Guaranteed Marketing
By Kevin Donlin
Posted Sunday, August 22, 2004
A guarantee is one of the most powerful marketing tools you can create for your business. Because so few businesses guarantee the results of their work, the opportunity for you to stand out in your industry is staggering!
Guaranteed Marketing is defined as this: When you make it risk-free to buy from you and tell the world about it, more people will buy.
* Why guarantees work (risk removal) *
In my business, Guaranteed Résumés, I offer the only unconditional money-back guarantee in my industry. My competitors either hate me or think I'm insane. And that's just the way I want it!
Think about it. Whenever any two parties meet to transact business, there's risk involved. Money and products are changing hands, and there's a chance that one side might get burned. In most cases, it's the customer who assumes all the risk.
But what if a business is willing to remove all of the risk involved in buying? What if the results that business sells are guaranteed? This makes it incredibly easy for people to buy. More sales and higher profits are the natural result!
When you stand behind your work with the strongest guarantee possible, you put customers in control of the buying process. Which puts them at ease. Which makes them more likely to lower their guard, relax and listen to your offer.
Don't believe me? Look at ANY catalog from Land's End, Damark, or any other successful mailorder firm. What you'll find -- prominently displayed -- is some sort of money-back guarantee. Why? Because buying something long-distance from a person you'll never meet is scary. All mailorder companies know this. By making strong guarantees, they eliminate risk and open a floodgate on sales.
It's worth repeating: you probably stand behind your work right now with an unspoken guarantee. If an unhappy customer called with a problem, you'd fix it, replace it or refund part (or all) of their purchase price. If not, you won't be in business for long!
* Example guarantees *
No matter what business you're in, there's room for you to gain an immediate competitive advantage by offering a guarantee that promises RESULTS to your customers.
To illustrate, let's take a detailed look at guarantees from some of the world's leading companies. As you read, think about which parts of these guarantees you might be able to adapt and use in your own business.
Nordstrom department stores has a no-questions asked, lifetime customer protection policy. If you're ever unhappy with a purchase, you can bring it back for an exchange or refund.
Federal Express, as they were called when they started back in 1973, guaranteed they would deliver your package by 10:30 a.m. the next day or your money back. This was unheard of in the delivery business. Can you imagine the U.S. Postal Service offering to refund your money if they didn't deliver on time? Of course not. Today, FedEx gives refunds every day. The Postal Service doesn't. Whom would you trust with a critical delivery?
Prestone promises to replace your car's radiator if their anti-freeze fails to guard against freezing weather. This is a powerful, specific guarantee that entices people to buy... and I've got a can of Prestone out in the garage to prove it!
LensCrafters makes several guarantees. Their "30 Day No Risk Guarantee" states: "If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, within 30 days you may exchange your eyeglasses for another pair of equal value or we'll refund your money."
* Better-than-risk-free guarantees *
This works because it not only promises your money back if you're not satisfied, but an additional reward for your trouble.
Infomercials use the power of better-than-risk-free guarantees all the time. They'll send you a special bonus video or audio cassette and allow you to keep it, even if you return the product. It's yours to keep, just for your trouble. The next time you seen an infomercial, keep your eye out for whatever bonuses they have to offer. These are extremely powerful and they work.
* Conclusion *
To succeed in business, you must be different. A quick and easy way to do this -- if your product or service is of high quality -- is to guarantee results. Real, tangible results.
Consider this. Most struggling small businesses don't make guarantees. Most highly successful companies do. Which would you rather be?
This article was excerpted from the free Guaranteed Marketing e-mail course. Sign up by sending e-mail to book1@getresponse.com
About the Author
Kevin Donlin has been selling online since 1995. He created the Guaranteed Marketing site to share his marketing ideas at (http://www.guaranteedmarketing.com)
