To capture customers’ attention, you must communicate a compelling offer—the promise of a product or service that addresses a pressing need. Once you succeed in engaging their attention, you must transform that interest with a clear call-to-action, which gives the reader a clear path for acting on the promise of the offer. Whether it’s a discount, trial, or giveaway, you can entice a customer to consider your product or service with the right offer.
How to Develop Compelling Offers
Designed to help you craft more compelling offers and calls-to-action in your marketing campaigns in order to drive new business.
UNDERSTAND THE BASICS
Keep in mind the following concepts when building your campaign offers:
- Simplify. Keep the offer focused on one product or service. Don’t confuse the customer with diffuse options or unrelated information.
- Specify. Be up-front about the offer. Make it clearly visible and easily understandable from the start.
- Showcase. Make your offer enticing to the customer. Know your target audience’s most current, driving needs.
- Compel. Give your customers a simple, actionable call-to-action to actively entice them to respond to your offer.
- Reward. Be sure you are prepared to deliver on the offer your customers respond to.
- Exceed. Find ways to deliver greater value than customers expect, and you will ensure the longevity of the relationship.
DEFINE YOUR OBJECTIVES
Before developing your offers, take some time to answer the following questions. Make sure your offers are as effective as possible, and aligned with your marketing and business goals.
What is my goal for presenting the offer? Before settling on an offer, identify how it fi ts in with your overall marketing and sales strategy—will it bring the customer further along in the sales cycle, close the sale, or simply initiate interest in your company? Create offers that help more customers through your sales cycles and nearer to close.
Have I appropriately segmented my customers? Dividing your customer list into segments with similar needs will allow you to more successfully and cost effectively identify opportunities and target your offers. It will also allow you to more appropriately customize marketing materials.
What is my budget in regards to the offer? You need to know how much money you can devote to any given offer—both in terms of marketing and
fulfillment (if there are costs associated with delivery). A well-defined budget will help you determine which kinds of offers to present to your customers, and how often to reiterate.
DESIGN YOUR OFFER
While not complete, this list should give you a good idea of where to start building your own offers.
Self-Running Demos. These give customers the chance to interact with your product or service. They involve minimal cost, but require you to spend time with customers to demonstrate, or can be downloaded from your Web site.
Case Studies. These show customers your experience and capabilities and involve minimal cost and time, and can be easily distributed to a broad range of customers online or through the mail.
Customer Needs Assessments. These personalized offers assess the compatibility of your products or services and customer’s needs. They can involve a significant time investment, but help the customer more fully understand the benefit of your solution.
Customer Software Evaluations. These provide hands-on interaction with potential solution and involve minimal cost and can be sent to a broad base of customers.
Seminars. Customized engagements get you face-to-face with customers and prospects. Seminars can involve cost and time investment, but can be a great way to demonstrate your expertise in a personal way.
Webcasts/Webinars. Customized Web engagements provide an inside look at your capabilities. They involve an investment of time, but are comparatively cost effective and have a potentially broad customer reach.
White Papers. Showcase your industry knowledge to interested parties with minimal cost and time. Additionally, these can be easily shared with a broad base of customers.
Leave a Comment