Ads Disguised as Products

Hands up if you’ve ever had to go looking for single-cell round batteries on Christmas Day, because somebody got a present that didn’t have batteries included.

How annoying is it when the manufacturer didn’t anticipate the recipient wanting to turn it on when they got it?

There’s a lot of content online that ships without batteries – and you can only get those batteries if you sign up for the more expensive offering.

Marketing techniques like this can actually be pretty effective in generating low figure sales… But they dilute the value of your word in the process. Is it worth it? Really?

If low-ticket single-purchase operations sound appealing to you, go right ahead.

But if you want to build something significant, remember:

• Is this an ad disguised as a product? If your content doesn’t offer value right out of the box, then it’s an ad, not the support or solution your prospects are looking for. Let them be clear on the difference.
• If you blur the lines, your audience may become wary of the products and services you offer to them, fearing they may not get the substance you say they will.

The disguise doesn’t work anymore.