Writing Guarantees that Sell by Vanessa Selene Williams

Writing Guarantees that Sell by Vanessa Selene Williams

This offer is good but can you guarantee it.

Why write a guarantee for your product or service? It reduces the risk in the eyes of your customers, enough to turn a cynical customer into a convinced customer.

So, what makes a good guarantee? Besides the obvious, I guarantee it, strong guarantees include elements that not only ease the customers fears but also reinforce your offer. Before you put your guarantee in writing, here are some tips to keep in mind.

* Emphasize the benefit in each guarantee. Say youre selling an energy supplement. Write a statement saying, If youre not drinking less coffee, skipping down the street, or simply more energetic after thirty days, just ask for your money back.
* Offer objects other than money. If you simply cant afford to return your customers money or hesitant to offer that type of guarantee, offer to correct the problem at no additional charge. Send them another product. Contribute to the charity of their choice, in their name of course. Use your imagination and think of ways you can ease your customers fears.
* Im sure youve heard of the 30-day guarantee. Have you ever considered giving a 60-day, 90-day, or even a 1-year guarantee? When you offer longer terms, you take on more risk. When you take on more risk, your guarantee becomes stronger. A strong guarantee = Confident buyers.
* After youve finished laying out your guarantee, dont forget to restate your main offer. This is also a great place to include write another call-to-action phase. Ask for their business right after youve dissolved their reluctance.

Now, lets think about what type of guarantee should you have. Before you decide which guarantee is right for you, think like your customer. Why arent they buying? Are they worried about price? Afraid the product isnt exactly what theyre looking for? Afraid the project wont be completed on time?

Guarantees fall into five very overlapping categories:

1. The Money-back guaranteeThis ensures that you customers wont waste their time or money. It also protects customers if the product breaks or fails. You can also offer a prorated money back guarantee after the originally guarantees terms have lapsed.
2. The Satisfaction guaranteeThis ensures that your customer will be and remain happy with your service or product. This promises your customer happiness with the benefits your services.
3. Price protection guaranteeThis can either lock in the price, ensuring the price and payment terms wont change or increase -- think life insurance. Alternatively, ensure that they wont find a lower pricethink office supply superstores.
4. On-time guaranteeThis helps subdue the fears in time-crunched patrons. Businesses like printers, car repair shops, and cable companies could benefit from this type of guarantee.
5. Absolutely No Question Asked guaranteeThis can be applied towards anything. A major problem: Youll probably never learn your weak spots, if you never have the opportunity to ask questions.

Include a guarantee in your next copywriting project. Whether youre writing web copy, a brochure, or a sales letter, a strong guarantee will dissolve your customers reluctance and help spur sales. I guarantee it.
About the Author
Vanessa Selene Williams is an independent writer for businesses and corporation. To learn more about her, visit her online at http://corporate.vswilliams.com or email her at info@vswilliams.com

Costly Web Copy Pitfalls by Vanessa Selene Williams

Costly Web Copy Pitfalls by Vanessa Selene Williams

One secret to a site that sells: Look at your site from your customers perspective. Another secret: Watch out for these common web copy pitfalls.

Welcome tonothing
Look at your sites web copy. Does it begin with Welcome to? If so, get rid of it. It means nothing. It doesnt speak to your customers. Its just a waste of your customers time and space. Rather than the worn out phrase, Welcome to try a statement that captures the essence of your company, explaining it in terms thatll benefit your customers. Instead of Welcome to Crazy Daves CD Emporium, try Crazy Daves CD Emporium, where you can find quality CDs and crazy prices.

Where do I go?
If you track your sites metrics, look at your customers paths. How many customers get past the home page? If its less than desired, there might be a problem with your sites navigation. If youre one of those people with mega-content sites, add an internal search to help your customers find there way. If youre a smaller site, add navigation bars that update automatically when your sites structures changes or evolves.

Its all about me.
Your site is supposed to be about your customers not you. Lets face it: Your customers dont care about your Nobel Prize or that you were the first person to sell a condominium on Jupiter, they do care, however, about how your expertise can help them.

Quick tip: Visit your site. Does the copy contain more we, me, and I statements than you and your?

MarcoPolo
Have you ever visited a site to be sold on the product, then when you needed to ask a quick question, you couldnt find their contact information? The solution: Put at least an email address or phone number on each page, preferably at the top or bottom. Then put more detailed contact information on your contact page.

Rarely read but really important.
Just the presence of terms and conditions and privacy policies instills confidence in your product. It also eases the minds of your more anxious customers.

Vague, iffy, testimonials
Testimonials are the easiest and perhaps the best way to capture your customers attention and confidence. But simple statements saying that your product is good, wont work. Detailed testimonials praising how much your product improved their life work best. Another way to give testimonials more selling power, get a picture. Even better, get a picture with you customer using your product or benefiting from your service.

About the Author
Vanessa Selene Williams an independent writer who writes for businesses and corporations. She currently offers 30-minute and 60-minute critiques and consultations. To learn more about Vanessa and her services visit her online at http://corp.vswilliams.com or email her at info@vswilliams.com.