In order to make sales or get hired on or off the Internet, people have to have TRUST. Guarantees -- even for professionals offering services -- are a power technique for pulling wavering prospects over the line to the sale/engagement.
What They Don't Believe When You Approach Them
You need to understand that your prospects don't believe -- or have serious doubts about -- one or more of the following:
1. YOU
They don't necessarily know you or trust that you are a person (or company) of integrity. This is not about what you OFFER but about WHO YOU ARE.
2. YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
They often doubt that your product or service will give them the benefits you promise. They don't necessarily believe that if I read this book or hire you as my lawyer/CPA/etc. that I'll get my money's worth. More on this in a moment.
3. THEMSELVES
If your product or service requires ANY work on their part, they often doubt that they will have the MOTIVATION and/or the ABILITY to do what is required for as long as it is required.
(One of the things we teach professionals is how to offer clients a step-by-step SYSTEM that makes achieving goals just a matter of following directions. We offer them our own professional practice-building system that isn't dependent on the PERSONALITY of the professional but on strategies anyone can easily do. You should do the same with what you offer, although that's another article!).
What to Guarantee
Your goal is to REVERSE THE RISK of people buying your product or hiring you for your service. Think about it this way. If you offer a money-back guarantee, who is taking the risk that what you are selling people will not satisfy them? YOU are!! If you don't offer a guarantee, THEY are having to buy something sight unseen and if they aren't satisfied, too, too bad.
1. GUARANTEE SATISFACTION.
At the very least, you can guarantee that people will be satisfied. What is "satisfaction"? It's in the eye of the beholder, just like beauty! Don't worry about it. Don't try to put any limits on it if it's a product. If they aren't satisfied, even if you think they copied it, return their money and pray for their souls. They're in trouble.
2. GUARANTEE RESULTS
If you're confident that what you offer will produce results MOST of the time for people, then you can greatly strengthen your guarantee to include results.
- "If you don't lose 30 pounds in the next 60 days, I'll return your money to you right away, no questions asked."
- ""If you don't save at least $12,000 from my tax avoidance system, I'll return every penny you gave me."
Don't worry about the people who don't do anything to earn it. I know some people require proof that customers actually tried the system, but they are on shaky legal ground, at least in the U.S..
What About Services?
If you offer services that require your time, should you offer a guarantee? It's one thing to take back a product -- you can sell it again. But your time...you can't "resell" that. Here's a few ideas:
1. YOU CAN STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD by guaranteeing your services.
2. CREATE A PORTFOLIO of Products and Services
At the least, do what I teach professionals in our 6-Figure Practice System and create a "portfolio" of products and services that help clients as well as your direct services. There is a very specific method of doing this so that it has integrity and REALLY helps people. Then, guarantee the products.
3. TRIAL PERIOD or PHASED PAYMENT
Another smart thing you can do for a service is to offer clients a period of time in which they can try your services and back out if they want. Or STAGE YOUR WORK (phases) and let clients pay for each stage. In seminars, offer people the opportunity to attend one day of a three-day seminar and if they don't like it they can leave and get their entire fee back.
What to Offer the Customer Back
- 100% of their money back
- 100% of their money back MINUS shipping costs
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