~Vito Corleone in "The Godfather"
Let's talk about the offer and the call to action, and what part they play in a direct response marketing ad.
First, Just What Constitutes An Offer?
The offer is simply what you're promoting to prospective customers in your ad or campaign. An offer typically includes the main product or service, in addition to a combinations of discounts and premiums that sweeten the deal.
A premium is a free promotional item that is included in the offer to increase the perceived value, and to make the offer seem more attractive to the customer. You often see this tactic used by martial art schools when they give away a free uniform with every intro course.
Note that giving away lessons for free is also an offer... but it's not always the best offer for getting new clients. For this reason, you need to test different offers to see which ones work the best for your business and in your area (more on this in a minute).
The Godfather Offer
I always tell my coaching clients that if they want an ad to convert (meaning, to generate new business), then they have to include a "Godfather offer"—an offer they can't refuse.
The idea is to present enough value in your offer to make the prospect want to jump on it immediately... but not so much value as to seem desperate, or to cheapen the value of your service in the prospect's mind.
Direct response marketers regularly come up with ridiculously huge offers, and you'll often see people giving away a huge amount of product for a ridiculously low price. The reason for this is because they know that, if they get you to buy one thing, they can most certainly get you to buy another.
However, sometimes this strategy can work against you, especially if it looks like you're giving away the store. This will only serve to cheapen the value of your services in your prospect's mind.
The rule of thumb is to make sure that the out-of-pocket cost is never more than half the price of the offer. That way, you are always bringing in more money than you're spending on the offer, and you always have more money to spend on ads.
Also, keep in mind that the sale price often becomes the expected price. So, if your sale price is too low, it could make it harder to get prospects to pay full price later on.
Why You Must Always Include An Offer...
It's simple—because the offer provides the prospect with the motivation to act.
The emotional appeal of the headline makes a promise to the reader, and the subhead and body copy provide "proof" that you can back it up.
This piques the reader's interest and gets them thinking that they might want to know more about what your business offers. But it's the offer that seals the deal, that pushes them over the edge.
Ask yourself, how many times have you been up late at night watching an infomercial, simply because they did or said something that caught your attention?
Sure, you were intrigued by the product and the presentation. But it wasn't until you saw the "ridiculously low price" that you decided to call or go online and order.
Companies like Guthy-Renker and Beach Body have made millions with that approach to selling. And there's really no reason why you shouldn't do so as well.*
Testing Offers
One refrain I hear time and again from school owners is, "So-and-so does this, so that's what I'm going to do in my offer."
But just because So-and-so gets results with a particular offer, it doesn't mean you will get the same results. That's why you need to test different offers, because some offers work better in specific markets than others.
A perfect example of this is how I used to offer 30 days free in my first school. Well, that school was located in an affluent area, so the people who took me up on it generally had the means and intent to continue after their trial was over.
I tried the same thing in my second school, in an area that was lower-middle income. And, I mostly got tire kickers—people who just wanted to take a free month of martial arts, who had no intentions of continuing after.
So, I had to change my offer to weed those people out.
Why You Must Always Included a Call to Action...
A call to action is just what it says—a phrase or sentence that calls the reader to act. It's basically a verbal or written prompt that tells the reader what you want them to do.
And of course, you want them to pick up the phone and call you, or go online to your website and order.
This may seem obvious to you, but often to the reader of your ad it's not so obvious. Even if you have your contact information clearly listed at the bottom of your ad, it doesn't mean that the reader will use it.
That's why you always have to tell them what to do. "Call now!" "Contact us today!" "Click here to order!"
Failure to include a call to action is a common reason for underperforming ads. So, always include a call to action at the end of your ads.
Coming Up...
Monday I'll be back with the next email in this series, where I'll talk about postscripts and "fine print," and how those devices can be used to supercharge your ads. Stay tuned!
Until next time,
Mike Massie
MartialArtsBusinessDaily.com
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P.S. - *I know most infomercials are cheesy as all hell. But, that doesn't mean you can't learn from them. This weekend, get up early and turn on the TV, and try to find an infomercial for a fitness-related product. Pay attention to how they start by making a bold claim, then back it up with stats and testimonials, and then close with the offer and call to action. Believe me, watching infomercials and reading direct response ads with a critical eye will provide you with an education in advertising that you won't find in your local college marketing course.
