In my “Launch Your Information Empire” course, I tell participants that when a coaching program or course includes one-on-one time with the expert, they don’t need to worry about keeping time available for every single participant. Although every last buyer could use that component of the program, in actuality less than 30% usually take advantage of the private coaching or consulting. Even so, you can legitimately incorporate that component into your pricing, without sparking objections from those who probably intend to use the one-on-one time but don’t.
One participant became furious with me over this point, which is well known throughout the information marketing industry. (Some say it works out to about 10% of buyers overall. Joe Vitale, for one, has written about a $10,000 e-course he taught where not one person asked him for the one-on-one help that was included in the fee.) I think my client felt I was recommending putting one over on buyers - taking advantage of them, maybe even scamming them.
I do not see it that way, and I don’t believe most consumers see it that way.
First, an analogy: If I buy a leather jacket and never wear it, whose fault is that? Mine. Does the manufacturer have any responsibility for my having bought it and never worn it? No. I’ve never heard or read anyone making an argument to the contrary. We accept that the responsibility to get value out of purchase lies with the purchaser - as long as the item really can be used for the purpose for which it was sold. I have a lamentable number of books I have bought yet never opened. That’s my fault, my responsibility.
I remember reading once that the vast majority of all books purchased are not read. Assuming this is true if it were to become well known, it would not spark a wave of outrage against book publishers, authors or book vendors. We all know and accept the gap between intention and an actual deed.
We don’t condemn symphonies and stadiums for selling season tickets even though some ticket holders end up not making some of the included events. We don’t blame the home-improvement store for selling us a roof rake that we didn’t use either because it never snowed or because we felt too lazy to haul it out of the basement.
As long as you do actually provide everything you promised, when asked, you will not be in hot water, ethically or practically, for including a privilege in a bundle that most buyers never use, yet pricing as if they would.
In the next, last, lesson we will wrap up the course.
