By Kris Mills of Words that Sell.
When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip
off radars" on high beam. They're wary and so they should be --
after all, they're about to spend money so they want to be
sure they're not going to get ripped off, AND they want to be
sure they're going to get the absolute best return on their
advertising dollar.
Anyone can claim something generates great results. And they
often do.
Here are some ways to dissolve skepticism and prove your
claims:
1. Testimonials
You can never underestimate the power of testimonials.
Testimonials will add enormous power to your copy. Because a
'real' third person is backing you up, your claims have much
more credibility. The best testimonials to use are ones that
tell about specific results a client has achieved. eg.
"Our turnover has more than DOUBLED in the last financial
year, during a recession and much of that has been due to
your great service."
"I lost 16 kgs in just 6 weeks and it was so easy"
2. Test results
Prove to your prospects that your product or service really
works by including any test results that prove that or
position you above your competitors. Make sure that they
are independent tests so they are seen as being reliable.
Statistics can also work wonders in backing up your claims.
3. Money back guarantee
When prospects are deciding between companies and between
products there is always a conscious or subconscious fear
in the back of their minds... a fear that they are going
to be ripped off, or the product isn't going to live up to
its promises. After all, your prospect is about to hand over
money so he/she wants to make sure it is money well spent.
There are many ways (including the ones mentioned in
previous sections) to prove to your customers the reliability
and quality of your service or product but none of them
compare to offering a guarantee.
If you offer a powerful money back guarantee, you are showing
your prospect that you are willing to stand behind your product.
You are willing to put your money where your mouth is. You are
willing to risk a refund because you believe in the product so
much.
You've probably seen some businesses using a half hearted
approach at offering guarantees. These simply don't work. eg.
Personal service guaranteed. A guarantee is useless unless you
offer a refund or replacement as a result of not living up to
that guarantee. You need to state these terms in your guarantee.
4. Case studies
Give an example of a before and after situation relating to one
of your clients. This helps build credibility and it also helps
your reader picture themselves owning the product.
5. Comparison chart
If the features and benefits of your product are proven to be
better than that of your competitors, use a comparison chart
which illustrates this.
Your sales arsenal
So you're about to meet with a prospective client to sell them
your products or services. You're fairly clear on what to say
to them to excite them about doing business with you but unless
you're in a position to ensure that they sign up on the spot or
if there are the minute they leave your premises.
If your prospective client needs to go back and think about
your proposition and/or if there's another decision maker
involved, it's very important that you leave them with
something that will ensure they stay excited about using your
services. Not only that, it's also important that the information
they take away helps handle any objections they may have.
