Thread by @lovevalgeisler

Got this email today from @clicktotweet and I want to talk about it a bit.

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I've used CTT since 2014. I've been on the free plan and haven't had a compelling reason to upgrade to the Pro plan. I've never hit the limit on free links so the pain hasn't been there for me. I also haven't really thought about CTT all that often. And that's key... 2/

I have no relationship with the brand other than pure utility. I go to it when I remember to use it and get what I need. The end. It's an incredibly straightforward tool to use (props!) and I can get in and out in mere seconds. And when I use it? 3/

There are amazing benefits for me when I use CTT. My blog posts and resources are more readily shared (I made it super simple for my readers to just click and tweet). When that content is shared more people join my email list and I get more highly qualified leads. 4/

And *that's* the real reason I use CTT. Not for easy link sharing. Or even for their great WP plugin that makes the tweets look good in my blog posts. That's not the job that I want done here. 5/

The real job I "hired" Click to Tweet to do is to get me more leads. When my content is highly sharable and sharing is made easier with a CTT link, people around me are that much more likely to share it with their networks. And their networks are people I haven't met yet. 6/

Their networks are full of people I'd love to help. They're leads. Even better, when the content and CTT work well together, they're *highly qualified* leads. And that's, ultimately, what we're all creating content for, right? 7/

CTT is a crucial part of that funnel from free content to qualified and interested lead. But I have to actually use CTT to make that happen. This is the rub. 8/

Because CTT is a free product (for me), I have zero skin in the game to use it. Now this isn't a debate about the freemium model. If you want that go read this post by @Shpigford: baremetrics.com/blog/freemium-… 9/

Couple the lack of commitment with the fact that I almost never hear from CTT (even though they clearly have my email address), I typically don't use the software with the sense of urgency I once thought I'd have for it.

So there's that. But there's more. 10/

Check out that email screenshot. Read it closely. It's cheap marketing at best. Remember, I have zero relationship w/ CTT so very little trust other than the fact that their product has always worked well for me. I'm pulled in with the subject line "Upgrade to Pro for Free!" 11/

So I open the email. Sure, we all want free. All I have to do is enter this code and it's free? Sweet!

But wait. Read the last sentence of the second paragraph carefully. "...you won't pay a dime for the first month."

Oh. Bait and switch. I see. 12/

Then I see the disclaimers below the big green button letting me know what will happen at the end of that first month. Appreciate the heads up but at this point I've lost any tiny bit of trust I had. However... 13/

You've piqued my interest enough to check out all of the plan options. Since I'm not very trusting now I'm afraid to click on that green button at this point. I pull up another tab & head to your website to see the prices on those Pro and Expert plans mentioned in the email. 14/

Weird. I can't find a pricing tab. I have to connect my Twitter account first. Okay, maybe the pricing is there once I do that step. Lemme see... 15/

Nope. It's not until I click into "My Account" that I finally find the 4 pricing options.

Okay, so now that I have that info, let's go back to those emails. 16/

See, CTT only emails me when they need me. Feature launch! Review us! Upgrade! <<< That's all about *them*. Where is the content about *me*??? 17/

Click to Tweet has a huge opportunity to create content for their free customers that will convert them to pro customers. At >$5/mo for the Pro plan, it's a bit of a no-brainer. In fact, here are some content ideas that can help me make that $5 back and then some. 18/

1) How to Help Your Past Clients Find You New (Ideal!) Clients
2) 15 Ways Twitter Can Help You Grow Your Brand
3) Wanna Go Viral? Here's Exactly How To Make It Happen.
4) What You Need To Know (+ Do) Before You Go Viral
5) 10 Places To Use Click To Tweet That Aren't Your Blog
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There's an endless amount of content CTT could have sent over the last few years that would 1) help me run a better business 2) get me using CTT more often so that I feel that pain point and upgrade to Pro.

When all they do is focus on what they need from me, they lose. 20/

Email is the best way to communicate with your freemium customers and convert them to pro (paid) plans. But you have to lead with *value*. Make it about them. Find out what they *really* want from your product. It's not a feature. It's not even a price. It's a benefit. 21/

How does your product benefit your customers? How can using your product better/smarter/faster *benefit* your freemium customers? Teach them how they can win and it makes upgrading a no brainer.

Plus they'll like you more.

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When you show up in inboxes time and time again (or very rarely, even!) with nothing but your hat out, you'll eventually walk it back wondering why no one is buying.

This is why.

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Talk to your customers. Listen a lot. Ask questions. Listen more. And then when you've listened a ton, it's your turn. Put yourself in the conversation. Help them build trust w/ you.

"Wallet out customers" have to trust you with their dollars. Email's a great way to do that.

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