Creating an Irresistible Offer

Congratulations, you’ve gotten Mr. or Ms. Prospect to look at your web page or advertisement or flyer, and now you'd like him or her to take the next step in your selling cycle.

How can you make it happen? Should you restate the benefits of your product or service in powerful selling language?

I say no.

You must move the prospect from thinking intellectually to feeling emotionally. Your prospect needs to move from appreciating the benefits to "WOW! I should really DO this. NOW!"

It may be hard to think of ways to emotionally connect with a "target market." After all, a target market isn't a person, a target market is a concept.

Instead, imagine an individual who is likely to buy from you. Make the person real. Give them a family, a job; give them wants, needs, and attitudes. Make more than one persona if you need to.

Next, take a page out of Dr. Linus Pauling's book and brainstorm. Here are some thoughts (and snarky links) to get you started:

• Make them an offer they can’t refuse (remember Don Corleone?)
• Shock and surprise them (remember Howard Stern?)
• Make it obvious.
• Solve an urgent problem.
• Show a big payoff.

Brainstorm until you've got a lot of ideas. Having trouble picking which one to use? Try the simplest one.

Now go sell something!