Adding value to your offers through bonuses is a well-known tactic to increase conversions and revenue. However, many struggle with utilizing bonuses effectively.
In this section, we will explore two approaches to bonus usage:
• Strategically incorporating advertised bonuses to enhance conversions.
• Implementing unadvertised bonuses to improve customer satisfaction post-sale.
Let’s delve deeper into these strategies.
Using Advertised Bonuses
Advertising bonuses play a crucial role in boosting conversions nudging potential customers towards making a purchase decision.
When a customer undecided, offering a compelling bonus can sway them towards clicking the order button and completing the transaction.
To make the most of this strategy here are some key points consider.
Offer Limited-Time Bonuses
If you’re looking to increase your conversions, consider offering exclusive bonus packages for a limited time.
It’s important to note that these special bonuses should be in addition to the regular included with your product.
By combining extra bonuses with discounts and a sense of urgency, you can significantly boost your conversion rates.
The key is to provide a bonus that is valuable, in-demand, and closely related to your main offer.
For example, if you’re selling a course on creating sales copy, you could offer fill-in-the-blank templates to help customers create sales letters and ads more efficiently.
By offering bonuses that enhance the main product and providing a time-sensitive offer, you can create a sense of urgency and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Use Bonuses to Handle Objections
When someone reads your sales letter, they’re bound to have objections swirling around in their mind.
It’s crucial your sales letter to address and overcome these objections.
If you want to take your sales to the next level consider creating bonuses that directly tackle these objections.
To implement this strategy effectively, you first need to pinpoint the specific objections that are causing your potential customers to hesitate.
The best way to do this is by reaching out to your target market through surveys or direct conversations.
Once you’ve identified these objections, you can tailor your bonuses to address them head-on.
Let me illustrate with a few examples…
Imagine you’re selling a course on search engine optimization.
Some prospects might glance at the course and think, “This seems like a lot of work – I don’t have time for all of this.”
In response to this objection, you could offer a free WordPress SEO app as a bonus to make it easier for customers to implement what they’ve learned on their site.
Another scenario: you’re promoting a product for organic pest control in gardens.
A common concern among potential buyers is the difficulty in distinguishing between helpful insects and harmful pests.
Their objection might be, “What if I end up killing the wrong bugs?” You could address this by including a bonus pest-identification video.
Let’s consider one more example: you’re marketing a dieting program to busy women. Many dieters worry that the meals won’t be satisfying.
This is especially challenging for moms who handle the cooking, as they don’t want to prepare separate meals for themselves and their family.
To counter this objection, you could offer a cookbook with quick, delicious recipes that appeal to everyone.
The key is to understand your customers’ objections and offer bonuses that directly address them.
This approach not only boosts conversions but also enhances customer satisfaction post-purchase.
Here’s another tip to maximize your bonuses and drive revenue…
Provide Delayed Bonuses
You know what’s pretty neat? A solid bonus can really give your sales a nice boost.
But hey, here’s a little secret: bonuses can also work wonders in reducing the number of refunds and keeping those customers coming back for more.
It’s about playing your cards right and using those strategically. One trick up your sleeve? Delaying those bonuses.
Now, how you go about this can vary on what you’re selling. Take, for instance, a multipart course like a video training series that’s doled out over time.
You could sprinkle in monthly bonuses to keep your customers engaged and satisfied. This tactic shines, especially if you’re charging a monthly fee for the training.
After all, who’s going to bail on their subscription if they’re still getting fresh bonuses every month?
Picture this: you’ve put together a six-month video training series with a subscription fee that lasts the same amount of time.
To sweeten the deal and keep your customers on board, you could dish out a bonus every month that they stick around and keep up with their subscription payments.
And don’t forget to save the pièce de résistance, your top-tier bonus, for those who see the training through to the end.
That’s just a taste of how you can use advertised bonuses to give your revenue a little nudge.
But wait, there’s more! Let’s talk about the magic of unadvertised bonuses…
Using Unadvertised Bonuses
There are a couple of good reasons why giving unadvertised (surprise) bonuses to your customers can be beneficial.
First and foremost, it’s all about surprising and delighting your customers, which can significantly boost their satisfaction levels.
And we all know that happy customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and explore other offers from you.
In essence, by ensuring high customer satisfaction, you not only increase lifetime value but also enhance your revenue streams.
A helpful tip to keep in mind is that satisfied customers are more inclined to recommend products to their friends.
So, if you want to ramp up referrals, consider incentivizing them with bonuses for sharing your link on social media and other platforms.
Moving on to the next point…
Another compelling reason to provide unadvertised bonuses is that it offers you an additional chance to showcase your backend links and calls to action to your customers.
The key here is to offer a bonus that your customers will find valuable and refer back to frequently.
Whether it’s an app, checklist, cheat sheet, gear list, or any other tool they’ll use regularly, these bonuses provide ongoing exposure to your promotions.
Lastly, offering unadvertised bonuses can help train your customers to engage with your emails.
This strategy works exceptionally well when you include a bonus in the initial one or two onboarding emails.
Here’s how it plays out…
By surprising your customers with a bonus right off the bat, especially in that crucial first email that nearly all customers read, their satisfaction levels soar.
This encourages them to keep opening your emails to discover more surprises.
As they progress through your onboarding sequence and start using your product, their satisfaction levels rise even more.
This, in turn, boosts the likelihood of them referring their friends and making repeat purchases.
In conclusion, there are numerous benefits to offering unadvertised bonuses. With that in mind, here are some tips and best practices to maximize this strategy.
Make sure the bonus you offer is a good fit. One common mistake many product creators make is not putting much thought into selecting the right bonus to offer.
Instead of carefully choosing a bonus that complements the main offer, they simply grab any product from their collection and include it as a bonus.
The issue here is that randomly adding “just any product” as a bonus can have negative consequences, such as devaluing your offer or reducing conversion rates.
For instance, if you provide a bonus that is only loosely related to the main offer, it can diminish the overall value of the offer.
Additionally, offering something unrelated won’t have a positive impact on your conversion rates either.
Another scenario to consider is if you include an old, outdated product as a bonus. In this case, potential customers may perceive your main offer as outdated as well.
Consequently, this can lead to a decrease in conversion rates.
To avoid these pitfalls, it’s essential to choose a bonus with the following characteristics:
Firstly, the bonus should be desirable.
The more appealing the bonus is to your prospects, the greater the positive impact it will have on your conversion rates and revenue.
Conducting market research to determine what your prospects truly desire can help in selecting the right bonus.
A valuable bonus is another key aspect to consider. The bonus should add genuine value to your offer.
This value should be authentic and not inflated or falsely assigned.
Avoid using exaggerated values in your sales pitch, as this can damage your credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of potential customers, leading to decreased conversion rates and future sales.
It’s crucial to attach a realistic value to your bonus. Consider the actual selling price of the bonus product if it were sold separately.
This real value should be reflected in your sales copy.
On the flip side, it’s important not to make the bonus pack too valuable.
While a highly valuable bonus can enhance your offer, packing on excessive value can raise suspicions among customers about the legitimacy of your offer.
Adding a few carefully selected bonuses is beneficial, but overwhelming customers with numerous bonuses can devalue the offer.
For example, some sellers may offer a product for $100 and include hundreds of dollars’ worth of bonuses, creating a significant imbalance in value.
This strategy can cheapen the overall offer instead of enhancing it.
Don’t do that. Instead, keep it at a reasonable value so it doesn’t devalue your offer. For instance, if you’re selling a $100 product, you could offer a bonus around $100.
NOTE: Sometimes you might put together a valuable bonus package as a special deal.
It’s fine to create a special promotion as long as it for a limited time only (not on a permanent basis).
For instance, you could introduce an introductory bonus deal worth much more than the asking.
Once the promotion ends, you can either increase the price of the entire offer, remove the bonuses, or do both (raise the price and eliminate the special bonus offer).
Now, here’s the next thing to consider… The bonus should be closely related to the main offer. This is crucial for creating an effective bonus.
Ideally, your bonus should enhance the main offer’s benefits, making it more enjoyable for the customer to use the main offer to achieve their goals or receive benefits.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you’re selling a course on managing debt.
You could include a bonus app that helps users create a budget, prioritize debts to pay off first, allocate funds for those debts, and save money.
Another example: if you’re selling a course on finding and securing a new job, your bonus might include a set of resume templates.
And here’s one more tip… Your bonus should include backend offers. Whatever type of bonus you offer, make sure to include a backend offer within the bonus.
This is especially effective if the bonus is something customers will refer to frequently, as they’ll also see your links and calls to action regularly.
For instance, if you’re selling a course on starting an online business, you could include a “gear list” as a bonus, providing customers with links and recommendations for all the tools and resources they need, such as recommended payment processors, autoresponders, blogging platforms, blogging plugins, and more.
You can also include links to apps and resources that you sell.
In Summary… Utilizing both advertised bonuses and surprise bonuses can benefit your business.
Advertised bonuses help increase conversions, while both types of bonuses enhance overall customer satisfaction and reduce refunds.
Satisfied customers are more likely to purchase more of your products and services, ultimately boosting your revenue.
Therefore, incorporating bonuses into your offers is a fantastic way to increase revenue, regardless of the niche you’re in.
Now, here’s another strategy for using bonuses to generate more income with your business…
Add Value to Affiliate Offers
No matter what kind of business you’re in there’s a good chance you’ll be suggesting affiliate offers now and then.
You might do this to earn extra income without creating your own offer first, to honor an agreement with a partner or to address a problem your product lineup can’t solve.
Whatever the reason for promoting affiliate offers, one thing is: adding value to your offer will boost your earnings.
In other words, if you throw in bonus for customers who buy through your affiliate link, you’ll outshine the competition, attract more orders, and see a revenue increase in your business.
So, here are some tips and best practices to set this up for maximum profits. Keep reading…
Step 1: Choose an Affiliate Offer
To make this system as profitable as possible, start by selecting a quality affiliate offer to promote.
But hold on…
You might come across high-commission affiliate offers that make you see dollar signs. Don’t jump the gun just yet. Don’t base your choice solely on potential profits.
Instead, pick an offer that resonates with your audience – one that solves their problems.
Think of it this way…
If your best friend faced the same issue as your target audience, what products would you recommend to them?
Those are the same products you should suggest to your audience.
Here’s why…
If people wanted to buy random products, they could do it on their own. They seek a gatekeeper, a trusted advisor, an expert.
Your relationships and reputation in your niche are crucial. Strong relationships and a solid reputation mean more earnings.
One bad affiliate recommendation can bring it all crashing down.
That’s why it’s vital to recommend quality products. Personally review and use any product you plan to recommend to ensure it meets your standards.
So, once you’ve pinpointed products that resonate well with your audience, it’s crucial to delve deeper by asking the following questions (and uncovering the answers through thorough research and diligent investigation):
– Does the product vendor boast a stellar reputation? If any warning signs pop up during a quick Google search, it’s best to steer clear. There are numerous honest vendors with solid reputations offering similar products.
– Does the sales letter exude professionalism and boast a high conversion rate? While you can affect low conversion rates to some extent through preselling, it’s essential to ensure that, overall, the sales letter (and the company as a whole) presents a polished and professional image.
– Are there any “leaking” issues within the sales letter? It’s crucial to confirm that any traffic directed to the offer isn’t diverted elsewhere, there are no unnecessary links on the page, and your affiliate link isn’t inadvertently hijacked.
It’s worth noting that vendors sometimes unknowingly harm affiliates.
For instance, a vendor might introduce multiple payment options to cater to their customers without realizing the potential impact on affiliates.
Your responsibility is to ensure that the vendor, product, and sales page all align to support your promotional efforts.
Once you’ve zeroed in on the offers you wish to promote, it’s time to move on to the next step…
Step 2: Choose a Bonus
Now, it’s time to enhance the value of your offer.
Certainly, your strong rapport with your audience and your reputable standing in the niche will drive sales of this offer.
However, to maximize your success, adding value is key.
Let’s explore the essential factors to consider when selecting and crafting a compelling bonus…
Offer a Bonus That’s Easy to Deliver
First things first: make sure that your bonus is something you can easily provide your customers.
For instance, you could offer access to a membership site, a book, a video, or any other digital product that can be delivered automatically.
It’s worth noting that while a done-for-you service may be appealing to your audience, it’s not scalable if you can’t offer it to a large number of people.
The only exception is if you have automated the service. If you’re still doing it manually, then it’s not a great bonus if it ends up consuming a lot of your time.
There are some cases where you want to consider offering a service:
1. If you can outsource the service to someone else, so you don’t have to do it yourself.
2. If you’re selling a high-ticket item with a generous commission rate that justifies the time and expense of providing a service.
You could also consider limiting the number of bonuses offered.
For example, you could say, “This offer is only available to the first 25 people who take action,” with everyone else receiving a different bonus.
For instance, let’s say you’re promoting a software product that costs $1000, and you earn a $500 commission.
You could offer installation and customization of the software as a bonus.
If you can outsource this task for $100 per installation, you’re still making a good commission for your efforts.
In essence, whenever possible, opt for a bonus like a video, a course, a book, access to a membership site, or any other item that can be delivered automatically.
Now onto the next point…
Offer Something That’s In-Demand
So, here’s the deal. Picture this scenario: your potential customer is weighing their choices, and they come across several affiliates dangling bonuses in front of them. (This tends to happen a lot during product launches, you know.)
Now, the trick is to ensure that your bonus stands out from the crowd.
It has to be so irresistible that it compels your prospects to click on your affiliate links instead of your competitors’ links.
Feeling a bit lost on what your audience craves? No worries, mate. Just roll up your sleeves and dive into good old market research.
Take a peek at what they’re already purchasing – that’s usually a solid clue about the kind of products that are a hit in your niche.
Create a Bonus That Works With the Affiliate Offer
When it comes to offering a bonus in conjunction with an affiliate offer, it’s crucial that the bonus is closely aligned with the main offer to maximize its appeal.
The goal is to provide a bonus that not only complements the main product but also enhances the overall value proposition for potential customers.
To determine the ideal bonus to offer, consider what additional product or service the prospect is likely to purchase separately.
By offering this as a bonus, you can incentivize customers to choose your offer over others.
To illustrate this concept, let’s consider an offline example.
Imagine you’re operating a food truck at a crowded food truck festival, selling hamburgers and fries alongside numerous competitors offering similar items.
To stand out and attract more customers, you decide to offer a free beverage with the purchase of a hamburger and fries.
This bonus is something that customers would likely have bought separately, making it a compelling addition to your offer.
The same principle applies to affiliate marketing online.
By understanding what additional products or services your target audience is interested in, you can tailor your bonus to meet their needs and preferences.
For instance:
– If you’re promoting a dieting guide, consider offering free access to a weight-loss membership site with monthly recipes and a support group.
– For a computer-security product, a free malware-scanning app could serve as an attractive bonus.
– Promoting a French countryside tour book? Include a restaurant review guide as a bonus.
– Selling a set of sales letter templates? Pair it with a copywriting guide as a bonus, or vice versa.
– For physical products like weights and a weight bench, offering a bodybuilding training video as a bonus can enhance the customer experience.
The key is to identify a bonus that resonates with your audience and complements the main product effectively.
By providing a valuable and relevant bonus, you can increase the appeal of your offer and encourage more conversions.
So, take the time to understand your audience’s preferences and needs, and craft a bonus that enhances the overall value proposition of your affiliate offer.
Step 3: Let’s Get It Started
Now, onto the final step – setting up a killer bonus page to showcase your amazing bonus offers.
In a nutshell, offering bonuses is a fantastic way to boost your conversions, keep your customers happy, and generate more backend sales. And the best part?
You don’t always have to come up with a brand new bonus from scratch when promoting an affiliate offer.
Here are a few options for you to consider:
– You can recycle a bonus that you’ve used before. If you’ve promoted other affiliate offers in the past, why not reuse a popular bonus that has worked well for you? And if you offer a bonus package, it doesn’t matter if a prospect already has one of your bonuses because there are still plenty of other goodies in the package.
– You can repurpose bonuses created from licensed content. Take a look at the private label rights content on your site to see if any of it fits well with the product you’re promoting.
– You can offer one of your own products as a bonus. For instance, if you run a membership site, why not give away free memberships as a bonus?
Quick tip: If you’re offering a subscription or membership as a bonus, consider making it a limited-time offer, such as six months or a year.
If your customers have enjoyed the membership during this trial period, chances are they’ll be happy to pay to continue once the freebie period is over.
The key is to make sure that whatever affiliate bonus you choose meets the criteria mentioned earlier.
It should be valuable, in-demand, easy to deliver, and help your customers reach their goals.
Stick to these guidelines, and you’ll soon see your affiliate revenue soar to new heights.
