Mel,
The marketing culture has this strange quirk...
For some reason a lot of marketers don't feel legitimate until they've said something ILLEGITIMATE.
Like they always have to make something up, or stretch the truth, or come up with some kind of gimmick.
Well I'm here to say, the best gimmick is NO gimmick at all.
Here's one of my favorite copywriting "hacks" of all time:
When you tell the truth, it makes everything you say more believable!
(Imagine that.)
There's a hidden benefit in taking the high road, to tackling the real problems instead of the imaginary ones, to selling real solutions instead of handy fantasies.
The point is that usually the best reason to give a customer is simply the real, actual reason.
Some of my members run IT service companies and they give away a free 1-hour visit, system audit, or on-site consultation. It's really important to give the customer a good reason why you're doing this.
Let's talk about some reasons you could offer for giving away this consultation for free.
Here are some WRONG ways to do this:
Why do I do this for free? Because I have so little business,
I'm desperate and willing to do anything just to bend your ear
for an hour. (That's a little too truthful.)
Why do I do this for free? Because I'm on a personal mission to stamp out viruses and I'm willing to do anything I can to protect you from intruders. (Nobody's in business for some purely philanthropic reason, all customers know that.)
Why do I do this for free? Because it's really just the first hour that's free, but I'm going to stay for three more and stick you with a big bill. (Look, they need to **want** you there for hours two through four!)
This attempt from a letter I critiqued is a bit better:
Why do I do this for free? Because the vast majority of
businesses who take advantage of our assessment do business with us!
Not bad, and it's certainly true, but a reason that involves the customer's self interest would be much better:
Why would I do $110 of checks and security audits for free?
Because the odds are 10:1 that you've got lethal viruses lurking
in your computers, undetected, right this moment... "back doors"
that are giving hackers easy access to private information like
bank and credit card numbers. Security cracks that will allow
dishonest people to steal your identity and wreak havoc in your
business.
In one brief hour I will identify these problems and make them
vanish. It's the best way I know to prove my value to you,
without you risking a penny.
If I do a good job for you, next time you have a problem you'll know who to call, right? It's good for both of us. And I promise not to twist your arm or stay for two more hours and send you a big bill. Unless you ask me to stay longer, in which case my rates are competitive and the results are completely guaranteed. You'll never pay me to fix the same problem twice.
So please, don't set this letter aside–-pick up the phone
right now and call me at 555-1234 and we'll schedule a time to
protect your information from prying eyes.
What's good about the "reason why" above?
It clearly states the reason they need the audit, not why you need to do it.
The letter scares them a bit, as it should.
It emphasizes how quick and easy the cure is going to be, and it explains a very logical and persuasive reason why you would give away $110 worth of service.
The guarantee ("never pay me to fix the same problem twice") is embedded in there, and the call to action is very clear and simple.
There's nothing smarmy or slippery or deceptive about this. It just states the plain facts.
When a person reads this, he doesn't detect a hidden agenda. The cards are all out on the table.
The customer still feels like he's in control.
A straightforward tone like this builds trust and respect in your prospect's mind—and trust and respect are the building blocks of a rock-solid customer relationship.
Carpe Diem,
Perry Marshall
***NOTE: This email address isn't monitored! If you need help, please email:
support@perrymarshall.com
 | Free Video
We manage our emails with Infusion. This Guide and Video explain my secret marketing sauce. |
No comments:
Post a Comment