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A guarantee backfire?

by IDoTheLegWork
13 replies
I am in the market for a course that will train me
to read faster. I came across 7speedreading.com
and it seems to fit the bill.

The sales page effectively showed me the product
met the needs I knew I had, and some I didn't even
consider as well.

But yet I didn't buy. I visited the page several
times, each with the intention to purchase but
then didn't.

The guarantee promises a 3.471 times increase in
my reading speed, with increased comprehension,
or my money back plus $50, for 12 months!

What do I have to lose, right? I can even increase
my reading by 2 times and still end up $50 ahead.
So why didn't I buy? Then it hit me...

I just don't believe. Not the part about the money
back, but the part about a 3.471 times increase in
speed. For me that's more than 990 wpm. That's
146% faster than the average college professor. And
not believing in that makes me question everything
that came before. I don't want to waste my time on
something that just doesn't work.

Is there a lesson to be learned here (besides the
need for testing)? Do we, in general, need to be
concerned with a guarantee being too strong?

P.S. I just popped over there again because I
had an afterthought and wanted to verify my
suspicion. I was right, no testimonials. Reviews
from big names in software retail, but no individual
testimonials. Maybe that would have tipped the
scales of credibility for me.
#backfire #guarantee
  • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
    For me that's more than 990 wpm. That's
    146% faster than the average college professor.
    I have no idea what my reading speed is, but 990 words per minute certainly sounds extremely fast.

    However, 146% faster than the average college professor sounds quite believable to me. College professors were never trained to read fast. Intelligence and higher education don't really correlate to reading speed, except that it's a hard profession if you're a slower than average reader. So reading 1 1/2 times faster than the average college professor to me sounds very attainable if the training is any good.

    Just curious, are you worried about wasting your money or wasting your time? Or generally about getting hoodwinked?

    Marcia Yudkin
    Signature
    Check out Marcia Yudkin's No-Hype Marketing Academy for courses on copywriting, publicity, infomarketing, marketing plans, naming, and branding - not to mention the popular "Marketing for Introverts" course.
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    • Profile picture of the author IDoTheLegWork
      Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

      I have no idea what my reading speed is, but 990 words per minute certainly sounds extremely fast.
      That would be my speed after the increase. Like you say,
      extremely fast.

      Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

      However, 146% faster than the average college professor sounds quite believable to me.
      The average adult reads 300wpm. A college professor 675wpm.
      Here's some comparisons:
      Do You Read Fast Enough To Be Successful? - Forbes

      Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

      Just curious, are you worried about wasting your money or wasting your time? Or generally about getting hoodwinked?
      Wasting time, and being hoodwinked
      Signature

      ..and you WILL contribute a verse.
      Indifference is the enemy that must be conquered.
      Appeal to the crowd by addressing the person.

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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    Originally Posted by IDoTheLegWork View Post

    Is there a lesson to be learned here (besides the
    need for testing)? Do we, in general, need to be
    concerned with a guarantee being too strong?
    What you didn't believe was a claim... not the guarantee.

    Make your guarantees as strong as you can.

    Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author Cool Hand Luke
      Originally Posted by Alex Cohen View Post

      What you didn't believe was a claim... not the guarantee.

      Make your guarantees as strong as you can.

      Alex
      This. The guarantee had nothing to do with it. The claim wasn't believable for you, which is why you weren't sold as a customer.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
        Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke View Post

        This. The guarantee had nothing to do with it. The claim wasn't believable for you, which is why you weren't sold as a customer.
        You quoted the wrong post. I wasn't the original poster who you're obviously addressing.

        Alex
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        • Profile picture of the author Cool Hand Luke
          Originally Posted by Alex Cohen View Post

          You quoted the wrong post. I wasn't the original poster who you're obviously addressing.

          Alex
          Lol no, I didn't. I was quoting your post with the "This." part of my statement. The rest of my comment was obviously aimed at the OP.

          No need to constantly have those panties all bunched up Alex.
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          • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
            Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke View Post

            Lol no, I didn't. I was quoting your post with the "This." part of my statement. The rest of my comment was obviously aimed at the OP.

            No need to constantly have those panties all bunched up Alex.
            No need to be sloppy with who you quote either. Clarity is a virtue.

            Alex
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            • Profile picture of the author Cool Hand Luke
              Originally Posted by Alex Cohen View Post

              No need to be sloppy with who you quote either. Clarity is a virtue.

              Alex
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Originally Posted by IDoTheLegWork View Post


    Is there a lesson to be learned here (besides the
    need for testing)? Do we, in general, need to be
    concerned with a guarantee being too strong?

    .
    This doesn't apply just to guarantees but to benefits in general.
    If the prospect doesn't BELIEVE that they could achieve what
    your product is promising EVEN THOUGHT IT IS TRUE
    you'll decrease response. That is why it is a great strategy to
    list a whole range of results to catch each "category" of believability.

    For example, "You can lose 5, 10, or even 25 lbs per month"

    -Ray Edwards
    Signature
    The most powerful and concentrated copywriting training online today bar none! Autoresponder Writing Email SECRETS
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  • Profile picture of the author MatthewRHallEsq
    Originally Posted by IDoTheLegWork View Post

    Is there a lesson to be learned here (besides the
    need for testing)? Do we, in general, need to be
    concerned with a guarantee being too strong?
    I wonder if they had promised that you'd be able to read faster than the average college professor than 3.471 times faster than the current speed.

    What do you think:
    "You Will Read 3.471 Times Faster, With Full Comprehension.", or...
    "You Will Read Faster than a College Professor, With Full Comprehension"?

    They're completely different, but I think the latter is more believable and ties nicely into my intellectual competitiveness.
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    • Profile picture of the author dmaster555
      Originally Posted by MatthewRHallEsq View Post

      I wonder if they had promised that you'd be able to read faster than the average college professor than 3.471 times faster than the current speed.

      What do you think:
      "You Will Read 3.471 Times Faster, With Full Comprehension.", or...
      "You Will Read Faster than a College Professor, With Full Comprehension"?

      They're completely different, but I think the latter is more believable and ties nicely into my intellectual competitiveness.
      I think the second one is worse .

      Who says college professors read fast ? I've never had one that does.

      Also it's not specific enough to make clear the actual benefit .

      Just adding the word "up to", in my opinion, will make the first one more believable .

      That implies that it depends more on your current skill level. More realistic for an extremely slow reader to achieve the 3.71 than an already fast reader who just wants to be faster .
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      • Profile picture of the author DABK
        Maybe, without realizing it, you were bothered by the math. You're going to read 341% faster yet, down the page, you improve results 163%.

        "Our tests have shown that this personalized learning approach increases your results by over 163% and reduces the required effort by over 221%! It’s now quick and easy to triple your reading speed"

        I'm also bothered by the 221% less effort. They don't know how much effort is costing me... so how can they come up with 221%.

        If they'd said, study participants reduced effort by 221%... But even then.
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        • Profile picture of the author splitTest
          Originally Posted by DABK View Post


          I'm also bothered by the 221% less effort. They don't know how much effort is costing me... so how can they come up with 221%.

          If they'd said, study participants reduced effort by 221%... But even then.
          I think DABK has got it right. Specificity is good, but "You Will Read 3.471 Times Faster, With Full Comprehension," overdoes it.

          The claim might've been better if it said "Read 3 Times Faster, With Full Comprehension" or "Read Almost 4 Times Faster, With Full Comprehension."

          "3.471" sounds like b.s... too precise for credibility in this case.
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