Why Free Reports Bring More Sales Than Sales Brochures

It is a fact that people do not want to be "sold" to. Have you not ever experienced being cornered by a very persistent sales person and forced to listen to his sales pitch? The feeling is so uncomfortable and you would like to get away from him as soon as you can.

It's no wonder nobody likes sales people that much as they remind us of such a painful experience. The same is true in internet marketing. Sales brochures, sales letters or emails, or anything that resembles a sales pitch are almost always not welcome and seen by many with skepticism.

Below are some reasons why free reports are much more effective in selling than sales brochures.

People do not need another sales pitch, they need information
People are tired of hearing or reading sales pitches, but most are hungry for information. People prefer reading information that would help them make intelligent decisions whether to buy or not to buy a certain product. Thus free reports that aim to inform are much more effective in convincing a person to buy than a very attractively prepared sales brochure. 

People do not read sales brochures
People look forward to reading something they think will educate them, provide them more information, and provide them learning. People are more likely to believe a report that is neutral, objective and unbiased as compared to a sales literature that obviously leans toward a particular product.

Most people do not read sales brochures, most of which would perhaps go straight to the trash bin, in both physical and electronic terms. Whereas informational reports, particularly those of interest to them, will perhaps be read back-to-back, page by page.
Reports establish you as an expert.

People would more likely believe statements made by an expert rather than a sales person. Your reports show your knowledge not just of one product but the breadth of your industry. Thus people would tend to look at you as an authority in the field and would render more credibility to your recommendations than your competitors who merely focus on selling.

Reports build trust
Reports are seen as neutral and unbiased studies of a product landscape and industry. If you consistently release this kind of reports to your market, people will start trusting you and they will ask for your opinions and your recommendations.

Reports catch people's attention
A lot of people probably do not realize that they need your product and obviously they would not anything about it either. Traditional advertising will not work with these people since they are not active seekers of what you sell and would tend to ignore your ads or brochures and sales pitches.

However, if literature is presented to inform or create awareness about their needs and how it can be addressed, you would have captured their attention. You would be relatively free to present your product as a solution to their needs without them being defensive and looking at you with criticism. It is because they feel that they are being educated rather than being sold to.

Reports differentiate you from the rest
Your free reports are seen by consumers as being useful to them. You are seen as someone who is helping them by giving them free information, creating awareness, thus helping them become intelligent buyers.

You are seen as someone who knows your industry and as a source of unbiased, truthful information. On the other hand, your competitor who is employing every sales technique imaginable is seen by the market as someone whose only concern is to make a sale for himself, perhaps, at all costs.

Since people trust you, then they go to you instead of the next guy.