Creating Marketing Offers That Work

Do you ever notice the hundreds of offers that fill your mailbox, on the drive to work, and on the television every thirty seconds or so. Many of the offers look a little like this:

• Mon Thru Fri – An Additional 30% Off!!

• 20 – 30% Off All Items And An Additional 10% On Thursday!!

• The After Thanksgiving Sale, 15% Off Selected Items.

Sound familiar? Those are some of the greatest offers. Why? Because they work. Not only that, but they are appropriate offers too. You expect them; they are familiar to you. But they work.

The Adult B2B Marketing system teaches us that an offer is there to create action and a low risk next step for the prospect to take. Those offers I mentioned above are great and appropriate, they fit the bill. The “percent off” reduces some of the risk to the buying situation. In a retail situation those are far more common and far more appropriate. But what about a lawyer or doctor? How would 25% off your next surgery sound? Would you even consider that? How about this? “Doc, thanks for getting that 10 inch nail out of my son’s head. I really can’t thank you enough,” said the tired father. “Not at all sir, in fact, next week we are having a special, 15% off all appendix removals. Bring your son back in, and since this one went so well, I will take an extra 10% off that,” replied the surgeon.

Doesn’t quite work. But that is the nature of the offer…it has to fit. But just in case you have taken leave of your common sense, here are some practical guidelines:

• There is a “Buy Now” offer and an “Ask Now” offer, try to use both.

• “Ask Now” offers are more educational in nature.

• “Buy Now” offers are sales, discounts, and such.

• Reducing the risk is all in how you say it. A “Thirty Minute Sale” becomes the “Thirty Minute Free Consultation.” (That was an example only, be more subtle than I am being here.)

• Explain yourself; no one will come in or request the offer if they have no idea what they are asking for. Create appropriate handles.

Actually give an offer. Do not create an ad without an offer. Interrupt, engage, educate and offer, remember?

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