An Irresistible Guarantee: Overcoming your prospect's final
reservations
The other day, I got a direct-mail piece that was trying to sell
software. I was half sold on buying, but I wasn't quite
convinced.
I'll be honest. I hadn't read the letter thoroughly. As I often
do, I skimmed it first. And in skimming it, I didn't see a
guarantee. On second skim, I missed it again. The third time --
on a thorough reading -- there it was at the bottom of the last
page . . . in 9-point type . . . in a footnote.
Reading this company's guarantee told me one thing: They didn't
want me to see it. They were afraid that if I did, I would be
more likely to return the software. And they didn't want to lose
any money.
So, instead, they lost my sale.
What's wrong with these guys? Don't they know? Don't they
understand that the guarantee is NOT a promise to return the
prospect's money?
Learn from these marketing numbskulls. If you think your
guarantee is a simply promise that you'll give your prospect
back his money, you're missing the guarantee's true point... and
power.
So why do we offer a guarantee?
Yes, it's the right thing to do. It's honorable. It's fair.
But most important, it can be the final push that cements your
sale. I've seen this crucial element of a package treated like a
forgotten stepchild so many times that it's obvious many
experienced copywriters don't know the 3-W's of the guarantee:
WHY? . . . WHAT? . . . and WHERE?
WHY?
Why write a guarantee? Because the guarantee is far more than a
promise that you'll return your prospect's money. It's one of
your last chances to establish credibility and engender a strong
sense of trust in her.
By the time the prospect gets to the end of your letter, she's
almost ready to buy (or she would have tossed it). She needs
just a bit more convincing. Plus, her fears of being ripped off
and ridiculed need to be put to rest. In other words, she needs
an irresistible guarantee.
A well-written guarantee makes her think to herself, "Well, if I
don't like the product, I can always get my money back." This
eases some of her fear of being cheated.
But it goes a bit further.
"And," she continues, "if they didn't think the product worked,
they wouldn't be offering to give my money back. They must
really think it's good." At this stage, she has put her fear of
being cheated aside. She trusts you. And she now feels that
she's in control -- that she can make an intelligent decision to
buy.
Finally, she says to herself, "And if my husband gives me any
grief about spending $69, I can tell him that I can always get
my money back. That should shut him up." Good-bye doubt and the
fear of ridicule and "buyer's remorse."
WHAT?
What to write? The guarantee is definitely NOT one of those
cases where shorter is better. I'm not telling you to ramble on
and on. But do take your time in writing it, so you can truly
convince your prospect that you care about his satisfaction . .
. and what he thinks of you. And don't forget to include
reassurances like "no questions asked" or "no hassle" and "you
can keep all of the free gifts as our 'thank you' for giving us
a try."
Two or three short paragraphs is usually enough.
Avoid writing a guarantee that says something like this: "And if
you're not convinced X-omel is all we say it is, we'll give back
your money." Does this convince me that you're an honorable
person? No. What it does say to me is that whoever wrote the
letter felt he had to stick a guarantee in -- so here it is.
Several years ago, I saw a guarantee that was perfect for the
promotion, which was selling a financial product. It read: "When
I was growing up, a man's handshake was as good as any piece of
paper a lawyer could ever write. I miss those days when a man's
word is his bond. So here's my 'handshake.' Here's my promise to
you that you will . . ."
The copywriter then gave a brief summary of the product's core
promise and then explained the nature of the guarantee.
This worked, because the promotion spoke about how we currently
live in an era of distrust . . . and the prospect universe was
almost entirely men over 55 who remember the good old days of
the handshake-promise.
WHERE?
Where do you put the guarantee? Certainly NOT in a footnote. The
best place is in your main letter. You can repeat it in the
order device, buck slip, or PS. But your letter is where the
guarantee has the most immediate impact, strength, and
importance.
Of course, it must be said that if you haven't written a strong,
compelling sales letter, no guarantee -- no matter how
well-written -- will make the sale. But a convincing,
irresistible guarantee will increase your credibility . . . and
your sales.
Reprinted from the American Writers & Artists Institute's weekly
e-zine, "The Golden Thread"
http://www.awaionline.com/thegoldenthread