Strategic Use and Presentation of Bonuses

Key Insight

Bonuses are a powerful tool to increase the perceived value of an offer without reducing its price. A single core offer is less valuable than the same offer broken into components and stacked as bonuses, a technique exemplified by infomercials that establish an initial price (e.g., one knife for $38.95) then add numerous other items like 37 additional knives, sharpeners, and pans. This strategy significantly widens the prospect's price-to-value discrepancy, making the deal seem irresistible. It is crucial to add bonuses instead of discounting the core offer, as price reductions can teach customers that prices are negotiable, whereas adding value maintains a strong negotiating position and fosters goodwill.

When presenting bonuses in a one-on-one sales scenario, first ask for the sale. If the prospect agrees, then reveal the additional bonuses to create a 'wow' experience and reinforce their decision. If the prospect initially declines, introduce a bonus specifically addressing their perceived obstacle and ask for the sale again. This leverages reciprocity; presenting multiple tailored bonuses can create an obligation to buy. Effective bonuses are distinct, given special names that include a benefit, and clearly explain their relevance to the prospect's issue, what they are, how they were discovered or created, and how they will specifically improve life by making things faster, easier, or requiring less effort or sacrifice.

To maximize impact, provide proof of a bonus's value through a stat, past client, or personal experience, and paint a vivid mental image of the prospect's improved life after using it. Always ascribe a specific price tag to each bonus and justify it. Practical tools, checklists, swipe files, scripts, and templates are often more effective than additional trainings because they require less effort and time from the user, thus offering higher perceived value. Ideally, bonuses should address a specific concern or obstacle in the prospect's mind, proving their negative beliefs incorrect, or proactively solve a problem they will logically encounter next. The combined value of the bonuses should notably exceed the core offer's price, creating a psychological bias where the core offer is also implicitly perceived as highly valuable. Adding scarcity (e.g., 'only for those who sign up for XZY program' or '3 tickets left to my $5000 virtual event') and urgency (e.g., 'buy today to get this $1000 bonus for free') can further amplify their effectiveness.