Posted by: Daniel Levis
November 5, 2008
Issue #539

Can a guarantee
make or break your promotion?

Dear Web Business-Builder,

I can tell you from direct experience that a solid guarantee can absolutely rocket your response. This is especially true in markets where guarantees are not commonplace.

But even in markets where guarantees are a copywriter’s standard stock in trade, they are still an integral part of your promotion.

So what makes a response-rocketing guarantee?

What are the tried and true word choices and phraseology that will make your guarantee a winner?

And perhaps most importantly, what is the psychology behind a guarantee that sells? These are the questions we’ll ponder in today’s issue.

Guarantees are all about eliminating risk of loss. They are a powerful tool for taking away excuses your prospect has for convincing himself he doesn’t need your product. And they are yet another way for you to demonstrate benefits and your absolute confidence and enthusiasm in the solution you are offering.

Implicit in your guarantee are the answers to two fundamental questions:

1 — How likely is the solution to perform as promised?

2 — Will it work for me?

You may have heard the term, “risk reversal.” Well this second point (will it work for me?), reveals the concept behind risk reversal. The vendor reverses the risk associated with the transaction, essentially betting money on the prospect’s ability to obtain the promised results. He guarantees it will work FOR YOU.

This may seem like a silly thing to do. But from a psychological perspective it is very powerful. If you have built trust and rapport with your prospect, and given proof your solution works, it’s not that big of a leap of faith for him to accept that you, as a seller, will deliver the product features you have promised.

It is much more difficult for him, however, to come to grips with  his own fears and insecurities about whether HE has what it takes to realize the intended outcomes your product promises to give him. A guarantee that strongly addresses those fears and insecurities can skyrocket your response. This is what a great risk reversal guarantee does. It is not so much about you and your product as it is about your prospect. It is about breathing confidence into insecure people, giving them that winning feeling that “Wow, even I can do this.”

Factors that give your guarantee this “wow factor” are the length of coverage … any penalties you’re bold enough to put yourself on the line for … and the specificity and strength of the functional and emotional benefits guaranteed. 

Before we dive into a few sterling examples of the classic risk reversal guarantee, let me go the extra mile and give you a little checklist of selling devices that appear frequently in these little babies.

Emotional benefit statement: For copy to be successful it has to quicken the reader’s pulse. Your guarantee is no exception. Don’t make it a dry dissertation.

Consumption command: Show your prospect interacting with the product, taking it for a test drive, trying it out, interacting with it in a variety of ways, as if he already owns it.

Functional benefit statement: For your guarantee to be perceived as a reversal of risk, you must guarantee results. This is the aspect of risk reversal that does the heavy lifting, taking the onus of performance off of your prospects shoulders. You are taking square aim at the nagging question: “Yes, but will it work for me?” This question probably kills more sales if left unaddressed than anything else.

Feature commitment: This is just a formal restatement that you will do what you’ve promised to do. The pizza will be there hot in 30 minutes … you will get a response to your questions within 48 hours … we will never put anything but pure beef in our frankfurters, and so forth.

I’ve highlighted the appearance of each one of these devices with the appropriate color highlighting in the following examples.

This first one is from one of Michael Cage’s sales pages. I always enjoy reading Michael’s copy and this guarantee is superb.

Go Ahead:
"Make Me PROVE My Teleseminar System
Will Revolutionize Your Business …”

If realizing how much more money you could be making with my teleseminar system doesn’t have you crackling and twitching with energy and excitement, better check for a pulse. There is no faster or more profitable way to rocket your info-business to new heights. If you have the slightest bit of doubt or hesitation, let me put it to rest now.

A 180-DAY “PROVE IT TO ME” RISK-FREE TRIAL. Get the system and put it to the test. If you don’t agree it is everything I say it is and more, return it for a fast, no-questions-asked refund. Frankly, you could take the system and start running your own Maximum-Profit Teleseminars within a week, so you’ll know, with money in the bank as proof, just how amazing this system is.

A 12-MONTH DOUBLE YOUR MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. Put my Maximum-Profit Teleseminar System & Toolkit to the test for a full 12 months. If you don’t make back at least 10-times your investment and can show me you gave the system an “honest try” … I’ll write you a check for DOUBLE your money-back. I’m really putting myself on the hook with this guarantee, but I’m not worried because I know how this system is truly a “magic bullet” … it is virtually impossible to NOT make big money with. I am taking all the risk, you are taking none. Put me to the test. Just remember to put me on your gift list when you watch your business take off.

I love the headline because it issues a challenge while holding out a compelling benefit.  Note the emotional and functional benefits in the introductory paragraph.

This is what’s known as a double guarantee. The first part is unconditional for 180 days. And the second part is conditional, with a financial penalty to the seller for “non-performance.” This is a very strong and competitive guarantee. It gives you that “wow” feeling doesn’t it?

This next example from Gene Schwartz is killer:

Guaranteed For The Full Season

These Magic English Pellets — called FRED STREEPER’S PLANT GROWTH TABLETS — cost only $2.98 for a package of 125 pellets, or $4.95 for the super economy size of 300 pellets.  Since only a few pellets are required to treat the average plant, this is an investment of only a few pennies a plant for the most astounding beauty you have ever seen!

And these results are completely guaranteed! Here is what we ask you to do when you receive your Magic Pellets next week …

USE THEM TO CREATE SUPER FLOWERS! Place one tiny pellet beside each of your hydrangeas, zinnias, chrysanthemums, a couple beside your roses — any kind of flower that you want super-blooms! And if you don’t see fantastic new growth within just a few short weeks … if you don’t watch with amazement while handfuls of magnificent new blossoms burst forth from those old plants — then simply return the empty package for every cent of your money back!

YES, USE THEM IN YOUR ENTIRE GARDEN! Use them on hard-luck plants where you’ve almost given up hope. Use them on the hardest to grow houseplants that you know. Yes, use them in sand and absolutely astound your friends! And if you don’t believe this British invention is a true gardening miracle … if your garden isn’t the showplace of your neighborhood at the end of one short month — then simply return the empty envelope for every cent of your money back!

This guarantee is unconditional. It protects you for the entire first month — entirely at our risk! You have absolutely nothing to lose! ACT TODAY!

This next guarantee is a real workhorse. Not only does it serve to reverse risk and dissolve objections, it actually closes sales. Take a look at how the triple guarantee structure is used to compel a purchase.

Over 80% of the purchasers from this campaign come from the “start trial now” buttons strategically placed in the guarantee.

Don’t Decide Now …
Put it to the Test, and then Decide!
Your Results Are  TRIPLE GUARANTEED  …  
You Profit Handsomely – Or Don’t Pay A Red Cent!

Guarantee #1 - You must be totally thrilled with the information you’re about to download. If after sampling this breakthrough material your mind isn’t racing with sleepless excitement at the prospect of finally seeing your money worries dissolving before your very eyes – for good — just let me know, and I’ll refund 100% of your money. 

In other words, you have my unconditional guarantee of satisfaction – FOR ONE FULL YEAR! If for any reason (or no reason at all) you’re not delighted with this package, I don’t want your money.

[Start trial now button]

Guarantee #2 - Put what I’m offering you here to the test. If it doesn’t put measurable profits in your bank account in 30 days or less, then obviously it wasn’t for you.

In fact, take up to 365 days, and if you’re not raking in cash hand over fist with it, just let me know, and I’ll buy it back from you for every penny you paid! I’ll even let you keep the $144 in valuable FREE bonus gifts, as my special thanks for giving this program an honest try… 

[Start trial now button]

Guarantee #3 - I personally warrant the information offered in this package to be of the highest quality and integrity available on this subject, and that the systems they reveal have been thoroughly tested and proven effective by me.

Furthermore, if you have questions about this product, we will respond promptly with the information you need to succeed.  YOU MUST PROFIT BIG TIME — OR PAY NOTHING!

Now I ask you - what could possibly be fairer than that? 

[Start trial now button]

Naturally I don’t call them by these names, but you can see I’ve got an emotional benefit guarantee, a functional benefit guarantee, and a feature commitment guarantee. And after each guarantee, I’ve got an order link.

As an aside, one of the biggest objections to buying you’re up against in many markets online is a lack of faith in after sales support. So I address that in my feature commitment guarantee and repeatedly in different ways throughout the promotion. Your guarantee is a great place to meet objections and give your prospect the confidence he needs to proceed with a purchase.

Other important considerations for crafting
powerful risk reversal guarantees …

CRUCIAL POINT: No sales element is an island unto itself. For your risk reversal guarantee to be believable, you have to qualify your prospect strongly throughout the preceding copy. They must see themselves meeting the qualifications.

DESIGN TIPS: Draw attention to your guarantee. At the very least use a bold sub-head to draw in your reader’s attention.

Consider putting your guarantee inside its own colored table on your Webpage. Use a seal or certificate image. Even better, create a custom graphic to communicate your guarantee. Here’s an excellent example from Alex Edevane.

And finally, put some personality into it. You see how Alex has included his picture and signature. Show people there is a person standing behind their success.

Even more powerful is the addition of audio and video renditions.

Let me know in the comment box whether you found this edition useful. I am interested in hearing your thoughts about risk reversal guarantees. Do you use them? If not, why not? If so, what’s worked for you and what hasn’t? Weigh in.

Until next time, Good Selling!

Daniel Levis
Editor, The Web Marketing Advisor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE

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10 Comments »

1. Comment by Susan Connors — November 5, 2008 @ 5:56 pm

   Hello Daniel

   This is great material - thank you!

   In the process of revamping/setting up products for sale on my network, this article is invaluable.

   I am learning and studying the important parts of direct marketing, how it can be used in my work, how I can improve my performance for my readers/clients.

   I will use this guarantee layout - possible double - depending on the product and which site/niche it applies to.

   Will keep you posted - thank you for your great articles - I enjoy reading them every week!

   Wishing you continued success,

   Sue in Aus
   http://www.marketingforlife.com.au

2. Comment by Merrill Clark — November 5, 2008 @ 6:01 pm

   Great post with some awesome examples, too!

   I agree 100% that great guarantees with most products often cinch the deal and are absolutely essential in the copy.

   My question is this:

   As a copywriter, how can I create or write a guarantee in my own marketing promos that is effective?  I mean, you can’t really gurantee specific results from a marketing promotion (as much as people would like to think), and that would be downriright foolish.

   So what could I actually guarantee in my own sales copy that would be effective?

   Thanks,

   Merrill Clark
   Direct Response Copywriter
   http://www.crestviewmarketing.com

3. Comment by Daniel Levis — November 5, 2008 @ 6:03 pm

   Hi Sue,

   Thanks for your feedback. Best of luck bringing DR fundamentals to your network. If these are new ideas in that space it makes them all the more powerful.

   Cheers!

4. Comment by Daniel Levis — November 5, 2008 @ 6:11 pm

   Hi Merrill,

   That’s a great question. I assume you are referring to guaranteeing the results your customer would get from your copy.

   Well yes, generally that would not be a good idea, unless you’re able to control a good deal of the marketing process from soup to nuts.

   Then again you could offer guarantees with respect to meeting deadlines… that you do 100% of the work yourself… that the work would be 100% original etc. Anything that the client might be concerned about, or that you could make him concerned about in a competitive situation.

   Hope that helps.

   Daniel

5. Comment by Michael — November 5, 2008 @ 8:48 pm

   Great post Daniel. Does testing show an increased response to the custom graphic type of guarantee vs plain text?

6. Comment by Joey Atlas — November 5, 2008 @ 10:30 pm

   POWERFUL stuff Daniel - I feel like I should Paypal you $250.00 right now! I’m incorporating some of these risk reversal tactics right now as I craft the guarantee on the copy for the new site Get Rid of Your Cellulite

   Thanks!
   Joey Atlas

7. Comment by Tony Smith — November 6, 2008 @ 8:24 am

   thanks so much for this, I tweeted this out for you.

   I’m going to aplpy it now to my ebay listing (I’m trying a new market by selling my info product on dvds on ebay as a tester).

   cheers again,

   Tony.

8. Comment by Steve Newdell — November 6, 2008 @ 9:42 am

   Yes Daniel, Excellent. Do I have this right?

   Try our new President for the next 180 days RISK FREE and if he isn’t everything he promised to be, if he can’t deliver on every promise to your personal and complete satisfaction just send him back to Chicago and keep the gifts, gaggs and gaffauws as our special thanks for trying him out.
                            RESPOND BEFORE SUNSET FRIDAY! 
   There’s nothing more for you to do, no risk for you to take. It’s all on me.
   Your house will be paid for. The kids will be back in college. The dog will be happy, your wife’s cosmetic surgery will be a brilliant success and YOU will be happier and more excited than you’ve been in 75 years. I Guarantee it or Double Your Money Back!
               Order Before Time Runs Out — RIGHT NOW.
   sn

9. Comment by Daniel Levis — November 6, 2008 @ 9:56 am

   Yeah Steve, that’s pretty much it! Thanks for the laugh …

10. Comment by Debra Sale Wendler — November 6, 2008 @ 1:35 pm

    Thank you, Daniel, for this superb article and timely information.

    Some of my prospects have tried SOOOOO many things that haven’t worked. They’re desperate for answers to solve their kid’s behavior problems. But they don’t want to be sold to. Is there a way to solve that with copy?

    How about write your next article on how to explain that if they try this, it will be their last time, because it WILL work? However, the answer does not exist for free.

    So if you REALLY DID find the secret to erasing wrinkles. How do you prove that to women who have bought 50 things that didn’t work?

    I suppose that more and more of your readers will be asking these questions very soon.

    Sincerely yours in parenting success,
    Debra Sale Wendler
    http://www.adhdparentingtips.com