt these people and it seemed to work.
Now, you would have thought anyone who had paid the full price for any of the products on offer would have complained about the price and the fact they paid the full price. This was a major concern for me and it almost stopped me doing the sale altogether but I thought to myself that if anyone complains I will offer them an additional product or two, guess how many complaints I had? None! Yes, not one person complained, this actually surprised me. In fact I received a ton of emails from people thanking me for making such an offer. I did have a few queries from people who had already bought some of my products and I just offered something extra. So if you have ever had any doubts about doing this because of fear of complaints don’t worry about it. Your subscribers will thank you!
So what else do I feel I got right? Well I think the fact I gave the sale a name was a major plus point. It’s no use saying, “I’m having a sale, here it is” is it? You need to make an impact with your sale, so give it a name, a name such as ‘Bob’s Birthday Bonanza’ or Steve’s Summer Spectacular’, you get the idea. Then get a domain name to correspond with the name of the sale and get some graphics created. This will give you a template to work from.
Then list all of your products for sale and link to each product sales page individually, let the visitor see what each product costs and make sure you put the cost of each product on your page and add a total at the end. As you can see the total value of the products offered in my sale was $6673, not bad for a $97 investment.
Next, limit the sale, if you limit the time on your sale you will see better results. However, when you say it ends take it down or you will be seen as someone who can’t be trusted. My sale ended the second I said it was going to and now its over and no one else can get in. Now what do you think that did to people who knew the sale was about to end? Well let me tell you most of my sales were made in the last 24 hours, need I say any more? In fact look around you in the ‘real world’ and see how many companies are having a sale just for the Easter Weekend, how much money do you think they will make as a result of this. I bet DFS have a sale on this weekend 🙂 (For our international visitors DFS are a sofa company who always seem to have a sale on)
Don’t be afraid to mail often, at least on a daily basis, make sure you keep your subscribers informed about what’s going on, be sure to remind them how much time is remaining, especially as your sale comes to an end. I would also advise you warm your prospects up with some pre launch emails, remember the mistake I made by not doing this?
Add a countdown timer as the sale comes to an end. When there were 36 hours remaining I added a countdown timer and I know this had a dramatic effect, especially in the closing hours, it also help’s people see when your sale ends as things can get confusing with people viewing your page from different time zones. There are a ton of countdown timers available online so they are not hard to find.
And that’s about it really; if you already have products under your belt you should have no problems, remember the key areas to cover.
- Give your sale a catchy name and get a dedicated domain and graphics
- Pile on the value
- Use an affiliate program and notify affiliates early
- Have a pre launch period to warm your prospects up
- Make sure you add up the total value of your sale and let the prospect know how much they’ll be saving
- Add additional material such as personal support & 1 on 1 consultations
- Pile on the value
- Add a countdown timer as the sale ends
- Mail often, at least on a daily basis
- When your sale comes to an end take down the payment button promptly
- Remember! Pile on the value
Now remember, I am no expert and like I have already said I made mistakes, but I’m sure if you do some more research and add your own selling experience to your sale there is no reason why you can’t see incredible success with your very own Firesale. As always I’d love you to share your comments and if you have any tips regarding Firesales please share them with my blog readers.
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congratulation!!
Unfornately, I didnt get your firesale products. hope it come next time.I watch it like a hawk!!! lol.
good luck
Brendan
Hi John
Good solid advice, don’t have enough of my own products yet to do a firesale, but I am running a “nickelmania” event this weekend where the price starts out at a nickel and then goes up by that amount every 10 sales.
I will be taking your idea about warming up affiliates and do that my existing list will be ready to get the best deal and start promoting for 100% direct commissions.
Enjoy your Easter break, and don’t spend all that money at once…
Andrew
Hi John
Thanks so much for sharing this valuable information with us about your 72 Hours of Madness sale, and the things you would like to do better next time. We can all learn from this.
All I can say is wow and thank you for ‘piling on the value’. I was one who purchased your ‘Firesale’. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it and learn some more from someone who is successful, and so generous with sharing your knowledge, expertise and experience.
There won’t be much rest for me over the next few months, but that’s the way I like it. I love ‘Online Business’, I think it’s the best job in the world!
Better stop here now, and go and do some work lol!
Thanks again.
Kind regards
Anita Skinner
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing that with us, it’s very helpful.
The lesson here is really just to get on and do it. So many times we spend far too long worrying that everything’s not right that the project takes way too long to launch (or in fact never sees the light of day).
You (and we) have now learnt how to do it better next time – and you got this information by DOING IT not by procrastinating over it!
Let this post be a lesson to us all.
Regards,
Ella.
Hi John,
Congratulations on running your first successful firesale, and thanks for the the tips.
I’m no where near the stage to run my own yet, I need to release a few products first. 🙂
But I know the time will come, and when it does I’ll head back to this post as I’m going to bookmark it. 😉
Happy Easter!
Paul
It was a brilliant idea, John, lots of great feedback flying aorund about it and I’m glad it went well. Another JT success story!
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
John
Your firesale is fantastic value for money. Even though I already have a couple of your products, you won’t get a complaint from me either. Looking forward to taking you up on your offer of business review and consultation…nobody does it at this price!
Keep up the great work.
Best regards
Graham
PS: Hope you have a good week-end away….weather forecast not looking good, unless you’re leaving the UK for some sunshine!
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing the details of your Firesale. I think it was an excellent idea, and i am not surprised you pulled in 20K in 72 hours with the amount of value you added.
I appreciate you also sharing your thoughts on where you thought you went wrong. This is certainly something i would like to do in the near future and i have learned a lot from you sharing your details here.
I have to mention also, that i have many of the products that you listed on your firesale, but i still purchased it because of all the extras you added, incredible value. And as for complaining about already having some of these products, no way, i don’t think i have ever seen so much value for $97 so i don’t see any reason for having to complain.
Thanks again John, first for making this incredible offer available, and second for sharing your thoughts of the sales itself, complete value from you as usual.
Cheers,
Paul
Hi John
Yes, I bought your 72 hour sale although I already had some of the products. What clinched the deal for me was:
1) I’d been thinking about joining the mentorship monthly for some months at $10 a month – life membership for $97 – it’s a no brainer
2) Ignoring the products I didn’t have (which are a must to read) all the bonuses just made the whole package irresistible.
I’d promised myself this year to leave alone the “bright shiny things” and concentrate on developing my own product using your procedures and so far had resisted.
But as the bonuses you offered would complement what I have and what I need it was almost a joy to part with $97.
So thanks again John, you are a true star in the firmament of internet marketing.
Best regards
Doug
P.S. The only reason I fired up the PC this morning to look at paint colours at Wickes for this weekend’s decorating – saw your posting and had to respond. Have a good holiday weekend.
Hello John
I thought this was a special sale and an opportunity to get into one of your products which I did not get earlier, so I grabbed it. There is no question the total value is a lot lot more than the price being asked, and you have a solid reputation for bankable products which deliver. Thank you so much for your continued enthusiasm in what you do. You are one special internet expert many people depend on for guidance.
Happy Easter!
Nona
Hi John, congratulations on the success of your firesale. Like Paul Lear said I haven’t created enough products to hold my own YET, but when I have……
Thanks also for laying out how you done it and the tips for getting it right.
Good honest advice again John, my admiration for you keeps growing.
Have a fantastic Easter with your family, (in your holiday home).
Respect and Regards, Barry
Hi John
With being one of your masterclass students it was very interesting to see how your fire sale went! I am sure once I have my own products up and running I will consider doing something similar, plus a great pay day just before your easter break!
Enjoy your easter eggs
All the best
Nick
Hi John!
Thank you for sharing this valuable experience with us. I believe this is the true way of learning.
I remember the legend Bruce Lee´s famous statement:
“A Master is not the teacher with the biggest school. The master is the one who has taught the most masters.”
And the other lesson we learned by reading your blog post, is the one I´m very fond of, which can be summarized like this:
“You don´t have to get it right – just get it going.”
Thank you again and have a great Easter! 🙂
Kourosh
Hi John
Thanks for reminding me of the DFS sale on this weekend.Sorry this is a short post as I need to rush now so I don’t miss it 🙂
Seriously, thanks for sharing this information.
I think there is a lot of merit in telling everyone:
what is going to happen
what is happening
what just happened
Its then a question of what timescale you do this over and for how long.
Happy Easter and all the best,
Paul
I hope you have a great weekend away John 🙂
As already mentioned. I had nearly everything in your sale already, but the bonuses alone were worth far more than the sale price!
That also helped me generate enough commissions to pay for my Easter weekend days out – as I could genuinely recommend my readers take a serious look at the offer!
I’m glad it went well for you, and I look forward to the knock on effect the bonuses will have for many peoples online efforts – That in itself will I’m sure lead to even further enhancement of your already amazing status as a trusted and valued marketer who helps his readers 🙂
Warm Regards
Randy
http://www.RandolfSmith.com
Hi John,
I had most of the products already but bought it for the bonuses 🙂
I’ll needa few more products before I can do my own, but will copy your ideas when I do…
Thanks
Keith
Actually, I owned all of those products already, and paid full price for almost all of them. And I still thought they represented an excellent value.
Thanks for sharing your precious experience John. 🙂
Now I know what to do or not do if I do have my own firesale in the future.
Hey John,
Great point about notifying affiliates sooner. I have had great success promoting some of your products to my members and would have promoted this one too, but I just didn’t have the time to get set up.
Have a great weekend,
Ken Soszka
http://www.MoneyLinksOnline.com
Always helps when someone has enough guts to tell us what didn’t work
Thank you
Hi John,
We all learn from our mistakes and 20k during a fast and quite fire sale is really some great results. Great Job Man 🙂
oh have a great weekend and enjoy your time off.
Thanks
Edson
Hi John, i too own most of your products & they are all of great value & content. At the moment i cant copy your idea as ive not enough of my own products yet & my mailing list is still at ground level but ill keep plugging away & then one day maybe!!!!!!!!
Enjoy your weekend
Gaz.
http://www.executiveebooksblog.com
John,
After so many years trying to be with the right mentor, I have found it. Your honesty and integrity is first rate. The fact that you share real numbers makes it seem that much more attainable for us newbies. I am already in your Masterclass which covers so much already, I didn’t get it at this time. I know you will be covering most of this in the weeks to come. Because of the detail you share, I have a working blog that looks better than most of what you see online.
I wish I would have found out about you sooner. I guess better late than never.
Cheers,
Todd
Congratulations on your success again John, You keep teaching and we’ll keep listening!.
Hope when my day comes, which it will, I hope I can be half the success you have managed to achieve.
Keith
Hi John,
I am in your MasterClass 2010, and there is one thing that I am learning for sure: there is always a system to follow and organization is paramount.
I have for a long time searched for a mentor, the right mentor. I’m glad I met you. You are a simple person just like us, and you truly want us to succeed. Your course is so simple but yet so effective. Thank you so much for all your sharings.
Have a great weekend.
Katia
Hi John,
Well, i’m in! I’ve been looking for the right product to buy to get started online and just havent been able to afford to waste money on the wrong product. I was very interested in several of your products so when i saw the firesale offer it was a no brainer really!
I’m just getting a blog started this wekend then i’m going to get a website set up. I’ll then get on Ebay with some of the excellent information you have provided and see what happens in the coming weeks.
I’ll be in touch on the forums soon for more advice no doubt!!
Chris.
http://www.tiffas-blog.co.uk
John,
I probably missed something, but I thought the sale was going to end midnight of 3/31/2010. When I got the email on 3/30/2010, from one of your former students, I was going to come back on the 31st and buy the program because I thought it ended at midnight on the 31st. When I got onto my computer that afternoon of the 31st and clicked the site it said sale closed. I guess I read the information wrong on the edning date of the firesale. this would have been an excellent deal not only for the products but I am also paying $10.00 per month on the mentorship monthly and it would have been for lifetime. I’m not complaining because I should have taken advantage of the offer on the 30th. As they say the early bird gets the worm. I will not hesitate if you make this offer again. I am just finishing my 2nd week of the Masterclass and just want to let you know that i have learned so much and can’t wait to finish the 36 weeks. Thanks again for this great opportunity.
Hi John,
Wow, what a result, and thanks for sharing how you would have done the sale better too, I’ll be sure to bookmark this page!
Like others I took the plunge and am in the Masterclass of 2010 so just a beginner(!) but even so after emailing you and receiving an answer just went for ‘the madness’ because of the value I saw, if only in the bonuses, which I feel sure that with your help and guidance will take me where I want to be.
Thanks again for your help, John.
best wishes to all for Easter
Richard
http://richard-davy.com
Hi John,
I guess we all are always learning from our mistakes, but i always like how you pin point the mistakes as a learning curve, to only make your service to your customers the best!
I thought about your comment on the “no complaints2, and personally i wasn`t surprized i have most of them products and a smost people know they come with lazer targeted quality, and everybody wants that at an attractive price!
Cheers John….Ed.
Hi John
It’s really refreshing to hear someone is prepared to talk about the things that didn’t go as well as you’d like them too. Not too many people make public their mistakes…It just adds to your reputation.
Not only does it add to your reputation as a Marketer – $20k is pretty awesome for a weekends work.
And as Randy said, “the bonuses alone were worth far more than the sale price!” As someone who took you up on all the offers I am really looking forward to getting to pick your ‘Marketing Mind’
Have a happy Easter – Cheers Steve
PS – I once bought a sofa from DFS, it looked great in the showroom, but the delivery guys couldn’t get it into my house as it was too big – I think DFS stands for Don’t Fit Sofas 🙂
Hi John,
This was a fascinating offer you made and I had never seen any one do this before with such tremendous value attached to it. I was only offered this by two of your affiliates and I am subsrcibed to dozens of lists, so I think you do need to give your affiliates more time to prepare for a sale in future. I did not buy it myself because I had several of the products already, but now I wished I had contacted you about it. Oh well hindsight is a wonderful thing! Perhaps you will offer something similar again soon?
Regards,
Sue.
John
I’m doing John Thornhill’s Masterclass and … (just joking).
I was wondering if you could help with my first product development.
My first product I’m developing is on “Anxiety”.
If you wish to know my reasons for this choice you could click on my Post on Anxious at Your Daily Planet.
But I know we’re all pressed for time, so, very briefly, could you please tell me:
a) Your major stress/anxiety in life (your present and/or past life)
b) What you do/did to deal with it, if anything.
PLEASE NOTE: This is just ‘everyday-living’ anxiety, NOT clinical depression (at one end of the scale), or just loving to complain (at the other).
Very much appreciated
Paul
This little example might help:
Stress/Anxiety How I Deal/dealt with it
Example: Monday morning work a) Tell myself it’s never as bad as I anticipate (usually quite good, in fact)
b) Count my blessings such as ……
Hi John,
Congratulations! great job, keep it up man. By the way, I just discovered your blog and it’s fully loaded with great stuffs, definitely I’ll coming back as often as I can.
Thanks again for sharing us such a valuable content.
Have a blessed journey,
Alex Rivera
Hi John,
Great post as usual! You’re always on the cutting edge of marketing.
Thanks for using yourself as a guinea pig to benefit us all.
I mean that with all the admiration in the world. Thanks my friend!
Best regards,
George Nieves
This is a great post John, thank you so much for opening my eyes to these facts.
Thank YOu for posting this helpful Information about “72 Hours Of Money Making Revealed”. I like it. just keep on posting. 🙂 I learned many things on this post.