5 Questions to ask before buying a new product

So you’re buying a new product, ah?
Well, well, all I can hope is that you are not immersed in this buying frenzy all of us marketers have been to at some point. Don’t buy into that hype, my friend!

I could tell you that you need to check honest product reviews in blogs and forums, and make sure there’s a money back guarantee. But you’ve probably done that already.

And I know this feeling when you’re so eager just to press that Buy now button and get to the other side. Trust me, I know. But please give me just 3 minutes. Keep your credit cards away. And read on. Ask yourself the following 7 questions. You’ll be glad you did…

1.Is this part of my business plan?

“But what if I don’t have a biz plan?” I hear you say. In that case, my friend, you’re going to love question #2 …
Seriously now, the fact that you’ve just gotten an email about the next shiny object or read everyone raving about a new course in the forum doesn’t mean it’s for you.

Even if you haven’t gotten a plan, you’ve probably started doing something. Well, in that case, ask yourself if the new product complements what you’re doing and takes you a step further or will it distract you and divert you from your path.

Don’t worry about ‘only 300 copies available’ or ‘I don’t want to saturate the market so I’m taking it down soon’ warnings. Normally these are scarcity tactics just to get you to take action (If there’s an ‘affiliates’ link at the bottom of the sales page, the product isn’t going away anytime soon). Besides, so many products come out all the time or get re-launched, so I assure you that once you need a certain product, you’ll have good options to choose from.

2.Is this a complete solution to my current problem?

When choosing a course or a product, opt for one that will offer a complete solution to your problem. For example, if you want to flip websites, look for a course which doesn’t only tell you how to build a site and put Adsense on it, but also shows you how to drive traffic to it, how to list the site on site flipping marketplaces like Flippa and how to transfer it to the buyer.

There is no point in getting half-baked products, which would only confuse you and force you into buying another course, especially if you’re just starting out.

Look for courses that contain your preferred learning medium – be it video, PDF, audio or better yet all of these. The best courses normally include an action plan, which will guide you through and will help you stay on track.

3.Can I take action on it very soon?

There is no point buying a course, only to fill your hard disk and collect virtual dust. Trust me, if you buy a product and you’re not using it right away, or within a short period of time, say a fortnight, you probably won’t use it anyway.

Also, ask yourself whether you can commit yourself to taking action on the course in the long run.

The best way to succeed with a course is to buy it and to start implementing it straight away.

4.Am I getting a fish or taught how to fish?

By now I reckon you’ve heard the Chinese proverb “Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” Well what do you know? It’s true in Internet marketing as well☺

If someone has just sold you a script, or a ‘Clickbank money sucking software’ or an article auto-poster or whatever, he might have helped you get some traffic, maybe even some cash. For a few days, probably.

But what if you bought a course teaching you all the really powerful methods of driving that traffic yourself? Then he’s given you keys to the traffic kingdom, and traffic equals cash. So if you are serious and you take inspired action on that knowledge, you’ll enjoy long term benefits!

Remember – learning is earning

5.Am I getting access to the product creator?

This is a biggy. After you’ve bought a product, you might come up with questions and you might run into issues only the product creator can help you with. Is he going to be there for you? For how long?

Are there live webinars or coaching sessions? I recently bought lifetime access to a membership site for $197 where I get an hour a month of 1-on-1 phone coaching with a top marketer. The coaching alone would be a reason to pay the membership fee.

Coaching adds so much value to the product and they can make or break you, especially when you’re getting started. Choosing a product whose creator you resonate with is advisable as well. Look for programs, which offer you direct access to the creator, via forums, support desks, webinars or phone. Private coaching would normally cost you more but could pay you huge dividends.

6.Software and Plug-ins

When you buy products like WordPress plug-ins or a piece of software, a few things need to be carefully checked:

-In case you’re buying desktop software, make sure it fits your platform. As a Mac guy, I’m tired of seeing Windows only IM applications all the time, and for some reason marketers forget to mention it. So do your due diligence and verify that.

-Try to buy from the actual guy who’s developed the product, as he will be more responsible to keep updating it so it doesn’t become obsolete. Don’t buy any software or plug-in if there’s no promise for lifetime updates.

7.Can I keep the product or is it all online?

Internet marketing products come in various formats, video becoming the most popular right now. Normally you would get access to a membership site to see the videos.

Depending on your style, I think it’s better to buy a product where you can actually download it and really ‘own’ it. Not only will you be able to watch the videos at your convenience, but also you don’t rely on the product’s site being alive and you are more likely to keep watching the tutorials over and over.

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