This week we are talking all things free challenges
Free challenges are all the rage right now, and have been for a while. I’m sure you’ve participated in one in the past, if not run your own.
However, there is a reason that I’ve separated this from other list building methods such as e-books and free downloads in this mini series, because I want you to think about a challenge differently.
I love challenges
The most successful list building I’ve done to date was the 30 day write that course challenge. It was big – 30 videos and emails, designed to help you create your own course. It launched on the 1st of January several years ago, but then went evergreen. (It’s not available right now, but I’m thinking of bringing it back later in the year).
It gathered over 500 new people within the first 5 weeks of opening, which was huge for me.
I had always grown my list in dribs and drabs, so this was a massive change, and I’m definitely a fan. Since then I’ve also run a 7 day Course Clarity Challenge.
So let’s take a moment to look at the pros and cons of running a challenge.
The Good
– It allows you to show your audience the thing that you do.
You can take them on a journey, sharing videos and pdfs, and support them.
It allows you to show them a minature version of your course and of you.
It gives them a minutaure experience of what it would be like working with you, which is why it is so good.
It shows them what it is that you can do for them.
– It’s like a mini course
A challenge can pre-frame your audience for participating in your course
You are getting them used to watching your videos, taking action and following your instructions.
Which is vital if you are selling a course, because you want them to take action, and learn from you.
– It gets results
If you’ve built a good challenge, then your participants will get great results from it.
The best thing you can do with your free opt-in is give them great results. This is 2 fold.
If they are getting great results from your free stuff they are more likely to shout your name from the rooftop and tell all their friends about you AND they are more likely to buy your paid stuff.
The Bad
– Everyone is doing them.
That doesn’t mean that there isn’t space in the market for yours.
But make sure that your challenge offers great value, suits your audience and fits a space in your market before you do one, rather than just doing it because everyone else is doing it.
– It’s a lot of work
There is a lot of effort to put in in advance to pull together the content.
And there is a lot of effort supporting that auidence on the way through.
If you don’t support hem, you end up with a group of people who feel meh about your stuff.
– Be careful what you give and don’t give
I’ve heard this a lot – clients worried that they will share all of their content in their free thing, or not knowing which bits to share for free, and what to keep up their sleeve.
I was always told to share the why for free, and keep the how for clients… but you need to share some of the how in your challenge, because you need them to implement and get results along the way.
To be honest, I give my audience almost everything for free. I’ve never been good at holding back.
I take private clients, who get consulting, support and done for your services, but I give most of my content and information for free.
The Wrap Up
You need to go into a challenge for the right reasons, and want them to get results.
Challenge advice:
Keep it short
The 30 day challenge was too long for a first challenge, for me and for them. The longer your challenge runs, the higher your drop off rate will be, and you’ll see it in the open rates for your emails.
5 days, 7 days, 10 days all work fairly well. You can get away with 2 weeks even.
30 days was needed, they needed that long to focus on writing their course… but it is a long time to get someone to commit to a free challenge.
Make sure you go in with your eyes open and for the right reasons. If you are going to do one make it good.
Build great soild content, offer support, keep it short and sweet and make sure they get results.
That is what will convert.
Not the sales funnel off the back.
1. Are you using challenges? SHare yours below
2. If you’re not – consider if it is a good option for you.
Are you running a challenge? We would love to see it. Drop a link in the comments below and let us know.