Selling requires that you do three things: 1) make an offer, 2) provide information to help people accept your offer, and 3) provide an easy means of responding to your offer.
So one way or another, selling always centers around offers.
What sort of offers? Generations of selling experience reveal an endless variation of offers you can make to sell products and services. But some have become favorites because they work reliably again and again.
58 of the World’s Greatest Offers is a series of four articles from copywriter Dean Rieck of Direct Creative. Over the next couple of weeks, Dean will provide you with a handy resource of offers that have proven to be winners over the years. Remember that most good offers are really combinations of two or more individual offers, so feel free to mix and match.
The offers are organized by function to make the lists easier to use:
- Offers That Raise Response and Lower Risk
- Offers That Reduce Price and Increase Urgency
- Offers That Improve Terms, Add Services, and Make Bribes
- Offers That Increase Profits and Generate Inquiries
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24 comments... add one
#1 Sean D'Souza → 12.03.07 at 12:45 pm
Looking forward to it. We’ve used one type of offer for literally 5 years running. Never, ever, ever a discount offer. But a bonus offer. And it’s always spiked sales by as much as 300%-550%.
Once you get a good offer going (and this depends on how you structure your offer) you never have to change it. Not even the wording. It works time after time, and with consistent results.
Sean
http://www.psychotactics.com
#2 Dustin Brewer → 12.03.07 at 2:04 pm
Looks like it will be an excellent series. Can’t wait.
#3 Dan Schawbel → 12.03.07 at 2:14 pm
“What’s in it for me”
Using terms such as productivity, revenue, cutting-costs always work
#4 Moses Francis → 12.03.07 at 2:45 pm
This is one series i would not want to miss!
#5 Hamilton Ontario Real Estate → 12.03.07 at 3:52 pm
I’m looking forward to this series.
Can’t wait for tomorrow’s first installment!
#6 Nick Dobson (real name) → 12.03.07 at 7:42 pm
I am a serial doubter but am a keen listener, I will apply and report on the results of any advice given through copyblogger! something tells me this is just another rouse to money-make through expensive (non-refundable) advertising, oops! there I go again. Come on suprise me…..!
#7 Brian Clark → 12.03.07 at 7:46 pm Copyblogger
Nick, I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I think you’ll find the series valuable. :-)
#8 H Devaraja Rao, Bangalore, India → 12.03.07 at 10:54 pm
So one way or another, selling always centers around offers.
Revolves around, but centers on.
#9 Sand Key Condos → 12.04.07 at 1:10 am
Brian - you’ve got me - I’m looking forward to the series! :-)
#10 Virtaaj → 12.04.07 at 10:45 am
Great work, Brian and team! I really enjoy reading copyblogger. I am waiting to to read ‘58 of the World’s Greatest Offers’.
I have one question. Is making consumers wait for a wonderful product one of the 58 offers? ;)
#11 Dean Rieck → 12.04.07 at 11:26 am
H Devarajo Rao,
For the record, I’ll quote from Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage:
“The intransitive verb center is idiomatically used with the prepositions on, upon, around, round, about, in, and at.”
And according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the use of “centers around” goes back to at least the 17th century.
#12 Brian Clark → 12.04.07 at 11:30 am Copyblogger
Dean, I’m glad you whipped out Webster’s so I didn’t have to. :-)
All I can say is that no one has ever accused the English language of being logical. That’s why it’s so hard to learn (even for native speakers).
#13 Gaj → 12.06.07 at 3:54 am
Absolutely brilliant this is a fantastic article and I look forward to reading them all.
#14 Sonia Simone → 12.07.07 at 4:02 pm
I love this nuts & bolts stuff.
Who knew when I was a tender young creature that I’d grow up to be a marketing copy geek?
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#24 Cyndee → 03.27.08 at 1:27 am
I’m always looking for creative ways to convey a call to action or USP - looking forward to learning
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