Guarantees: Why You Should Offer Them

There are many questions that often come up for new small
business owners around offering guarantees - what kind, how
long, am I risking too much by doing so, and even if they
should offer them at all.

In my business, I offer a guarantee on everything I sell.
The guarantees for my products are slightly different than
the guarantees I give for my 1:1 coaching and consulting
services, but the one thing they have in common is this:

Gurantees remove the risk from your buyer.

And yes, that means that then the "risk" is on your
shoulders, but that'e exactly where it should be. After
all, if you're providing something of value that you
believe in, standing behind it should be very easy to do.

Here are some other thoughts about offering guarantees for
your products/services, based on my experience and
knowledge:

1. Guarantees make it easier for your prospect to buy...

If you offer a 100% money-back, no-questions-asked
guarantee, you've answered your potential buyer's # 1
objection - "But what if it doesn't work for me?"

By assuring them that, if your product or service doesn't
do what you say it will for your buyer, you'll give them
their money back without demanding a reason, you're assured
more sales.

2. Guarantees are proven to make more sales...

You may think that by offering a guarantee people are going
to take advantage of it unscrupulously, especially if
you're selling a digital product. After all, you can't
really take an ebook back once someone has downloaded it to
their computer (and yes, I know there is software available
that turns "off" a returned copy, although I don't
recommend you use it).

But so few people will really do that that it's not worth
not offering a guarantee. There will always be a few
turkeys who will take advantage, but I suggest you leave it
up to the Universe or Karma or whatever to take care of
them.

3. Offer a strong guarantee...

Meaning, 100% money-back, no-questions-asked, one-year
guarantee.

Studies agree that the longer the guarantee, the less
returns you'll get. Why? Because people are busy, and they
will appreciate a longer time to try something out before
they have to return it. And frankly, unless they are
furious about a purchase, it's unlikely they will ask for
their money back, especially it's been awhile since they
bought it.

4. Guarantees for services...

If you're a service provider, like a coach or consultant,
it may be a bit more difficult to put a guarantee on your
results because usually you need your client's active
participation to achieve any results.

And since there're really no way that you can make them
engage, it wouldn't be wise to place all the responsibility
for results on you.

As part of your contract with your client, you might want
to include a detailed list of what it is that you will be
providing as well as what the expectations are of the
client, and that any requests for refunds will be based on
what expectations were met on both sides of the agreement
and to what degree. This can be very tricky, though, so to
paraphase a business coach I worked with a few years ago,
I'd suggest this option instead: "Here's your money, off
you go..."

5. Guarantees are promises...

If you offer something of value and you believe in it, then
it's easy for you to make promises about what it can do. It
should be equally as easy, then, to offer an iron-clad
guarantee to back up those promises.

Offering a strong guarantee will put your potential buyer
at ease and make more sales for you. If you'd like to see a
copy of my "No Quibbles Guarantee" visit my sales page for
my "21 Easy & Essential Steps to Online Success System" and
scroll to the bottom. And feel free to model it for your
own offerings as well!

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Alicia M Forest, MBA, Multiple Streams Queen & Coach? and
creator of "21 Easy & Essential Steps to Online Success
System?, teaches coaches, consultants, online
entrepreneurs, and self-employed professionals how to
attract more clients, create profit-making products and
services, make more sales, and ultimately live the life
they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to create
abundance in your business, visit
http://www.clientabundance.com/