How To Sell Your Own Products On Squidoo.com

From the Squidoo Squids themselves:

Making money with modules can be fun and easy. There are no shipping, inventory, or money concerns. You set up a lens and you’re ready to go. But what if you want to sell your own products and services on Squidoo? Promoting your own products works in much the same way.

1. Share a few freebies
Internet shoppers love their freebies! By sharing your articles, a coupon, or a short preview of your project, visitors will become more interested in what you have to offer. Consider what it would take to sell you on a certain product or service. Would you hire a copyeditor before seeing examples of his work? Would you purchase a video game before seeing a demo? Would you buy a fiction ebook before getting a taste of the plot and characters? Comfort your prospects by giving them a sample of what they can expect.

2. Post testimonials
Well written testimonials are a great way to install confidence in an unsure shopper. Effective testimonials start by stating a problem for the user, and end by describing how your product or service solved that problem. Photos and links to the happy customers’ websites will make the testimonials realistic, and if they’re from someone famous that’s even better!

3. Use lots of photos
If a shopper can’t touch, feel, and examine your product, photos are the next best thing. If you have the resources, consider making a video to show how your product works. The Flickr and YouTube modules are perfect for these purposes.

4. Create multiple lenses
The same rule applies for selling your own products. Create multiple lenses for each of your individual products (if appropriate) and for each of your niche markets. Not sure what your niche markets are? Make them up! Even if you really don’t have any Pippy Longstocking Fan Club members looking for your handmade patchwork skirts, it would make a fun lens that’s sure to get some attention!

5. Be REAL
Shoppers are getting smarter, and they’re shying away from sales letters and false fronts. If you want to be successful online you need to be approachable, down-to-earth, and genuine, just as in real life. Let shoppers get to know you as a real person with a short bio and some fun facts. Write to them as if you were talking to them in a casual conversation. This will make them feel comfortable contacting and working with you.

Don’t forget to promote your lenses outside of Squidoo! Post links on your blog, MySpace page, and other websites to maximize your traffic.

Here’s my Squidoo.com lenses.