Increase Your Sales and Profits With a Powerful Offer
By Bob Leduc
Did you ever buy something you didn't really want because the bonus you received was
worth the price you paid? I did it this week.
Several days ago I received an offer in the mail from a leading business magazine. Only
one paragraph in the two page letter mentioned the benefits I'd gain by reading the magazine.
Instead, it promoted the "perfect book for entrepreneurs" I'd get free by subscribing.
The letter even enhanced the offer by guaranteeing a full refund of the entire
subscription fee if at anytime during the coming year I didn't like the magazine. The free
book alone was worth the subscription fee. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. I subscribed.
Always Include An Offer In Your Advertising
An irresistible offer is the number one reason why people buy something. Anytime you want
to dramatically increase the response to your advertising, dramatically improve your offer.
Many small businesses don't always include an offer in their advertising. This is a costly
mistake because it doesn't provide a reason for prospective customers to respond. The best
way to get a response to your advertising is to make an offer your prospects can't refuse.
Your initial offer doesn't have to generate sales. It can generate leads or traffic to your
business or website. An offer to generate leads or traffic requires you to develop
another offer to convert those leads into customers. Developing two different offers is
more work but it usually produces the maximum number of sales at the lowest cost per sale.
How To Develop An Offer
I've used the following 4 step procedure many times to create powerful offers. It's
simple and easy to follow. Even someone without special talent, skill or previous
experience can use it to create a powerful offer.
Step 1: Select one product or service to promote in your offer. If you sell a variety of
products or services select only one to feature in your offer.
Step 2: Decide what specific action you want from prospects or customers who receive
your offer. For example, do you want them to call or write to you for more information?
Do you want them to visit your website? Do you want them to come into your store? Do you
want them to call for an estimate?
Step 3: Make your best offer. Make it as attractive as you can afford. A discount plus a
free bonus will generate more responses than a discount alone. A discount plus a free
bonus and a money back guarantee will generate an even greater number of responses.
Step 4: Calculate the profitability of your offer. Don't forget to include the cost of
advertising. A thin profit from your initial offer may be acceptable if you know it
will generate repeat business. Otherwise, revise your offer.
Suggestion: Sometimes you can increase your profit and the benefit to your customer
at the same time. Simply add a low- cost bonus item with high perceived value and
increase the price to the level required to produce the profit you need.
Always include an offer in your advertising. It's the primary reason why people buy
something. Use this simple four step procedure to develop your offer and watch how
fast your sales and profits increase.
Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses just like yours find new customers and
increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your
Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards and several other publications to help
small businesses grow and prosper. For information:
postcards@sendfree.com or visit: BobLeduc.com
or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV
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