5 ms·

Do sites/pages like this actually work? http://www.parrotsecrets.com/ I've always thought they look too cheap, scammy and desperate for most people to bot

• dmix 18y ago
  I used to think that, until I saw my Dad learn to use the internet. These sites spend quite a bit of time perfecting the copyrighting and the small details like making certain headlines have a yellow background. To someone who can't tell a spam site from Facebook it can be pretty effective - assuming your aiming for that market.
• vaksel 18y ago
  you are a techie, you know the difference between an actual site and a landing page...your average internet user does not. They see a site like that, and think it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to create
• Alex3917 18y ago
  "I've always thought they look too cheap, scammy and desperate for most people to bother with..." The reason all these pages have that look is that each paragraph is designed only to get you to read the next paragraph. The idea is that if you've already decided that you're going to buy it, you'll just scroll down to the bottom. And if you haven't yet decided to buy it, then the next thing that needs to happen before closing the sale is that you need to read the next paragraph. The logic of it actually makes a lot of sense.
  • access_denied 18y ago
    And it is scientifically proven that it works. It is called direct marketing and works since the 1920s. No big deal.
• cpr 18y ago
  That's exactly the format that all the Jay Abraham-style gurus recommend (originally for snail mail spam, i.e., junk mail), and it apparently works very well. The longer the better--12 pages isn't too long. It's amazing, but it's well-documented.
  • Eliezer 18y ago
    Does any of the documentation suggest why it works?
    • jyu 18y ago
      Most people buy with their emotions, and use logic to justify the purchase. To maximize the number of people that get into that emotional buying state, you give out sales info in several different ways to cover most readers. For something like a $79.95 ebook on parrot training, it would probably take you a fair amount of convincing to buy. That's why they give you a long list of reasons in storytelling format. If it were free, you would need less convincing, and the copy would be drastically shorter.
    • cschwarm 18y ago
      Well, what do you consider a proper explanation? The core theory is in fact quite simple: People have a (serious) problem to solve and the text presents the product as a solution to these problems by pointing out its benefits. In other words: People are expected to be self-interested. Of course, potential buyers also wonder whether the product will deliver. Since media is not interactive, you have to deal with typical objections up front. Thus, these latters tend to be rather long. Next, you'd need the attention of the audience. Thus, you make (lots of sub-) headlines that are easy to scan and makes readers interested. Among others, curiosity is often induced to make people willing to read the rest of the text. "Do you make these mistakes in English" is a classic example. The magic word here is of course "these". It promises an answer in the text without revealing it yet. In the text, you can use typical sales tactics to overcome buyers' fear of later remorse. Caldini's 'Influence' describes the common 6 tactics. For example, people tend to buy from people they like. One way to make people like the seller is to point out similarities. Thus, the seller often uses a profile similar to the buyers -- in the above example: "Natalie ('A Parrot Lover For The Last 12 Years')". This also establishes the seller as an authority -- 12 years is quite some time to gain experience and thus she probably knows what she's talking about. Additionally, you have a clear call to action. For some reason, people are either unable to figure out what to do next or they are willing to obey commands. And that's it, basically. As far as I know there's no agreement about an explanation on why these tactics work. Why do people obey commands by authorities? You may construct an explanation based on the different models of economic or biological or psychological behavior. But it's hard to test which of those (if any) is the one 'true' explanation.
• shafqat 18y ago
  It's interesting that there is no BUY IT NOW type link at the top of the page. Nothing. No call to action to buy the book at all, apart from the small link at the bottom. I cant believe this actually works. Will old women who have parrots realize that there is something all the way at the bottom of the page to click? Will they even realize there is a product to purchase?
• Hexstream 18y ago
  Well, I'm thinking a cheap and desperate-looking site must appeal to cheap and desperate people, which appears to be the target demographic. (How ironic that they then go and waste 60$ on a non-product... But it's to save hundreds of $$$!!@@@!!11)