Just not getting conversions

[rook32]

Hello. I created an ebook based on an idea I had about learning the presidents. I created a website and have been using adwords to drive traffic. My traffic is not bad and my CTR is pretty solid (between 3 - 7%) but I am not getting any sales.

I had someone rewrite the copy. No luck. I put the price in the adwords account so that the people clicking would know it is an ebook and it is not free. No luck. I have had about 200 clicks so far enough that even with a low conversion rate there should have been some sales.

Anyone else have this problem? Any ideas?

[Sven]

It seems to me there is so much info on the presidents, there is no real need to have that instantly on your computer. Having it on your computer instantly does not solve a real problem for potentail customers.

[rook32]

The ebook is about how to help people memorize the US presidents in order. However, there is so much free information about the presidents that people may just assume or only be looking for free information.

[officer_dibble]

I would wonder who needs to know the presidents in order?

Anyone other than school children? Or is it a condition for getting a green card? Kids probably won't buy anything. Educators looking for an interesting lesson plan might - providing it offers something you can't find on all of free lesson plan sites.

Perhaps selling it isn't the muse here. People would probably give away an email address for it (and you can upsell to something else later- what else can you offer?) or perhaps you should be looking at micro-payments eg by making it available on Amazon Kindle for 99c (perhaps even free for a limited time to get some PR). It could be a buy at that price for someone looking for a party-trick. Or if it's audio perhaps via iTunes (some kids do get iTunes allowances) - something like these guys:

http://www.earwormslearning.com/intro.html

approach might work. I think something like this is very well suited to PR at the right (v.small) price. Memory tricks are fun (and which American wouldn't like to be able to say the presidents in the right order?) - but you need to keep something of yourself or some other uniqueness attached it for it to benefit you. Otherwise it could end up becoming as generic as most other mnemonics (whereas the effect you're after is something like theory of relativity - who can't say that phrase without mentally attaching Einstein's name to it).

If you end up putting it on Kindle - PM me and I'll get you some free coverage on twitter.

[rook32]

but that is actually a pretty cool idea. I could narrate the book and do something through itunes.

To answer your question, there are two types of groups that would be potential markets. You are right on the first. School kids who are given the assignment to learn the presidents in order or anyone else required to do it. They are in the need to category.

There is another group who are collectors of information. They are in the want to category. They learn things just to know them and the driver is usually to impress friends, family or just to have more general knowledge. I guess I could split the advertising and website and focus on each group separately.

Also thought about making it free but then not sure what follow up products there would be or possibly sell advertising the site if it could generate enough traffic.

[rook32]

the website for reference

www.learnthepresidentsnow.com

[officer_dibble]

OK so you are actually offering a memory system that can be applied to anything not just a list of presidents. The list of presidents is just a hook. I can't help feeling you could think about making more of this up front.

Learn the presidents - in order - at warp speed with an amazing new memory system.

There are lots of similar sites offering memory systems. One of my favourite quotes at the moment - "Copy genius. You don't have to be a genius. You just have to copy them". Research them and apply what they do to your own site.

Who needs to remember stuff? Lots of people but particularly medical students.

Perhaps a list of presidents is just the wrong hook for this kind of product?

Is there any way the system can be sseparated out from the presidents thing. If so you could give away the presidents tool and upsell to the memory system proper.

On the site - I kinda feel the add to cart page and home page could be combined so you miss out a step. If you end up keeping them separately then remove all of the weird links like show cart, ask a question and download area - and keep selling (you haven't sold yet and you do not want any links that distract people from buying).

pneumonic should be spelt mnemonic.

Maybe it would benefit from some testimonials eg from a quiz show winner. Even local or regional ones would be good enough.

[Monkiii]

Explain why I would want to "learn the presidents" (~2 clicks according to Google) for $50 rather than get the list of "presidents [of the] united states" for free online (135,000 clicks)? What is the real benefit? Feel patriotic and impress people is pretty vague. There's many more effective ways of doing both.

I say this as someone more than likely in your target market as I've just been learning to memorize whole packs of cards, myself. :) What are *my* reasons? No, I don't want to count cards at Vegas. For me it's about learning how to learn anything, so I can help my young daughter learn whatever she needs to. I know I can only teach what I know, so that's why I'm practicing this skill. Cards are merely an easy, portable way of generating new, random lists that can be replayed and checked.

Helping my daughter learn easily is a powerful incentive to me. Knowing a list of names of dead guys I never met is not. You may feel differently, but I ask if you really want to limit your market to only yourself, or if you would rather reach everyone who could benefit from your memorization techniques.

[rook32]

You are right that it could be made into a more general approach. I picked how to learn the presidents (for $10, I wish I could charge $50) because I wanted to focus on a niche. There are a lot of memorization programs and techniques out there. The method I am using for this is not new and other programs teach a similar approach to memorizing lists. They just don't create it for you on a specific topic which is what this book does.

It does assume that someone either wants or needs to learn the presidents. I was hoping that this would be a niche that others would want learn and perhaps do but are unwilling to pay for any information on the topic.

[allowthenow]

I just went through your website... Nice job. I don't think the copy is your problem because it's pretty compelling. It got me excited and I'm pretty picky about people's copy writing. I'd love to flaunt the fact that I know the president's in chronological order ... nobody knows that! :)

If I had the extra $, I'd probably buy it...

BUT!

There was trust/credibility issues for me. You may need some credit card logos up there, hacker safe icons, security icon, you get the idea.

I got the feeling that I couldn't trust your site, esp. with the money back guarantee that makes it seem like you're insecure about your product (though I know how effective this tactic can be).

Also, testimonials from happy customers. Maybe somebody who got a date out of it! Or maybe a funny video from you reciting all the president's names to a beat.

Lastly, tell me how the product is being delivered (PDF?) and let me see a sample of the pages.

There's a certain humor aspect to the whole thing, you may want the visual design to reflect that because this is one of those purchases you make when you are waiting in line and see something cool right before you check out.

Good luck... I def. think there is something to this muse.

[officer_dibble]

rook32 - my final advice. Listen to allowthenow. S/he is close to buying (and is an American) - not a Brit or Canadian (who are never going to buy anyway).

[Monkiii]

Listen to allowthenow. S/he is close to buying (and is an American) - not a Brit or Canadian (who are never going to buy anyway).

Probably good avice. For the record though, the fact I'm *in* Canada now doesn't mean I *am* Canadian (I'm not). :)

[rook32]

I thought the same thing about making it a little more fun. Nobody usually needs to learn the presidents (except to get through a history class maybe) so something to make it more fun might help. I want to avoid anything too cheesy like the national anthem playing or fireworks in the background. I was considering video taping my 9 year old son reciting the presidents using the method.

I am working on some testimonials now and will hopefully have that up soon. Also, I am thinking of switching to Clickbank to do the processing. Then I could use their name and assurances to make people feel more comfortable about the transaction.

The product does come via pdf so I could mention that. One idea I had was to play off the fact that only 7% of Americans know the first five presidents. I could use the first page of my book to teach people that as something of a start? Just a thought.

[rook32]

Thank you to all that commented and gave me feedback on my site. Based on what I heard I am going to do the following:

will do for sure:
* add testimonials to build credibility
* add credit card symbols at bottom so users know they can trust site
* add verisign or someother service that lets people know that their information is safe if they order
* work to get book posted through Amazon to be sold as regular ebook as well as Kindle version

will test:
* adding audio or video content in addition to the book
* adding "bonus" material on the presidents and or memorization techniques

If anyone wants to provide feedback on the book, send me a priviate message. I will send you a copy if you will give me solid, honest feedback.

Cheers! :)