Day 3: Creating Your Irresistible Offer

At the heart of any business is a compelling offer. Whatever you sell, the better you are at building the offer around it, the better your chances.

To build one you need to know three things well: your customer, your niche and business environment, and your competition.

The seven keys

1. Be clear.
2. Offer great value.
3. Deliver a discount or a premium.
4. Explain your offer.
5. Require immediate response.
6. Include a strong call to action.
7. Reduce the buyer's risk.

1. Be clear

Confused people do not buy. Describe exactly what you are offering, in plain words. Be specific. Make the title intriguing and relevant, and make sure any promise in it is one you can actually keep.

2. Offer great value

Most people try to do the least work for the greatest return, and it needs to be the other way round. Offers that do not deliver get refunded and disputed. Word of mouth travels either way.

3. Deliver a discount or a premium

Give someone a reason to act now. What can you add that makes the offer hard to pass up? This is not about the lowest price, it is about stacking value.

4. Explain your offer

People are sceptical, and reasonably so. Give a logical reason for the offer. What will it do for them? What will they be able to do once they have it? Be clear first, then be thorough.

5. Require immediate response

Give a reason to respond now rather than later: the offer closes, or there are a limited number. Once someone leaves, you may not see them again.

6. Include a strong call to action

Tell people exactly what to do next, in order. Use clear buttons, and do not put five competing choices on the page. Remove navigation from an offer page so there is one path.

7. Reduce the buyer's risk

Take as much of the risk off the buyer as you reasonably can, and be straightforward about what you will and will not do. Make any terms you offer ones you can honour, and state them plainly rather than in the small print.