How to write guarantees that guarantee sales

Guarantees are a type of offer but they are also a powerful credibility booster. In fact, the word ‘guarantee’ is one of the strongest power words in copywriting.

You see, most purchases involve a certain amount of anxiety. Whether it’s trying a new brand of snack or spending a bundle on a new gadget, it’s natural to run through the risks and weigh them against the payoff.

A guarantee reduces the potential for an unwanted outcome, giving a bit more peace of mind.

A guarantee says, I’m so confident I can deliver that I will commit to this promise.

But many businesses are hesitant to offer really strong guarantees, like 100% money back, because they are worried about losing money. If you don’t believe your product or your service is up to the scrutiny, then you shouldn’t offer a money back guarantee but that kind of flakiness sends a clear message to your customers.

If you do believe in your product or service, isn’t it worth putting your money where your mouth is?

The question is…

Do guarantees really help people make decisions to buy?

The truth is …. yes they do.

The bigger you make your guarantee, the more inviting the offer is but many people get hung up on the monetary guarantees, like a price-matching guarantees.

Price-matching guarantees are usually seen on cheaper products so if you’re offering or writing about a high-end product or service, I would avoid talking about price.

And the money-back guarantee. Although it’s a very common guarantee, it’s also very powerful as it makes the decision to buy a no-lose situation. And that’s the point. I offer one for my Copywriting Master Class.

If after digging into the course for 30 days, you STILL don’t think you’ll walk away a better copywriter, let me know within 30 days of the course start day – and I’ll refund all your money.

You won’t be able to access any further content, or the community, or the coaching but you’ll have your cash back. And that’s cool.

The reality is, a guarantee doesn’t have to be about money at all.

Other types of guarantees

If you really stand behind your product or service, you can offer a satisfaction guarantee but they can get tricky as my definition of being satisfied might be different to yours. As a business owner, you have to be prepared to remedy a situation that may have nothing to do with you at all.

You could guarantee the results your client might achieve. That works for products and some services but I don’t believe copywriting is one them. There are so many variables that go into copywriting being successful (like design, timing and targeting) that it’s hard to pin down the variable that triggered the results.

But when you’re writing guarantees for your copywriting clients, the results are a compelling place to look for guarantee fodder.

Another option for service guarantees is to focus on the service delivery.

Like,

Your call is so important to us that we guarantee we’ll answer it within four rings.

We guarantee your package will be delivered the next day.

When you have a copywriting client who doesn’t offer a guarantee as such, dig into their service delivery and find out what they always do. That’s the kind of service delivery that can be written up into a powerful guarantee.

Tips on writing credible guarantees

If you are going to offer a guarantee, here are some tips:

• Make sure you (or your client) can stick to your guarantee
• Make sure you (or your client) do stick to you guarantee
• Don’t have too many strings attached (as that kind of defeats the purpose)
• If there are strings, make them clear at the time of purchase

Remember, it’s the confidence and transparency around a guarantee that makes it effective.

One final tip:

Make the remedy clear

This is important. You have to offer a remedy if the guarantee fails. And it has to be meaningful.

… or your money back.

… or your shipping is free.

… or your first consultation is on us.

Sometimes my copywriting clients are so excited about the impact a guarantee can offer, they forget about making sure they have a remedy. Because, life happens and the remedy is what will turn an unhappy customer around.

Have you used guarantees before? I’d love it if you shared it here. Or maybe you’re a bit nervous? Come now, we’re all friends here …

The Copy Detective

Interested in learning more about writing guarantees that guarantee sales? This is just one of the many topics I cover in a lot more detail in my Copywriting Master Class. Sign up for updates on course dates and get first dibs on the next launch special!