I’ve seen this a gagillion times.
“Sign up for my newsletter and get a free Chapter 1 of my book!!!!”
Well... this is way better than offering the dreaded “free updates”.
C’mon, who would pay for updates?
I would sooner pay for no updates.
But here are 9 reasons why you should not dangle Chapter 1 as a bonus for signing up:
1. No one reads PDFs
Everyone forgets where they are downloaded (if they have the energy to download at all). So they die an almost instant death in that mystery folder.
2. Downloading on mobile still bites it
When was the last time you reviewed the download folder that only exists on your phone? Never.
2. Pinch and scroll exhaustion
Most people signup on their phone. How fun it is to pinch and zoom, then scroll side to side for 10 pages of Chapter 1. I forget to take my magnesium every day, so I will avoid cramps in my hand by never opening your Chapter 1 pdf.
3. You can get more chapters for free in a Kindle sample
If a pdf is ever worth reading, I upload it to Kindle which can convert it to my favorite font type and size. But guess what I can download on the Kindle store? A sample of MORE than 1 chapter of your book.
4. Online alter-egos can’t read walls of text
Even if I open it on my desktop, I can’t get my online brain to read more than 1 paragraph. It’s like asking me to go to a museum where all you do is read stuff.
5. Chapter 1 is the most boring chapter
I usually want a book because of what’s in Chapter 8 or the Appendix. Chapter 1 never has value. It’s usually the stuff your publisher says you need.
6. Not written by an expert copywriter
If chapter 1 does not get me salivating and dripping spittle-froth onto my kindle, it is usually a waste of words. Expert copywriters, however, can tap into that deep ache or desire unlike most authors and leave a lingering longing to rip into the rest of the book.
7. Chapter 1 by itself is the most disappointing chapter
So many times I am excited to read a book. Got all of my Braveheart face paint ready to charge. But the Chapter 1 is always just a glorified outline of the kind my middle school teacher taught us to write of that boring article.
8. There are no benefits to reading Chapter 1
It’s just a backstory, clever metaphor, and an outline of the book. I get more benefit from reading the back of a shampoo bottle when I....never mind.
9. Even if you paid me 20 bucks, I would likely not get around to reading your Chapter 1 because 99% of all cChapter 1’s I have read in my life have taught me to hate Chapter 1 like I hate all realistic remakes of animated Disney films.
“But, Blair, you just talking about the Introduction, not Chapter 1.”
I don’t care.
Even if your Chapter 1 has some good content in it. I still wouldn’t read it in pdf form for the reasons above.
Plus, I have never seen someone list all the benefits I would get from Chapter 1 if I sign up for the free download, because there are none.
A squadrillion times better is offering a free 5-day email course based on your book, that can really offer minimal viable discipleship (MVD), get them to paint their face half-blue, buy your book, and overthrow the English scum.
I can build one for you.
https://blairjohnlee.substack.com/p/done-for-you-email-course
Blair
P.S. I still haven’t watched Braveheart with my daughters. Dave Ramsey kind of destroyed it for me. But I haven’t listened to Dave Ramsey in a long time, so maybe up soon on our family-movie night.