Compelling offer 101
Posted by Ramon Trujillo on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 @ 07:18 AM
A Compelling offer is something that should be perceived as having "high value" or "interest for the targeted prospect". Let's start by making one thing clear: the fact that you have a "contact us" or "request a Call" button, DOES NOT represent neither a compelling offer nor a Call to Action.
On the other hand if you have the solution for the mosquito biting problem in the backyard but I live in an apartment where there are no mosquitoes, I won’t care much about your offer. The idea is that your offer should be compelling to the eyes of right prospect.
The average Executive receives 41 campaigns a week, this includes but is not limited to counting the consumer marketing they receive when they get home. Do you want to become the 42nd interruption? Or the only one they pay attention and respond to?
The correct way to convey a compelling offer is to create perceived value which will generate high responses that should help qualify your prospects.
So let’s go over what makes a good compelling offer:
- A free-assessment or free-consultation: Your prospect gets the chance to receive advise on your products and/or services for free. This can help start your sales cycle, however, unless you offer a very specific consultation it could be perceived as too generic. Plan ahead and figure out in advance the time and resources that you will need to dedicate if someone takes your sales offer.
- A webinar: You can educate your audience on your services and/or solutions. It can be a technical challenge to setup, but with proper planning it can drive a lot of responses. Webinars are always attractive because they not only lower your overhead costs, they also save a bundle of time!
- White papers and e-books: Help position your business as the authority on your subject matter. It is not only cost effective but you can also benefit from long tail results. Write it once and and your white papers and e-books are published forever. There are plenty of examples of this, but the one that always comes to mind is the one from the SMB dental Practice in Boston with over 100,000 downloads and counting.
- Discounts and giveaways: Best for B2C (Business to Consumers) businesses but you run the risk of being perceived as if you are offering a "cheap" solution or as someone said before “if you only compete based on price, you can only go down”. Giveaways and discounts are great if the marketer finds a way to still profit. You are in business to make dollars, not donations.
In Summary
- Choose the offer you know your company can best fulfill.
- Listen to the market and identify which offers your prospects will find more compelling.
- When creating a compelling offer, be prepared to accept that one does not fit all. Do not be afraid to try new approaches until you find the right one!.
- Measure responses and follow up, it is the only way you are going to understand what your prospects are looking for.
Do you have something to share? Leave a comment and be part of the conversation.