You’ve probably seen many membership sites and one-month ‘free’ trial on websites. They’re a great idea – but I invite you to please be careful.
Some one-month ‘free’ trials don’t have end-of-trial notifications, and if you’ve forgotten you signed up, it can be a big surprise to get their charge on your card at the end of the trial time.
Here’s what I’ve learned to do:
I’m really choosy now as to what I sign up for! If I do decide to do the trial, I write on a sticky note the site name, my info (username and password), and the date I signed up for the trial membership.
If I have doubts as to whether I’m going to stay, I make a reminder to check with myself by a certain date so I can unsubscribe if I want to before I get charged.
If I know I’m going to stay, I add the site to my list of monthly payments that I make so it won’t be a surprise when my card gets charged.
Another thing.
If it’s a site where you could possibly enter all kinds of info and data, you may not want to put time and data into it so you don’t want to leave when the time the trial month is up.
Just wait! You’ve lived without the site until now–it’s OK to live without it until you make a final decision. Don’t put your data and info on it yet until you’re sure.
I’m talking about shopping cart sites, autoresponder sites, affiliate sites, web 2.0 sites–they know darn well if you start populating all the info fields with your data you’re not likely to leave.
Do your research first.
Avoid entering your email address or any of your personal info before you see if it’s the one you feel best about sticking with on a permanent basis.
If it’s a site where you get a lot for your money, and you feel good about the people who run it, and the integrity and quality of what you get, then don’t hesitate!
p.s. THE RIGHT SIGN: Maybe you’ve seen this video already, but I think it’s lovely. (And it’s a great example of what happens when you have the right marketing message!)