Whether you create and sell your own products, buy reselling rights or rebrand other people’s products, adding value with bonuses is a well-used tactic in affiliate marketing. Why? Because a good bonus is valid, honest, and truly does add value to any offer. It also encourages a customer to buy sooner.
The challenge is that almost every marketer is using bonuses, so customers are weary of the hype. What you need to do is offer them bonuses that do add genuine value to your product, and off them at the right place and time, and in the right way.
A good bonus is related to your product (or service) and makes the process of implementation easier or better for your customer.
A bonus with genuine value:
- can be put to use immediately and is directly related to your product.
- provides motivation that is a match for the motivation to sign up for the newsletter or buy your product, and serves to add to that motivation, not detract from it.
- can allow you to put a price on a product that others give away for free.
The right placement of a bonus is:
- immediately before your prospect makes the last click to complete a sale. This will eliminate any last minute hesitation and will reinforce what you are asking for your product.
Here are examples of appropriate free bonuses:
- Physical Product
If you are selling a physical product, it’s easy to slip in a free sample or free gift. Anything with your logo, url and/or contact info reminds your customer to return to your website.
- Special Report
Information in a condensed form that relates to what you’re offering that would be very helpful for the customer makes a great bonus. If your product is information explaining how to do something, your bonus can be a detailed description of some aspect of that. For example, if you were to purchase the Pharsyde “Do Your Own Bookkeeping” course, then a report detailing how your expense entries affect your taxes would be a great value-added bonus for you.
- Resource List
Compile a list of your personally recommended resources, websites, books, and vendors that will help your list grow and run a successful business. You can set this up as a PDF file as well, or create a password-protected area of your website that your list can access.
- Checklist
Are there any checklists that would be a good tie-in to what you offer? That help people do what you’re teaching them to do, better or easier? A checklist of a daily traffic exchange surfing schedule, or weekly website promotion activities, would help your list members run their businesses more efficiently.
- Collection of Articles
A nice way to advertise a website and to add valuable content is to write articles and post them to article directories on the website. Your list of article directories, or a collection of your best 10 articles, would make a valuable bonus ebook.
- Workbook
Put together a separate guide to help your list members do assignments, stay on track, and document their progress. A workbook is something people recognize and appreciate because it infers step by step guidance, with measurable results. This would be a step up from a checklist.
- A Coaching Session With You
A consultation is a great bonus to offer, for several reasons. First, it helps you get to know your list members and their questions will help you decide on the direction your website should take. Second, it’s a great opportunity to add back-end sales to your free products. For example, if they appreciated the coaching you provided, they may be interested in buying an ebook that expands on this info.
Remember, when deciding to add a bonus to your sales – make sure it is relevant and valuable. It must actually add something to your offer, otherwise it’s not really a bonus!
