eMarketing – Four Steps to an Irresistable Offer

#1: The offer must be clear.  People must be able to understand it instantly.  Confused people do not respond.  For example, half off is better than 50% off and a lot better than 35% or even 60% off. People have difficulty understanding percentages. Two for one is usually better than half off. 

#2:  The offer must be a good value.  It has to be understood as a good value.  That’s why percentage off coupons don’t usually work well.  People get suspicious. They think as soon as they see coupons they’ll just raise the price to recover the discount. Percentage off coupons
work well where there are known published prices.  

#3:  The offer should involve either a discount or a premium or preferably both. Sometimes premiums work much better than discounts. A premium is something you give away as a free gift to someone who comes in or who makes a purchase. 

#4: There should be a logical reason for the offer. If you discount or give something away without an explanation, you create skepticism and suspicion. People have been told all their lives there’s no such thing as a free lunch. You have to offer an explanation.  For instance – we’re doing this to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood….. as an introductory offer in celebration of opening our new store….. as an anniversary sale…… a clearance sale…. customer appreciation week.  Just about any explanation will do, but there needs to be an explanation.