How to Create an Irresistable Offer

You know how offers work.

You have to hit the spot if it’s to have any effect.

But how do you make sure you find the right spot and hit it?

It all comes down to understanding your audience.

The following 7 tips will help you work out whom they are and what you need to say to make them want to buy.

7 ways to create an irresistible offer

1. Audience

If you don’t know who your audience is, your offer is dead in the water.

Let’s face it if you’re trying to sell acne cream, you’re going to have more luck with hormonal teenagers who are desperate to find a wonder product that will leave their skin blemish free, than if you were addressing senior citizens.

Understanding your audience, the problems they have and what it is they really want is essential when formulating your offer.

2. Value

The next thing to think about is the perceived value of your offer.

To make it irresistible it must be greater than the cost of the item. That’s why offers from companies like Groupon work so well. Who’s going to turn down a spa break that’s 80% off the normal price?

3. I want one!

Have you noticed that when the latest games console, iPhone, or designer outfit is launched there’s a sudden buying frenzy?

The reason behind that is twofold. Initially, you have the ‘I must be the first to own it’ crowd who rush out and queue up at an ungodly hour just to be one of the first to have it. Then, as all your friends who fall into that category use the item and tell everyone how great it is, you don’t want to be left out. After all, if all those people bought it, it must be good – right?

This is one of the strongest buying motivators – if hundreds, thousands or even millions of people have bought the product, the perception is that it must be good resulting in even more people buying it.

4. Take away their pain

Most of the time, people are looking for a solution to a problem.

But more than that, they also want to experience pleasure in its place. So not only does your offer have to take away the pain they are feeling, it also has to make their life better.

Holidays, as an example, just offer pleasure. But an offer for balding men to help them regain their lost lustrous locks and so become more attractive to women not only solves their problem (hair loss), it also comes with added benefits (extra female attention).

5. Keep in simple

The one thing you don’t want to do is make your offer so complicated it puts people off.

Stick with the good old ‘2 for 1’ or ‘become an expert at the Waltz in a week’ – something that is easy to understand.

6. Guarantee

Your offer is nothing without a great guarantee.

Money is tight, so people will be more inclined to buy your product if they know they are covered should it turn out not to be what they wanted. Plus, it will help build trust. After all, if you’re happy to give a no quibble money back guarantee you must have confidence in your product.

7. Incentives

The buying public are a canny bunch and might need a bit more persuasion to part with their hard earned cash.

That’s where incentives come in. There are 2 main types:

• Exclusivity – only a certain class can afford it
• Scarcity – stock is limited in number, or the offer is only available for a certain time period

Both of these have the effect of dangling a carrot in front of your audience, giving them the final nudge they need to buy.

Coming up with a winning offer takes a lot of thought and research and key is how well you understand your audience.

Author – Sally Ormond, copywriter, mum, cyclist, chief dog walker and cook.