28 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
28 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Your thoughts on this guarantee, please?

by Michael Meaney
21 replies
Hey you clever guys and gals, mind if I run this 'no quibble money back guarantee' by the WF's creative collective?

Btw it's not an IM product.

Listen, if you take issue with any of the information presented on these disks or find fault in anyway then I want you to get your money back.

And that's why I'll make you this promise;
Grab the DVDs and watch them. Squeeze every single drop of information that you can, absorb the facts and do your own research. Then if you don’t agree that you’re getting at least 10 times the value you've paid, or if you're not satisfied in anyway, for any reason, after any amount of time, I'll buy it back from you at full price - it only takes a couple of clicks to sort out and we'll still part as friends with no hard feelings.

How does that sound?
You have my thanks.
#guarantee #thoughts
  • Profile picture of the author Spiderwebcopy
    Well, it's an odd fact that the more generous the guarantee the less number of returns you'll do. Most people think of it opposite.

    The customer should never have to assume the risk - ever.

    If you don't believe in the product enough to offer the most generous guarantee there is, then they won't believe in the product either.

    I probably wouldn't be as 'wordy' as this but you're on the right track here IMO.
    Signature

    "A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself." ~ David Ogilvy

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174598].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
      And that's why I'll make you this unique promise;
      Not sure how you can call this "unique"!

      "Unique" means no one has ever done this. Which is far, far from true.

      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.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174647].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
        Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

        Not sure how you can call this "unique"!

        "Unique" means no one has ever done this. Which is far, far from true.

        Marcia Yudkin
        True if you're talking about the IM niche, or dating, or weight loss, or fishing, or golf etc etc.. which this isn't. The big boys in the niche I'm entering ain't using sales techniques like this.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174690].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
      Originally Posted by Spiderwebcopy View Post

      Well, it's an odd fact that the more generous the guarantee the less number of returns you'll do. Most people think of it opposite.

      The customer should never have to assume the risk - ever.

      If you don't believe in the product enough to offer the most generous guarantee there is, then they won't believe in the product either.

      I probably wouldn't be as 'wordy' as this but you're on the right track here IMO.
      Thank you for that.

      Yes now that you mention it I agree it's a bit wordy. Let's see how I can trim a bit o fat off it.. hmm.
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174698].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
      Originally Posted by Spiderwebcopy View Post


      The customer should never have to assume the risk - ever.
      A customer assumes risk whether there's a guarantee or not.

      If there's a guarantee, the risk is that the seller won't honor the guarantee.

      If you don't want your buyer to assume any risk whatsoever... use risk reversal, not a guarantee.

      A 30-day free trial is a good example of risk reversal. Money doesn't change hands until the buyer has had 30 days to review it.

      Alex
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174793].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author splitTest
        I like it, but I'd edit this part:

        "Then, if after that you're still happy to keep the DVDs, we'll call it a fair deal."

        "If" they're still happy to keep the DVDs??

        I presume that in the rest of your offer you've been telling them how happy they're going to be with the DVDs...

        And how they're getting way more than "a fair deal."

        That line makes it sound like they're doing you a favor, rather than the other way around... Like maybe you have some spare DVDs laying around that they're buying through craigsllist... It's tepid... flaccid... "iffy"...

        imho
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174806].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
          Originally Posted by splitTest View Post

          I like it, but I'd edit this part:

          "Then, if after that you're still happy to keep the DVDs, we'll call it a fair deal."

          "If" they're still happy to keep the DVDs??
          You're absolutely right.

          I'll change it to this instead:

          Then if you don't agree that you're getting at least 10 times the value you've paid, or if you're not satisfied in anyway, etc etc
          Signature
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174835].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
        Originally Posted by Alex Cohen View Post

        A customer assumes risk whether there's a guarantee or not.

        If there's a guarantee, the risk is that the seller won't honor the guarantee.

        If you don't want your buyer to assume any risk whatsoever... use risk reversal, not a guarantee.

        A 30-day free trial is a good example of risk reversal. Money doesn't change hands until the buyer has had 30 days to review it.

        Alex
        Good points.

        Money isn't the only thing the client is risking. In fact, it's the smallest risk in most cases.

        The biggest risk, which none of them will tell you about out loud, is the fear that the product won't work for them and they'll have another "I tried that and it didn't work..." notch in their belt.

        When I was managing a call center that sold coaching programs, this was the #1 "unspoken" objection. It took me several months of listening to sales calls to find this out, but once I did, I created a script that more than doubled our close rate. I had the rep tell a story about a similar disappointment to demonstrate empathy and anchor the guarantee to that.

        I've used this same approach in direct sales letters and it's damn effective...here's an example from my swipe file...

        [THIS IS FOR EXAMPLE ONLY, PLEASE BE AND DON'T COPY IT]

        At this point, you might be thinking about a consultant you hired in the past or a marketing course that sounded great in the ad, but left much to be desired in its delivery. You might have even sworn that you'd never let yourself be disappointed by empty promises again.

        Like you, I've had more than my share of let downs and the last thing I need is more disappointment and regret in my life. When I was 12 years old, I remember ordering a toy train set out of a catalog. I spent six months worth of my allowance on it and I was excited about getting the box shipped to my parent's house, ripping it open and becoming the envy of all my friends as I set up a miniature train set on my bedroom floor.

        I'll never forget how dissappointed I was to find the cheap, plastic and cardboard cut outs that, once assembled, looked so frail and pathetic that so much as a stiff breeze could have blown them over. I remember trying to convince my friends that I was happy about how I'd spent six months of my allowance. But I couldn't shake the nagging doubt that I'd wasted my money.

        Since then, I've had dozens of let downs, in both my business and personal life. I've served over 1,300 clients over the past 17 years and I've seen the waste and the disappointing hopes created by well-meaning, yet "enthusiastically ignorant," business coaches, many of whom have never run a successful business in their lives. That's why, I'm offering to refund your money AND mail you a check for $100 if you're in ANY way disappointed with your decision to hire me as your marketing consultant.

        I've given you plenty of reasons why the **********System is unlike ANY other *********system on the planet and I've show you why I'm 100% confident that, within the first few days of working with me, you'll KNOW that this IS the business growth breakthrough you've been searching for. But if for any reason you feel that I've sold you a cheap, plastic and cardboard train set, all you have to do is call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX and I'll personally make it right.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9175874].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Karol Z
    I personally like it. It's unique, as I have not came across any guarantee too similar to this. It also makes me trust you, the paragraph alone builds some kind of a relationship almost.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174735].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author chrisrock789
    I like it. You sound very open and upfront with these people.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9174773].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    If you can, I would quantify the "10 times the value you paid"

    Customers probably won't work this out, but if you can give them a figure -

    "You must make at the very least $xxx" or "You must achieve at the very least xxx"

    It becomes a lot more enticing.


    Steve
    Signature
    http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors...right-now.html
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9175025].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      If you can, I would quantify the "10 times the value you paid"
      Thanks for that Steve.

      This one is gonna take some thinking about..
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9175039].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author davemiz
    lol... what sales technique?

    you're just giving them a guarantee.

    it looks very similar to the copy frank kern uses on his.

    wow... a guarantee... really a groundbreaking sales technique. :-)
    Signature

    “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.”
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9175418].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
      Originally Posted by davemiz View Post

      wow... a guarantee... really a groundbreaking sales technique. :-)
      Real constructive.

      So anyway it's all relative.. there's loads of niches out there that ain't using the stuff we take for granted. I'd say if a guarantee increases sales, then it's a sales technique?
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9175752].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kunle Olomofe
    Ok. I agree with Marcia, Allen Cohen, Steve The Copywriter and also Dave, first off though is that you didn't state this was to a niche that doesn't see stuff like this often if ever so others made their posts on the assumption it was a more general niche. Secondly, it is really boiler plate and not even my style of boiler plate, this kind of guarantee is what I see used by those guys I simply wouldn't trust to pay back the money, and I know many of them that do that (make folks jump through all kinds of hoops or just ignore refund requests etc) this is practically the exact guarantee those guys use to, so for someone who knows about that stuff it doesn't inspire confidence in the writer. Now having said all of that, from your other posts I will just assume that you mean well and you're not like those guys I mentioned, but if you want your guarantee to be really unique I would take the time to really build one from the ground up. That way when you say unique you mean it and anyone can check that and find it to be so. If it's not unique (you didn't say "Unique to THIS niche", you just said UNIQUE) and it clearly isn't what else are you saying that isn't quite what it seems? Do you see my point? Your prospects probably won't go that far but you can't advertise something as unique that isn't because someone somewhere just may hold you to those words and others you use albeit innocently that are not perfectly 100% true to what you said.

    Now Steve's point is so valid also, though your argument is that money isnt the only or major risk for your audience, I would still go with a trial period as a DOUBLE WHAMMY "guarantee", they don't care about losing the money as much as having another failed experiment but you are concerned about making sure they don't even have to take ANY risk at all so first you've removed the finanial risk and the fact you're letting them in at no cost should prove just how confident you are they will stick around after the trial because they'll find what you say in your copy to be the absolute truth told and you're putting your own money where your mouth is. You can word it any way you like and you can offer risk reversal or a guarantee but if you're going for unique, think up something NO ONE in ANY industry is doing even yours and that will be something you can play up 110% and it could end up being your sweet spot offer that gets you lots of reach AND sales.

    Sorry I'm a tad distracted by the kids so hope that made some sense and helps a little

    Cheers

    Kunle Olomofe
    Signature
    Celebrity Marketing Formula - How To Quickly Become A Celebrated Authority In ANY Industry/Niche... Coming Soon.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9178101].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BWHadam
    looks an awesome guarantee to me. simply, go with it.
    Signature

    Lowest Possible Price Servers- PawnHost.com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9178225].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kunle Olomofe
    Speaking of unique guarantees, I found one for you that is endearing at the very least if not 100% unique, take a look at it here for ideas: 100 Year Warranty I like the (what I believe to be) totally tongue in cheek angle of the warranty -- made me chuckle and immediately warm to the guy
    Signature
    Celebrity Marketing Formula - How To Quickly Become A Celebrated Authority In ANY Industry/Niche... Coming Soon.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9182104].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
      Speaking of unique guarantees, I found one for you that is endearing at the very least if not 100% unique, take a look at it here for ideas: 100 Year Warranty I like the (what I believe to be) totally tongue in cheek angle of the warranty -- made me chuckle and immediately warm to the guy
      I don't believe it's tongue in cheek at all. (Although it's humorous.)

      It lays out clearly what would count as abuse of the guarantee and tells the customer what to do instead of returning the item.

      Unfortunately, without saying this some people would delude themselves into thinking that a generous moneyback guarantee does entitle them to a refund if they don't like the item any more.

      Thanks for this example!

      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.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9182737].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Kunle Olomofe
        Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post

        I don't believe it's tongue in cheek at all. (Although it's humorous.)

        It lays out clearly what would count as abuse of the guarantee and tells the customer what to do instead of returning the item.

        Unfortunately, without saying this some people would delude themselves into thinking that a generous moneyback guarantee does entitle them to a refund if they don't like the item any more.

        Thanks for this example!

        Marcia Yudkin
        Cheers Marcia! It is really very clearly stated what constitutes a warranty-worthy request and you're right the full warranty isn't meant as a joke, but I was actually referring only to the first paragraph talking about the client's descendants contacting the seller's descendants for a refund. It's probably for real but as you said gives you a good chuckle with the way it was said and I'm sure that was on purpose too considering how he writes in other parts of the site.

        In any case it's really given me some great ideas for being unique with my guarantees, really a good concept.
        Signature
        Celebrity Marketing Formula - How To Quickly Become A Celebrated Authority In ANY Industry/Niche... Coming Soon.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9183096].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author pewpewpewmonkeys
    Listen, if you take issue ... in anyway

    ...if you're not satisfied in anyway
    Both of these should be two words: any way.
    Signature
    Some cause-oriented hackers recently hacked one of my websites. So I researched what they're about and then donated a large sum of money to the entity they hate the most.

    The next time they hack one of my websites I'm going to donate DOUBLE.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9183061].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kunle Olomofe
    Hey Michael,

    I just dragged this guarantee out from a letter I wrote in 2005 or so, the product sold really well too and I got zero refund requests.... see if it helps at all...


    Your investment right now is 100% secure,
    and You can start to benefit right away!

    Alright, I hear you saying, all that sounds great and I'm eager to order, but I have a few questions...

    Question 1: Do you offer a money-back guarantee? And how long is it?

    Answer: Yes I do. And my money-back guarantee is 60 days long.

    I like to call my guarantees the "Fairest money back guarantees on the net".

    The reason is simple. I have never refused anyone who wanted one.

    I have never asked questions.

    I have never made the process of requesting a refund a pain in the ass.

    And I never will. Ever.

    Has that opened me up to being robbed blind online?

    Surprisingly, my fair attitude towards honoring guarantees has brought me fewer than 10 refunds in about 6 years of selling my products online.

    That's quite a record. I'm sure you'll agree.

    As for your order now, well, it's protected by the same time-proven 100% satisfaction-only money back guarantee. You can order now with peace of mind and if at any time within the next 60 days you want your money back for ANY reason, I don't care what it is, send me an email saying you want a refund.

    I will honor your refund with a smile. You want to know why? Simple.

    I prefer to earn someone's money who is happy to give me their hard earned money in return for quality information and/or service.

    I find that I sleep better at night that way. And I love to sleep well at night.

    It's very important..;-)

    So, just to restate the fact: Yes, you have my 100% "I'll give you your money back with a smile" 60 day money back guarantee. If you are ever unhappy for any reason, email me to get a FULL refund.
    Signature
    Celebrity Marketing Formula - How To Quickly Become A Celebrated Authority In ANY Industry/Niche... Coming Soon.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9186524].message }}

Trending Topics