What are you selling?

[swedguy]

I'm with RedShoe.

There's only so much you can do on a free site and the sponsor tour has no limits. So I think it's easier to just get them off to the tour and let the tour do it's job, but of course let them know where they're going, why and that it's not free.

But I've seen people with all kinds of different approaches and many with just randomness. When I was reading some marketing and copywriting articles today I got curious why other do it the way they're doing it

RedShoe,
Got any book recommendations?

[Linkster]

My opinion (like anybody cares) is that I am doing a combination of both approaches :
I want them off of my site as quickly as possible but I want them already excited to the point that they will whip out the credit card in the other hand with a final "close" by the tour of the sponsor.
Thats why it is so damned important to match your galleries or free sites to the sponsors tour - so that it is a natural flow.
It is equally important to know how well the tour will convert (close the sale) so it is always in your best interest to not only look at the marketing materials provided by the sponsor, but look at the tour itself - are their leaks which would turn a surfers head to a different direction that you wont get paid for? Or is it a direct path to the bang - you want it right now and you can have it RIGHT HERE!
Many sponsors out there (especially on the newer reality sites) have episode after episode with free trailers galore that will distract the surfer long enough to never have to join the site - my advice is always "get them horny, get them ready, direct them to the nearest final stop for one more extra tease and then to the join as quickly as you can. And if they dont buy, make sure the sponsor doesnt sell them something that you dont get a cut of