WP Direct Basic vs the paid version

[Tiggy555]

Hi there,

I started the Challenge with 2 friends of mine and we were under the impression as Ed Dale re-assured us in one of his first videos that all the tools were completely free to use throughout the whole challenge. The only costs we would have would be for the domain and hosting.

However in the second module we were then up-sold already quite hard on the WP Direct upgrade. I researched the forum if this upgrade was necessary for the purpose of the challenge and one of the posts stated we should contact the WPD support team instead. I did exactly that and ask the Support Team if the Basic version would be sufficient for the purpose of the Challenge and if the upgrade at this early point would be really needed. There were a lot of issues with the installation at first as well (issues I had never had with WP before) and I felt that WP Direct was not as flawless as expected and was not sure if it was worth the money. Also the formatting didn't work in the way it should work (adjusting of text and pictures).

When I did not get any satisfying answers from the support team but only Sales Messages that I would have no access to this or that if I did not upgrade I sent Ed a Tweet to find out if it was really necessary to buy into WP Direct in order to be successful in The Challenge as Ed had clearly stated that we didn't need to buy tools throughout The Challenge but might want to do that later after the Challenge. I haven't heard anything back.

Could you please let me know if I can do everything I need to do with my one site I will be building throughout the Challenge for free? We have just completed module 2 and I wonder how many other tools I will be urged to buy before the Challenge is completed and if it really can be done without buying them. So far we were already encouraged to purchase the Market Samurai (2 days of the trial left), WP Direct and Ping Kaching and I wonder what comes next in the remaining modules.

I am short of cash right now and cannot commit to subscribe to monthly subscriptions and understood that the purpose of the Challenge was rather to learn how to build a successful website from scratch without any investments? Was I wrong?

I don't want to be difficult here in any way, I am just an honest person and wonder if I just misunderstood things or this is the typical catch of getting things offered for free. As stated I wouldn't mind to buy certain tools at a later stage once I am convinced they are good and have fitted the purpose.

Thank you in advance for your reply
Kind regards,
Tiggy555

[DeanRichards]

Hello Tiggy,

The Challenge training is free and the makers of the tools we use have given us generous free trial periods to use and evaluate those tools. Whether or not you decide to stay with them or "upgrade" or whatever is totally up to you. By completing The Challenge process, you'll see exactly how those tools are used and what they do for you and you will be in a good position to decide for yourself if you wish to continue with them or not.

To answer your specific question, you don't need to use WPD at all to complete The Challenge. You can do everything manually from within your WordPress installation if you prefer.

I would encourage to think about the lessons in a broader view. You've been using Market Samurai and so you should know what it does and why we use it. There is no reason that you can't find different ways to do those things if you want to. The same holds true for every tool and service that we use. They all tell you exactly what they do and you can certainly find other ways to do those things if you search them out.

The Challenge training shows you clearly what sorts of things you need to accomplish. For example, you learn what backlinks are and why you need them. You learn various ways to make them. You learn about tools that will make them for you. If those tools aren't for you, no problem, just build your links manually. Whether or not you use a particular tool isn't the point. The point is to learn what needs to be done and then do it.

[Caro :-)]

Hi Tiggy,

I think Dean has answered that well & says much of what I would say too (and may well reiterate ). I wanted to add that it is quite normal when you come into a new community to be gun shy of being sold to. The irony though is that we are looking to create a business model to sell to customers (after testing a keyword phrase), yet we can take offense at being sold to ourselves, as if it is some ill deed.

Again I do appreciate your enquiry. It does depend how you choose to look at it all. As Dean points out, you are given the privilege of using those tools for free for your own personal trial. If you don't like them, then you can find tools yourself, either free or paid ones that you do like. Basically with online marketing, you can do it the fully manual way yourself, or you can use tools that automate processes. For those of us that are serious about it, no matter what our financial horizon is, we choose to invest in such tools (which you don't have to do initially here as you get a free trial). As it is about an investment into your business, as opposed to expense.

Again this is about reframing and looking at if for what it is. That you are here to learn how to build an online business, through learning the foundational methods of how to navigate the online terrain and test out a keyword phrase. This is a testing strategy at this stage. It can be quite a shift to go from feeling like a newbie with little to no money to an online marketer who intends to build an online business. They are quite different mindsets. I encourage you and your friends, if you are interested in exploring whether the online world is for you, to really step into that fledgling 'business owner' mindset, and know that ultimately, when you do reach that goal, you will naturally be investing in tools. Just like you do for any business model - on or off line. I guess I am saying do not keep yourself or your aspirations small, and therefore relegate yourself to only doing IM the manual way. And do enjoy the bonus of being able to use the tools for free for the time you can.

If you are having difficulty with WPD themselves, and it's just not gelling for you, I'd do as Dean recommends and use WP itself.

Good luck with your Challenge experience!

Best

Caro

[Tiggy555]

Hi Caro and Dean

Thank you so much for your quick reply. i am totally on your wavelength with regards to investing in learning. I have invested quite a chunk of money over the last year to learn about IM and have also signed up for some of the courses on the higher end with other top Inter Marketers in the Industry before coming across The Challenge.

However what I felt with regards to module 2: The WP Direct up-sell started already after a 7 days in the trial and I was told by their Support Team that I could just do changes if I upgraded either to Basic, Gold or Platinum and that the free version would not have the managed content software amongst other features either.

My question is just: Is The Challenge based on the free WP Direct version or does it use the features you only get with the paid version? That would obviously influence our chances going if we sticked with the free version and we want to stick to the dot to the rules.

Sorry for the miss-communication. My fault, I didn't communicate it clearly With regards to WP Direct I am not clear on what the enhanced SEO features are compared to just using plugins such as All-In-One-SEO or the Heaspace 2 SEO with WP. Does WP Direct consider the Permalinks to boost SEO and get rid of the pink backs and trackbacks and that sort of stuff? Is that the difference? What else does WP Direct offer already? I take the sales pitch was a bit slim after all and then there were lots of issues with the installation, problems I had never encountered before with WP ... anyway... if you could just let me know if The Challenge is just based on the features of the free WP Direct version that would be great... then we will get cracking and give ourselves a bit more time to learn about the benefits of WP Direct and we might come around 2 of us already bought the Market Samurai we really learned to appreciate throughout the Market Research.

Thank you guys,
Tiggy

[DeanRichards]

Is The Challenge based on the free WP Direct version or does it use the features you only get with the paid version?

It's based on the free version.