What Is Better Than FREE?

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What Is Better Than FREE?

Oh come on! FREE is free. Zero, zip, nada, zilch. What on earth could be better than FREE?

I recently told you FREE was the most powerful word in advertising. Nothing has changed, it still is.

So what is with the headline of this article? What is better than FREE?

Well before I explain, let's recap a little first. FREE is the most powerful word in marketing and advertising world because at its very heart lies the secret of 'risk reversal'. If you recall, in the previous article I was encouraging you to make your offer as close to risk-free as possible. And if you do this, you will be ahead of most of your competition.

--- Beyond Risk Reversal

Getting over the risk associated with making the wrong choice, or making the choice and then having the product under deliver or simply not work, is a problem that every buyer struggles with. And for what it's worth, most people are more afraid of making the wrong choice and looking foolish, than they are of just making the wrong choice.

So if you can negate this fear, if you stack the deck in your favour. If you can get the buyer over that hurdle, they will be one step closer to saying "yes".

--- Let's Dance

In any business transaction there is a silent dance that plays out every time someone offers something for sale, and someone considers buying it. Each party silently tries to maneuver themselves into a position where their risk is limited. As the seller, you can help the buyer get to that place if you assume all or more of the risk, then you will have less trouble selling your product or service. It's that simple.

--- "But James, nothing in life is really free."

Well, that is true to some extent. Even if I gave you something free, what it really means is that you did not have to part with any money. You paid no cash. You may still have spent time and energy on the sales process; you may have invested yourself emotionally in the prospect of owning that flashy new fangled widget.

Therefore, in reality, you have 'spent' something ? you spent time. And time unlike money is non-refundable. Time is finite and as the old saying goes? "Time waits for no man."

So if your prospect has accepted your request to explore the possibility of buying something from you, and has even gone so far as to consider making a deal with you, what can you do to clinch it? Well you can let them know you value their time. You can show them you respect them for taking the time to meet with you. You can show them that you appreciated their consideration of your product or service.

--- And The Answer Is?

And so the answer to your question 'what is better than free?' is 'Better Than Risk Free' or 'BTRF' for short.

Simply put, a BTRF offer rewards your customer for favouring you with their buying decision. In addition, if it does not work out ? you compensate them for their efforts. Here is a concrete example:

Whether you sell products or services, give the client something extra as part of the main deal. If the extra premium is free, then so much the better. To make the deal even stronger, make it known that the whole deal is 100% guaranteed and you'll refund their money if required (or whatever makes sense) and also let them know that regardless of the deals outcome, (and this is the BTRF part) they get to keep the premium item you gave them as your way of saying thank you.

'Better Than Risk Free' is better than free.

Author: http://www.JamesBurchill.com - James is a freelance writer and consultant

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Ford says CEO will work for $1 to get loans (AP)

AP - Ford Motor Co. will tell Congress that it plans to return to a pretax profit or break even in 2011 when the Detroit Three automakers' CEOs appear before lawmakers this week to request $25 billion in government loans.

Stocks bounce back after steep selloff (AP)

AP - Wall Street rebounded Tuesday, regaining some of the ground lost in the previous session's huge drop, as the potential for a bailout of the beleaguered auto industry helped calm investors. The Dow Jones industrials rose nearly 225 points, regaining a third of Monday's nearly 680-point plunge.

Ford Nov. sales drop 30 pct., Toyota falls 34 pct. (AP)

AP - Ford says its November U.S. light vehicle sales tumbled 31 percent amid a continued slump in consumer spending and tight credit markets. Toyota's sales fell 34 percent despite its extension of zero-percent financing on a dozen vehicles.

Thai airports to reopen after government falls (AP)

AP - Thailand's prime minister was ousted Tuesday after weeks of protests closed the capital's airports, stranding 300,000 travelers. Protesters promised to lift their siege, and international flights were expected to resume Friday.

Iraq's notorious 'Chemical Ali' given second death sentence (AP)

AP - A special Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin, "Chemical Ali" Hassan al-Majid, to death Tuesday after convicting him of crimes against humanity for his part in crushing the 1991 Shiite uprising in southern Iraq.

Obama seeks to assure nervous governors on economy (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama pledged quick work Tuesday on an economic recovery plan to include tax cuts and increased federal spending, and told the nation's governors he wants their advice in designing a package to help their hardhit states.

U.S. official: India knew of plot on Mumbai coast (AP)

AP - India received a warning from the United States before last week's attacks in Mumbai that militants were plotting a waterborne assault on the city, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday as domestic intelligence officials said they were aware of a Pakistan-based plot.

Body-swap illusion tricks mind in new study (AP)

AP - Shaking hands with yourself is an amusing out-of-body experience. The illusion of having your stomach slashed with a kitchen knife, not so much.

Britney Spears to embark on `Circus' tour in March (AP)

AP - Britney Spears is taking her "Circus" act on the road.

Burress arrives at Giants Stadium (AP)

AP - Plaxico Burress arrived at Giants Stadium on Tuesday, facing the possibility that his career with the Super Bowl champions could be over and he could land in jail after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh at a nightclub.

Big Three automaker plans hit congressional desks (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. automakers started to submit plans demanded by Congress as the Big Three's CEOs and lawmakers gird for debate over a $25 billion bailout the industry says it needs to survive.

Georgia votes in key Senate run-off election (Reuters)

Reuters - The state of Georgia votes in a run-off election for the Senate on Tuesday that will help decide whether Democrats gain a big enough majority in the chamber to ram through legislation virtually at will.

Thai court disbands ruling party (Reuters)

Reuters - Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was banned from politics for five years and his party disbanded on Tuesday, spurring jubilant anti-government protesters to end their blockades of Bangkok's airports.

Oil retreats below $49 as brief rally fades (Reuters)

Reuters - Oil fell below $49 a barrel on Tuesday, after reversing early losses in response to a rally in U.S. and European shares.

India demands Pakistani hand over fugitives (Reuters)

Reuters - India demanded Pakistan hand over 20 of its most-wanted fugitives as a sign of good faith, while both sides on Tuesday tried to cool tensions over the Mumbai attacks before a visit by Washington's top diplomat.

Iraq's "Chemical Ali" gets second death sentence (Reuters)

Reuters - An Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein's cousin "Chemical Ali" to death Tuesday for the killing of thousands of Shi'ites in a ruthless crackdown on their uprising after the 1991 Gulf War.

Two U.S. soldiers charged for abusing Afghans (Reuters)

Reuters - Two U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan have been charged with the abuse of Afghan detainees, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Report: Chances of WMD attack in major city likely (Reuters)

Reuters - The chances of a terror attack on a major city somewhere in the world using weapons of mass destruction are better than even, according to a task force mandated by the U.S. Congress, The Washington Post reported in its Tuesday edition.

Thai protests to end after court ousts govt (AFP)

AFP - Thai anti-government activists on Tuesday agreed to end protests that have paralysed Bangkok's airports, after a court stripped Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat of his post and outlawed the ruling party.

Pakistan offers 'joint investigation' into Mumbai attacks (AFP)

AFP - Pakistan offered on Tuesday to work hand-in-hand with India to track down those responsible for the Mumbai attacks but declined to respond immediately to a demand that it hand over 20 terrorist suspects.

What Is Better Than FREE?

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