December 2002

Copywriting Technique
How to Write a Strong Guarantee
by Tom Antion

If you are going to bother having a guarantee at all I suggest using strong language to really make it do its work in increasing sales. Don't be wishy washy about it.

The longer the guarantee the better when it comes to reducing the risk to the customer and increasing sales, but your credit card company may have its own restrictions on the length of your guarantee. Many have a six month limit.

Here are a bunch of terms you can use that will put teeth in your guarantee and make people feel comfortable in ordering. Feel free to mix and match:

• Ironclad guarantee

• Unconditional guarantee

• Unconditional money-back guarantee

• Satisfaction guaranteed

• Lifetime guarantee

• 30 day no-risk guarantee

• Try it free for X days and if you're not happy send it back for a complete refund.

• . . . we will promptly refund every nickel you paid

• I'll personally refund your money

• I guarantee that everything you see if truthfully described.

• We stand behind our products with a full money-back guarantee if you aren't satisfied for any reason.

• If this product isn't every bit as wonderful as we say it is, simply return it to us for a full refund.

• No questions asked money-back guarantee

You can put variations of the above phrases into paragraphs like the ones below:

"Everyone says I'm crazy for giving such and awesome guarantee. If you don't think this is the greatest blue widget you've ever seen, return it within 60 days and I'll personally refund every nickel you paid."

"We believe so much in our red gizmo that we're going to let you try it out for 90 days in your home RISK FREE. If you don't like it send it back and we'll even pay the shipping and give you a no questions asked refund."

"Our green whatchamacallits are delivered with no risk to you. Everything you see on this page is truthfully described. Use them for six months. If you don't think they are worth three times what you paid, send them back for a full refund."

Here are some guarantee guidelines:

• State the time period the guarantee is good for and make it as long as possible relative to your offer.

• Use strong language

• Make sure the prospective customer understands that they have no risk.

• Let them know that there will be no hassles if they return the product.

• Tell them the reason why you are offering such a great guarantee.

Start cutting out guarantees from all the print advertisements you get and copy all the ones you see on the web. You'll be able to pick out all kinds of great guarantee language by doing this that you can use in your ad copy.