The Bikini Concept of Writing

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Question: How much should you reveal on your blog?

I remember it vividly. I had written my first ebook and was starting a newsletter. And was worried: how much should I reveal in the newsletter? Will people buy my ebook and consulting services if I give away too many of my secrets in the newsletter?

I asked that question to my friend and mentor Sean D’Souza over phone. And I still remember his answer:

“Give away the ideas. Sell the system.” - Sean D’Souza

And thats what I did. I left nothing back in my newsletter. I deconstructed my ebook into smaller sub-topics. And wrote a case study on one sub-topic in each newsletter issue. People could read the newsletter and apply the lessons right away. But if they wanted to learn the whole step-by-step system, they had to buy.

Recently, Sean D’Souza gave an even better answer to the same question: how much should you reveal to people for free?

“I found out the age-old concept of the bikini to apply. That by giving away 90% of the concept, and keeping 10%, the attraction factor was just as strong, if not twice as strong. And yes, what the bikini didna_Tt reveal, was the part the audience most wanted (naturally), and was the part they were willing to pay for.” - Sean D’Souza

via: Spider Secret

Action Summary:

• Don’t be hesitant in sharing your ideas with your blog readers. The more you share, the more they will buy.
• Do keep an ace up your sleeve for your best clients.
• The 90:10 ratio is a good number. Give away 90% of your secrets. Retain the best 10%.

If you liked this post, buy me a beer. (Suggested: $3 a beer or $7.5 for a pitcher)

Spread the word:
del.icio.us Digg Reddit StumbleUpon

Posted by Ankesh Kothari under Writing on 02 Aug 2007

If You Liked This Post, You May Also Like...

• The Bill Clinton Secret to Writing
• 7 Golden Rules for “Getting Noticed” Networking
• Creating Killer Flagship Content by Chris Garrett

---