Holy Missed Opportunity, Batman (A Cautionary Tale) 😫

A cautionary tale about missed opportunities…

I recently met a fitness trainer who wrote a bestselling book.

On his website, he offers a .pdf copy of the book for free (good).

I filled out the form to get the book and jumped to a confirmation page with this message:

🥱 🥱 🥱

That’s missed opportunity #1.

When someone asks for your free gift, they’re saying, “I’m interested in what you have to say.”

You have an opportunity on the confirmation page to say so much more than “Thank you…It (and you) means a lot to me”

A minute after I filled out the form, I got an email with this message (book title redacted because I don’t want to out/embarrass the author):

😫 😫 😫

Missed opportunity #2.

The thank you email — after someone subscribes to your list and/or downloads your free lead magnet — is…

The most important email you send.

As my Aunt Edna used to say, “You only have one chance to make a first impression.” 

And this email doesn’t even say “thank you.” Even had it thanked me, there’s so much more it could have contained.

Authors often make this mistake. They assume the book will speak for itself. They think the book will act as a super-brochure for themselves and their business.

Grateful readers will gobble up the book and then pull out their wallets and buy, right?

Wrong!

The book establishes your credibility and authority. It entices people to give you their email addresses and say, “Tell me more.”

That’s when the real fun and work begins.

You begin to persuade readers to know, like, trust, and (eventually) hire you before they open the book…

…Starting with the confirmation page. Then with the thank you email. And continuing with a series of follow-up emails.

It’s been more than 24 hours since I signed up to get the book. And other than the instant “thank you email” (that didn’t say “thank you”), I’ve received nothing more from the author.

That’s missed opportunity #3. I’m guessing I’ll receive very few emails (if any) from this coach over the days and weeks ahead.

You’re invited…

Next week, I’m hosting a live, online training for authors and experts to demonstrate how to use your book (and other lead magnets) to attract prospects, engage them with captivating follow-ups, and persuade them to hire you.

If you reply to this email today, with “OPPORTUNITY,” I’ll send you a recording of the training — even if you don’t attend live. (Those who don’t respond today, can attend live, but they won’t get the recording.)

Stay tuned for event details.