Online Medical Classes

About Free Offerings -- Too good to be true -- at what point does your disbelief set in?

I'm a web designer and programmer with, according to friends and associates, a gift for teaching. I have a thought for promoting a course in web design, and would like some feedback from fellow marketers and potential clients, to see if I may be shooting myself in the foot. One of the primary strategies to win customers over from competitors is to offer a better deal, right? But, at what point does that deal become so good that you start looking for "the catch" in the fine print? What I'm planning on doing is offering an intensive, step-by-step online course in web design, with the focus being the birth of a PROFITABLE website, from concept to launch, with a lot of hand-holding and hands-on training, online or maybe off. What I'm hoping this will result in? Future paying clients, for more complex services like usability studies and programming specific web applications, or perhaps a pay site with more sophisticated topics like database optimization. So then, what, at a gut level, appeals more. Or reduces suspicion and elevates trust? Offering an initial service for free, perhaps to a limited number of clients? Or having an up-front fee for the service?

Public Comments

1. about one (1) second after I see free offer and the 1*10^-64 seconds before i delete them!
2. You are assuming that your prospects want to learn all of the detail behind boilding a website but maybe what they want is a good website? Consider defining your strategy first. Long term success comes from meeting customers needs at a profit. What you are thinking about is a marketing tactic. You may have to test 5 or 6 tactics to see the results you are hoping for. Strategy drives tactics. Good luck!
3. As a small business owner cost is not as important as value for money. There is an old saying "pay peanuts and you get monkeys".I would also review your previous work and want to see or even speak to some sample clients. Have you considered working with some business in your target market offering them your services at a discounted rate or using a few as research for your business plan? You have passion, keep it up. Good luck!
4. Many products or services are offered free to begin with to see what people think. Would you be more likely to try a new drink if it's free rather than full price? I would be! Try asking some people you know a little bit to try a twenty minute presentation of your ideas. Then let them rate your performance (good friends might be too friendly). Also, tell them up front there are no sales, this is just market research; it takes the pressure off (free drinks, maybe). You will learn a little and find out if you should expand. If you have a gift for teaching, you have to pursue it somehow. BTW, shouldn't your avatar have only one eye?