One of the most important parts of any salesletter is also one of the most overlooked parts. An element that’s not given the respect it deserves by most businesses, and one that is overlooked by some businesses entirely.

Because…right up there with headlines and story, hooks and benefits, bullets and offers, is…

The Guarantee…

Most businesses don’t even offer a guarantee; others do it as an afterthought.

Rare is the online entity that really treats this copy element as she deserves to be treated: like a classy lady all dressed up and ready to go to the ball where she can hang off your arm and make you look good.

Just a few months ago I wrote:

“Guarantee The Product: All studies have shown the longer you make the guarantee period and the less restrictions you put on that guarantee, the more people will buy and less of them will return. The psychology on this can fill an entire article on its own. Maybe I’ll write about it in the future.”

Well…the future is now!

So…let’s first talk about that whole psychology thing.

The reason more people buy when there’s a longer guarantee is easy…It’s a “no duh” sort of thing…More people buy because the guarantee offers them a degree of protection from making a stupid decision. Making that period longer just amps up that protection.

If every middle-aged dude had a year to decide whether or not he wanted to keep the Lamborghini and pay for it, or return it, you bet your a** they’d sell a ton more Lambos than they do now!

So yeah, a real no-brainer with that first part of the guarantee psychology.

As for the second part…I have to admit I don’t really know the actual reason less people return a product when it has a longer guarantee period. I’m guessing here, but I’m pretty confident in my guess, so here goes…

The Science-Be-Damned Vin’s Best Guess Explanation!

When you have a short period of time to return something, your mind is on returning it. Let’s take that same Lamborghini metaphor.

Instead of a year, let’s say Lamborghini only gives you 20 minutes to return the car for a refund.

First…the brevity (in this case an extreme example) of the guarantee starts people wondering…”Hmmm…why so short? Is this product gonna die in a couple days? Will it become obsolete in a week?”

On top of that, every one of those 20 minutes will feel urgent to you. You’ll not relax for a bit. You make the entire 20 minutes a road test.

In many cases you won’t even take the whole 20. You’re back at that dealership after 13 minutes because you don’t want to be the dumb schmuck who shows up with a broken watch at minute 21 and is told, “Sorry…too late!” by a swarthy guy with too much cologne and a thick Italian accent.

So…I’d say short-duration guarantees almost work in reverse. I can actually see some potential buyers reacting so negatively to a short period guarantee that it might be a better alternative to have no guarantee at all.

But let’s go back to that wonderful fantasy year-long money back Lambo guarantee.

When you have a long time to return something, you tend to forget about returning it. Heck…I’ve actually gotten to the point where I forgot I even owned the thing I was supposed to return!

Around 18 months ago, I bought a drum set. Why, you ask? Well…I used to play a little in garage bands in high school…I came across the set in the store and said, “Damn… I should mess around with the skins again.”

Long story short, I have fun for a week, then realize I don’t have time in my life for a drum set. I was about to return them when my wife reminds me I have a year to get my money back.

“A year? Well, then let’s pack them away. My nephew Joey will be visiting in a few months. I’ll keep them so he can see Uncle Vin rock out one time.”

Well…just last week we’re putting away some summer things when I see a big brown box I didn’t recognize. You guessed it…my drum set…nearly 7 months after my return period.

I know I’m not alone on this. I know I’m not the only one who opened a drawer to find something you should have returned, but didn’t feel there was any reason to rush.

That’s the added benefit of giving a very long guarantee. People just may not return it at all.

“So…How Long Should That Guarantee Be?”

How long could you make it and still sleep at night?

I’m not kidding.

I’ve found that six months is great…a year is better…Lifetime guarantees, however, can be hugely effective or they can fall flat.

When people see a lifetime guarantee they sometimes think there’s got to be a catch.

With all guarantees, it’s best to have no strings…no hoops to jump through…no burden of proof. Not only must you have that policy…you must tout it. If you don’t scream it from the rooftops, then you’re not getting the full marketing advantage of having one.

This brings me to my own little checklist of guarantee “must haves”.

Vin Montello’s Five Point Guarantee System

1. Whenever you can, make your guarantee a “full money back” guarantee. And as I said, offer this money back for as long a period of time as you can comfortably handle. Note: Clickbank sellers can only offer two months money back. No more…no less.

2. Put little or no restrictions on the return. If it’s a physical product, it’s okay to ask that the product is returned in resalable condition. But never put any “prove you did the work and failed” kind of condition on it. These types of stipulations read like you’re a jerk who doesn’t want to give the refund. People instinctively think, “That’s gonna be a hassle!”

3. “Frame and Badge” your guarantee. You know what I’m talking about. That ubiquitous stamp or badge inside the college diploma frame you see on every salesletter. You should know by now that everyone does this for a reason…because it works.

4. Sign your guarantee like a personal promise to the buyer. You’d be surprised how far pledging that you’ll honor the guarantee goes to making the sale for you. People trust people who are willing to add their John Hancock. It makes you look like a stand up guy (or gal)!

5. Make it three-dimensional! Don’t just say they can return the product. Point out exactly how the process will work. Something like “Ask for a refund and your money is back in your account in 48 hours. No quarrels…no qualms…That’s my promise to you.”

There you have it, 5 bona fide ways to ensure that even something as simple as a guarantee can be fully developed to do more than just offer protection. Five ways to make your guarantee the dealmaker instead of the deal-breaker.

You know…I’ve often said that every inch of your sales copy needs to be working towards persuading your reader to buy. Well…when done right, your guarantee can become one of the biggest persuasion weapons in your marketing arsenal.

Extracted from StomperNet SEO Intelligence Report, July 22, 2011.