Suppose I asked you the following two questions:
“Would you give me $10?”
“Would you like a free gift card worth $10?”
Which question has more appeal to you? Obviously, the second one. Which question sounds selfish and which one sounds generous? It’s a no-brainer.
Yet, most marketers tend to use the first type of question when promoting products on their website. For example, on most home pages, you see self-centered phrases, such as:
- Buy the new book
- Donate today
- Join our email newsletter
- Like us on Facebook
- Big sale…buy now!
These types of statements essentially imply, “Would you give me $10?” It’s a selfish reference point. Customers pick up on this signal and usually ignore the offers or leave the website altogether. A lot of revenue is lost because the ultimate question is never satisfied which is, “What’s in it for me?”
The solution to this problem is to employ a mindset of generosity. Create a substantial free offer and make it the first thing your website visitors see. Flip the dynamic and make people think, “Wow, that’s a really cool offer they’re giving away.” This approach sends a signal to customers that resembles my earlier question, “Would you like a free gift card worth $10?” (Don’t stop at $10 if you can give more.)
A generous mindset will encourage more people to join your email newsletter, check out a new product, consider buying a new service, etc. Examples of free offers that will get attention include:
- Give away entire e-book
- Give away a multi-part audio or video series
- Give away a whole music album
- Give away a collection of art-related printables
- Give away several smaller items, such as a series of helpful articles
In return, your generosity will be rewarded with a higher level of response, positive word-of-mouth, and increased sales. In addition, people will be more likely to give you their legitimate email address, instead of a fake one.
Don’t be a Scrooge with your marketing. Stinginess just makes you appear selfish. Be generous towards your customers, and they’ll generously open their wallets.
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Why not take a look at your website home page right now? If it’s like most sites, you may be sending a selfish signal to visitors without realizing it. If it’s been that way for a while, consider asking for help. I’ve taught entrepreneurs and $100 million dollar organizations how to rapidly increase sales by shifting to a generous marketing mindset. Contact me to discuss a customized solution.
