I’m well aware there’s a lot of ‘freebie seekers’ out there. Whether it’s information, software, training, whatever… it doesn’t matter. Why shell out your hard earned cash on something that is available free of charge at the next website?
I actually consider myself to be one of the best freebie seekers around. 
Why on earth would you shell out your hard earned cash for something you can get for free at the next website? What really bamboozles me is why there’s such a negative stigma attached to ‘freebie seekers’.
Is it perhaps down to the fact that a lot of so called ‘gurus’ have jumped on it in an effort to push your ‘guilt ‘ button – you either have to shell out some dosh for their latest offerings or be branded for all eternity as a no good, no hoper ‘freebie seeker’? Hmm.
The truth is, you won’t actually get much of anything for free on the Internet these days. They may try to disguise it as free by charging you your email address. But be warned, signing up to a list can prove to be a lot more costly than just paying outright for a particular product.
Why do you think there’s so much hype made about the fact that, “The money’s in the list”? It’s because, for the majority of marketers, their list is their one click access to instant cash. A well written email can have you dipping your hand into your pocket and pulling out your credit card a helluva lot faster than a well written sales page.
After all, you already have a relationship with this person. Even though you might be brand new to their list, you trusted them enough to hand over your email address. That gives them an edge over someone you’ve never heard of or know nothing about other than what’s written on a sales page.
Couple that with the ‘shame’ factor of being labelled a ‘freebie seeker’ and you can see why list building is considered one of the best ways to earn money. If you can’t sell your stuff based on it’s value… hey, sell it based on your subscribers desire to NOT be singled out as a freeloader!
Personally, I don’t consider handing over my email address means I got something for free. (I remember the days I did). And nor should you.
Start treating your email address with the same care as your credit card details and see the difference it makes. Don’t go handing it out to every Tom, Dick or Harry who happens to ask for it. Some things are worth paying for, some things aren’t. Your email address is a cost so make sure it’s one you’re comfortable paying.
And don’t be afraid of asking for a refund (unsubscribing), if you find you’re not getting what you paid for. I have no problem with folks opting out of my list. In fact, I’ve ‘refunded‘ a number of customers who didn’t even ask for it.
Point to Note
There’s a world of difference between getting a legitimate product for free and getting a product that’s been ripped off. Before you even think about investing in a free version of something that can only be legally obtained by handing over money for it, consider the fact that if the person giving it away has no qualms about ripping off the product owner, they sure as hell aren’t going to have any qualms about ripping you off.
Like I said before, some things are worth paying for. The privelege of not being scammed and/or ripped off is just one of them!
