I’m not going to lie to you. (Much.)
I’m in this thing for the money. I would never have gotten into “the blogging” if it wasn’t for all the easy money. I like to break down my life goals into smaller steps. Smaller steps make goals more achievable. Or something. I remember reading that on Lifehacker.
Anyway, a few years ago, I decided I wanted to buy an Aston Martin. The Aston (that’s what people in the know call them. It’s like being on a first name basis with a car.) I wanted cost about $269,000. That’s a lot of dollars and cents. In fact, for a kid who grew up poor, that’s literally an insane amount of money to spend on the car. But no matter…
I know you guys like happy endings, or you wouldn’t be hanging out on the internet.
And today, about three years after I first dreamt of driving my Aston, I’m happy to report that I’ve got my hands on the keys right now!
Photo by schenphotography – https://www.flickr.com/photos/schenphotography/3877243871/
I should be clear, when I say “the keys” I mean the keys of my laptop.
I know it might have seemed like I meant I had the keys to the Aston, but I really just meant the keys on my Macbook Air. I still don’t have an Aston. If you misunderstood me, then that’s your first lesson in something called “perceived value.” I “wasn’t trying” to mislead you.
What is perceived value?
Perception is nine tenths of the law. Or something. I don’t know which law. And I don’t actually think that’s how the saying goes, but whatever.
What matters is that: if you believe something, then you’ll act on your beliefs.
So, if you believe that you can make a fortune as a lonely typist blogger, you’re more likely to start a blog.
If you believe that I earned enough money from blogging to buy myself an Aston Martin, then you’ll be more likely to follow my advice. You perceive my advice to be worth something, even if it isn’t.
How To Use Perceived Value to Make Real Money
Let’s say you’re following the rules of making money online, and you decided to write an ebook about blogging-about-blogging.
Remember, you have to price your ebook with a number that ends in 7.
But you can use a “little known” marketing trick tactic to make a lot more money.
Next to your ebook price, you copy and paste in the following text:
$9,997 $4,977 $2,997 $1,997 $1,497 $997 $697 $497 $297 $147 $97 $77 $47 $37
Then put your real ebook price (say, $27) next to that.
Then step back, (I recommend stepping back about 2 paces) and look at what you’ve done.
You’ve just created ten thousand dollars of perceived value!
And because you’re such a nice blogger, you’re selling that value for only $27.
You’re basically giving people $9970 of value for free. Why would anyone do that? (Don’t answer that.)
Well, maybe because you’re a super successful internet guru. Or maybe because you’re retired and just don’t need the money.
Or maybe you just do it because it works.
Because in internetlandia, if you want to make real money, the easiest thing to sell is perceived value.
Not everyone will pay you for perceived value, but at least one person born every minute probably will.
And that’s plenty.
Stay thirsty my friends.