The best guarantee to offer your direct mail buyer is one that hurts. You, that is. Like you, your potential buyer lives in a rip-off society where merchants sell shoddy products and vendors do not honour their promises.

In this kind of selling and buying climate, the best way to increase response rates and encourage repeat business is to offer a guarantee that hurts you but helps your customer. The more you have to lose, and the less your customer has to lose, the better off you both will be.

1. Make your guarantee unconditional. Let customers know you will honour your guarantee for any reason.
   

2. Offer a 100% money-back refund. Dont charge a re-stocking fee. Dont withhold the taxes. Give every penny back.
   

3. Set the length of the guarantee at infinity. Offer a lifetime guarantee. Agree to take back the merchandise at any time.

Offering this kind of guarantee will hurt. Youll be afraid of people taking advantage. And some will. Youll be afraid of the pain to your bottom line, and rightly so.

But the beauty of offering an unconditional, lifetime, 100% money-back guarantee is that it helps you lose a few battles here and there but win the war. Youll have to give some customers their money back once in a while and take back used merchandise that you cannot re-sell. Youll lose some money. Maybe lose face a little. But youll keep your customer.

Remember, dissatisfied customers tell others. And satisfied customers tell others. A dissatisfied customer who returns your product and receives a 100% refund quickly turns into a satisfied customer of sorts.

So offer a guarantee that hurts you a lot. Youll feel better for it.

2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).

Alan Sharpe

Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant. As President of Sharpe Copy Inc. Alan specializes in helping businesses generate leads, close sales and retain customers using cost-effective, compelling direct mail and email marketing. Alan also uses his direct mail advertising services to help charities raise funds and raise awareness of their causes, using fundraising letters. Sign up for Alan Sharpe's B2B Direct Mail Tactics e-newsletter. Every Monday morning, receive in your inbox a short, helpful article on direct mail lead generation.