The question in the subject line may sound ridiculous! You’re thinking OF COURSE I have a guarantee; everyone in our business has a guarantee. Let’s clear the air about something – not everyone does, many because they “think” they CAN’T.
I’ll show you how close to 90{4f9a0efffcb91fb5dd1a060545d3b715c77c30a3ee3625efeec81870f3519768} of you don’t have a guarantee. Don’t believe me? Read until the end, then take a look and you’ll find out I’m right.
I look at hundreds of websites from all over the country. Most are terrible and over 90{4f9a0efffcb91fb5dd1a060545d3b715c77c30a3ee3625efeec81870f3519768} of them don’t mention their guarantee on their home page, which is why I began offering a “marketing website critique” for business owners. Yes, many have a tab that says guarantee, BUT remember, most consumers are searching via a mobile device and don’t have the time or patience to go searching to see if there is a guarantee or what it is. Statistics show consumers will spend on average a little over 6 seconds on a website. If they don’t see what they want or are looking for they go to the next on the list. Bottom line, if the guarantee isn’t on the home page, it’s tantamount to not having one.
I see tons of ads and most don’t mention their guarantee, or it’s difficult to find. The mindset of today’s consumer is, “if they don’t mention it (the guarantee), they must not have one or they would have it in their ad.” Bottom line, if the guarantee isn’t in the ad or easily (remember you only get seconds) found, it’s as good as not having one.
A company guarantee should be “proudly” displayed everywhere! In any place you are trying to attract new customers, and frequently to your existing clients, including in your newsletter. Many think it’s not necessary to “advertise” their warranty to their current customers; not true. Aren’t we all looking for referrals? If someone is talking to a possible referral and they’re asked about the warranty and aren’t sure about it, the new prospect will not be as receptive, especially if they decide to check for themselves by going to your website and it’s not easily found.
No Guarantee Lie #6
One reason many business owners don’t keep their guarantee in front of their current customers is they’re afraid it may encourage them to use it!? What a mistake! Consumers judge how good your business “really” is by how they are treated when there is an issue. Everyone can smile and say “thank you” when they’re taking the payment BUT, how are they treated when something isn’t quite right?
Survey after survey of what’s important to consumers when deciding on a new business lists the company’s guarantee as either the most important aspect they consider or the second most important. This makes your guarantee a part of your marketing CRITICAL; yet it is not given anywhere near enough consideration when the marketing is planned.
Keep in mind the competitive advantage you can have when you DO make your guarantee an important part of your website and your marketing. Remember what I said earlier that over 90{4f9a0efffcb91fb5dd1a060545d3b715c77c30a3ee3625efeec81870f3519768} of businesses do a poor job of advertising their guarantee. By doing so, you’ll have a huge competitive advantage. Most small business owners offer a better guarantee than their bigger competitors. Take a look at what the big box stores and franchises in your industry offer. After looking into them, you’ll see how you have a competitive advantage over those competitors who usually have a lot more to invest in marketing than you do.
Another reason why I say many DON’T have a guarantee is that they have a ton of stipulations added. When consumers see several asterisks or a bunch of fine print they’re immediately turned off. Bottom line; if the guarantee contains a bunch of legalese that turns off the prospect, it’s just like not having one.
To be great, guarantees need to be clean. Don’t lawyer ’em up!
If your product or service does what you say it does then the increased number of sales, because of the presence of your guarantee, will outweigh the number of people who take you up on your guarantee.
Tout it Loud
Too often “the guarantee” has taken a back seat to price in most advertising, yet most complain about NOT wanting to get down and dirty on price BUT they don’t know what else to do. Emphasize your guarantee in all of your advertising, even pointing out that yours (if it’s true) is “the best guarantee” in town or in the industry or “one of the best guarantees in town.”
THE thing to keep in mind: your warranty IS one of the most important things that “new” prospects take into consideration when deciding to try a new business. Ultimately isn’t that the purpose of your ads and your website, to bring in new customers?
If you’d like my free report – 7 Lies Behind “We Can’t Guarantee Anything!”
Including examples of guarantees in some industries who CAN’T guarantee anything, click here to get yours now!
Dan Cricks,
Results Marketing, LLC
P.S. I’m not only going to give you this very powerful strategy, you’ll walk away knowing how to use it right away! But you have to be there!
