I was reading an article the other day about clutter, both online and offline.  There’s so much demand for our attention today, the art and science of capturing that attention is getting very sophisticated.  The article addressed the topic of offers and how critical it is in Demand Generation to get them right - to get the prospect to take action.  I personally feel there are degrees of offers.  Specifically, high risk offers and low risk offers.  A high risk offer would be one that does not match or align the need of the prospect to the interest of the seller.  For example, having an offer that invites the prospect to talk with a salesperson to early in the buying cycle.  With today’s access to information online, buyers now engage with sellers later in the buying cycle.  So, in this example, engaging with a seller too early in the buying cycle will likely create anxiety.  Just as you’re greeted in a retail store and say “no thanks, just looking”.  A low risk offer is the opposite.  It creates a comfortable way to move a prospect though a buying stage.  This is very important to master in order to maximize conversion rates - at each step of the buying cycle.

This brought me to another thought - virtual negotiations.  In reality, as we compete for mind share, we are in a sense negotiating.  Our offer is accepted or it isn’t - just as in any negotiation.  And, negotiations represent a series of back and forth offers - not a one time take it or leave it offer.  So, perhaps it may be a better mind set for marketers to think of offers in terms of steps in a negotiation, designed to move a prospect, over time, closer to their desired outcome.  And, these offers must be appealing in terms of all options visible (not necessarily all available) to the prospect.  For me, thinking of offers (and all aspects of the message or campaign) helps to orient my thoughts more in terms of the prospect.

Does this virtual negotiation concept make sense?  I’d be interested in your thoughts…