How Charging or Charging more adds Value: Free Versus Paid Content

This is a free blog write up, you didn’t pay for it and, sure, you can access or find much more. So why would you want to pay for a course or for full access to all the materials on my site? Or why would someone pay to access your site, for your advice or to hear you speak.

There is a good answer to this question. It’s good to understand how Charging or Charging more adds value to your product.

1. When you pay for something, it has a lot more value.

Two people are running courses on selling something. One is free and the other is normally $400 per day, but discounted for you and available at $250 per day. Which course do you think has more value?

I’ve seen lots of free courses advertised; 1-2 day workshops. Half the time you are there, they are trying to sell a product. They give you a little bit of free content, just a little bit, and their success stories. Therefore, you have to go to the paid event to get anything useful.  I’ve also seen paid courses; 1 day to 1 year long courses loaded with support and materials.

I wrote a blog some time ago too and read a similar blog by Seth Godwin. Seth spoke about how a $70 bottle of wine tastes better than a $7 bottle of wine. There was even a study done where price tags were switched, suddenly the cheap wine tasted better. Now that became a fact. What we make from it is that people expect the $70 wine to taste better.

2.  Attachment           

When exchanging money or time for something you become more attached to it. You invest in it. Hence, you want to get more from it.

Let’s change the wine for a movie. Paying for a movie at a theatre is not the same as watching a movie on the TV at home. It’s not just about the popcorn; you can make that at home. There is a different connection to a movie in a theatre. For starters, you plan it, you look forward to it. Your expectations are higher and you invest in it. Additionally, you maintain your mobile at the silent mode, you don’t talk when it starts and you are paying for it. So, you are focused. You’re more engaged. Afterwards, you may even get on Facebook and tell your friends about it.

What’s of more value to you?

1. A free MP4 series on meditation, or paying to attend a packed out meditation session with the Dalai Lama.
2. Reading a book about the Bible or Koran or having one on one time with a Priest or Sheikh.
3. Attending a free seminar about stock trading / property dealing, or attending a talk by Warren Buffet or Donald Trump.
4. Reading Blogs on a free website about improving something, or getting a manual, audio series, and step by step guidance check sheets on how to improve that same thing.

Knowing this should help you if you are selling something. Or consider buying some mentoring or educational products.

Paying for courses, seminars, workshops that align to your wants, needs, desires can be so beneficial. Reading free blogs by people that haven’t achieved what you are trying to achieve doesn’t take you far.

If you are serious about where you are going and have your direction, strongly consider paying for good mentoring or good hands to help assist you on your journey. There is no need to go it alone when you can be achieving so much more. Remember, once you have heavily invested in your direction, the path will become clearer and more solid. Also, you will reap the benefits of having invested in that journey.

I don’t know a single person who has succeeded without investing heavily in himself.  The only way to succeed is to invest in yourself and your chosen journey…you must be willing to make the investment!

The Late Nelson Mandela said it best,

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”