Online Marketing Case Study
Here’s a closer look at what exactly went on in my production and marketing activities for Jazz Lessons with Giants – the music educational program I produced in 2013.
1) Preliminary Research
As the owner of a very popular saxophone website and the creator of a high-selling saxophone info product, I decided to expand from my niche of saxophone-specific content into jazz-specific content for all instruments. To learn more about my target market’s needs, I asked questions of my website readers via social media conversations, a few SurveyMonkey surveys, and incorporating the Wildfire app for a survey sweepstakes on Facebook.
2) Producing the Product
I arranged professional interview recording sessions with three of jazz music’s most renown players, and then edited that footage down to just over three hours of audio, I also summarized those interviews in a professionally edited 83-page e-book along with a 50-page PDF of musically notated exercises. Also created an Amazon Kindle version of the e-book.
3) Starting to Build Buzz
I actually started doing this during the product creation phase. In addition to throwing in the occasional detail about the project in my newsletter (over 2,500 subscribers at the time), I posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ giving updates on my progress, as well as educational quotes and even audio samples from the program.
4) Building the Website
Using WordPress, I created the website at JazzLessonsWithGiants.com. The site was built using the responsive design methodology (just like this site!). I handled payments through the e-Junkie shopping cart in conjunction with PayPal and Authorize.net. Anticipating technical challenges from my largely older customer base, I created a screencast to step them through the process of downloading and using the product.
5) Forging Strategic Partnerships
In order to cross-promote the product and provide a free bonus for my customers, I partnered with PlayJazzNow.com to offer free instrumental “play-along” tracks with their purchase of my product.
6) Writing High-Converting Sales Copy
Using copywriting principles that I’ve honed from years of study, I wrote copy that converted at just under 12% for the first month it was released, and still converts at around just under 2%, whereas many non-subscription-based information products fizzle out completely within a few months. Again, you can read my copy at JazzLessonsWithGiants.com.
7) Executing a Carefully-Timed Launch Plan
In order to capitalize on the buzz I’d been building with my newsletter subscribers and website readers, I executed a launch plan that involved a pre-sale to my list only, then giving out free related content to my list (including many, many new subscribers), and finally a 3-day launch sale before moving up to full price.
8) Purchased Advertising
Created ads to go on Facebook as well as on the highly popular Saxophone.org. I skipped Google Adwords since they have not proven to be very effective for music info products in my experience. With Facebook ads, using both the Power Editor and the regular ad management interface, I followed conversion stats very carefully and refined text and creative for maximum optimization, while experimenting with the lowest possible cost per click.
9) Tracked, Tested, and Refined
Using Visual Website Optimizer, I carried out a succession of A/B tests to determine the highest converting choices for copy, graphics, and the inclusion of an audio sample. I made several changes based on these tests which led to increased conversions.
THE RESULT
Not including a few hundred dollars from the Amazon Kindle sales, this product (which was created and marketed during my off-hours from a full-time job) brought in just under $25,000 in sales in the first 7 months of the release of this product with a 0.01% refund rate.