Creating an offer that entices your potential customers can feel like an overwhelming prospect. It's an essential art that you need to master in order to increase your sales and revenue by turning prospects into paying customers.
It’s all well and good writing brilliant content, and luscious lead magnets that drive customers to your website and email list. But once you’ve captured the attention of your ideal customer then you need to showcase an amazing offer that compels them to take action and ultimately spend money with you.
Really, it’s always about providing a solution to your ideal customer pain points and problems. Think about it like an exchange rather than a sale, and how you can facilitate that exchange.
In this blog, we’ll explore what an offer is, why it’s so important to create one and how to create an offer that your customers can’t resist.
Along the way we will look at best practices and key tips that will get your offering from a dull glow to a sparkling shine!
What exactly is an offer?
The term offer makes us think of a sales promotion, but that’s not really an accurate representation of everything an offer entails.
An offer is a carefully crafted solution that you share with your customer - something that is so beneficial to them that they must have it.
Michael Hunter from PersonalBrand.com says that: “The value of your offer should FAR exceed the cost to access the offer.”
It should be so compelling that when your ideal customer comes across it they simply cannot resist. It’s an absolute “no-brainer”
Ultimately you want your offer to;
Add value to your prospect
Be totally benefit driven
Not be a sales promotion
How to create an irresistible offer?
We’re going to work through how to create an offer with help from our imaginary friend Fiona. Fiona is a business consultant and wants to create an amazing offer that her clients just can’t refuse.
A business consultant supports businesses through the planning, implementation and education phases. They work directly with business owners to develop a business plan, identify marketing needs and grow the necessary skills for independent ownership.
Fiona is looking for new clients and needs to build an offer based on her prospects' big problem.
Firstly, before creating your offer you need to highlight your prospects biggest pains. To make an offer that is intentionally for your customers you need to start with what they need.
For example, if you are a business consultant your prospects may have problems such as;
- Low interest in product launches
- Not enough traffic through the door
- Unable to increase ROI
At this time we want to choose one pain to solely focus on. Let’s select “low interest in product launches”.
Fiona needs to work out how to solve this problem for her customers with a package that supports businesses with planning a product launch that is relevant to their prospects.
This could include;
- Customer research with surveys and polls
- Testing product labels/packaging
- Marketing support for launch
- Creation of measurables for product
- Advertising strategy
- Campaigns for excitement, sales and follow up
Offers need to be holistic but at first sight they need to solve your customer’s problem immediately so Fiona needs to give her package a slamming name like: “Guaranteed higher interest in your product launch”.
So now you have the base structure of an offer that is a massive solution for your customers' big pain.
But are they ready for it?
How awareness can help to sell your business offer…
If your prospect doesn’t know they have a problem how do they know they need a solution?
There are five levels of awareness, and where they are in that journey dictates what information you give them, and whether or not you’ll get the conversion;
1. Unaware - customer doesn’t know why they have a need and has no ties to you or your product
2. Problem Aware - customer is aware there is a problem but doesn’t know your product is the solution
3. Solution Aware - customer sees the benefits but still doesn’t know your product is the solution for them
4. Product Aware - customer knows there is a product but isn’t ready to commit
5. Most Aware - customer knows about your product, knows it will solve their problem and they want it.
You need to ensure that your offer is relevant to the stage that your customers are at. If you pitch an offer that is relevant to ‘most aware’ customers to people hovering around the ‘problem aware’ stage it will fall flat on its face.
It’s important to build a journey that pushes customers through the awareness stages until they are ready to commit to the offer you’ve been dangling.
A nurture campaign following collection of email data will help to push your customers through the awareness stages.
This is why the timing of your offer is essential when you pitch.
When to make the business offer?
Timing is everything. If you have a bunch of fresh leads who have just joined your list and your first email is a sales email shoving an offer down their throat - they won’t buy it.
You need to add value, position yourself as the expert and give them reasons to trust you.
Here are some examples;
Building a rapport with your list means that you are putting effort into establishing a relationship which will organically fuel trust.
Trust = sales.
When you’re consistently adding value, your engagement is healthy and you have done your research on what your list is looking for. Then, make the offer.
If you’ve sent a few sporadic emails that aren’t enhancing their experience but more about your business then it’s not the right time.
You might sell a few but you won’t create the long term customer that will be an advocate for your business for years to come.
Pitch your offer once your customers are ready - and use your content to make sure that they are ready.
Ready to create an irresistible offer?
Creating an offer isn’t as simple as just plucking an idea out of thin air. You need to know your target audience, understand their pain points, build a relationship with your list and add value to your offer.
Preparation is key and timing critical so take care to devote yourself to building an offer that will sell itself!
We’re here to guide you through should you need it, get in touch - let’s see how we can help you make better offers and more sales.
