The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future

3.  Overdelivering,  AKA  “Wow,  Look  at  All  This  Extra  Stuff  I  Didn’t
Expect”
Immediately  after  buying  something,  we  often  experience  a  pang  of
anxiety: Was this a good purchase? Did I waste my money? You’ll want to
get out in front of this feeling by making people feel good about the action
they just took. The easiest and most critical way to reinforce their decision
is  by  giving  them  quick  access  to  what  they  paid  for.  But  to  go  further,
you’ll want to overdeliver: give them more than they expected. You can do
this  by  upgrading  their  purchase  unexpectedly  by  sending  a  handwritten
thank-you  card  in  the  mail  or  in  whatever  way  makes  the  most  sense  for
your business.
The point is that the small things count.
Like the orange slice at mile 18 of the marathon, an offer you can’t refuse
comes along at just the right time. As you follow your blueprint to freedom,
think carefully about how you can create a similarly compelling offer.
The next step is to take the offer out into the world. Ready?
KEY POINTS
  As  much  as  possible,  connect  your  offer  to  the  direct  benefits
customers will receive. Like the Alaska coupon books, a compelling
offer pays for itself by making a clear value proposition.
  What  people  want  and  what  they  say  they  want  are  not  always  the
same thing; your job is to figure out the difference.
  When  developing  an  offer,  think  carefully  about  the  objections  and
then respond to them in advance.
  Provide  a  nudge  to  customers  by  getting  them  to  make  a  decision.
The  difference  between  a  good  offer  and  a  great  offer  is  urgency
(also known as timeliness): Why should people act now?
  Offer  reassurance  and  acknowledgment  immediately  after  someone
buys something or hires you. Then find a small but meaningful way

---

to go above and beyond their expectations.
 
*
Ironically,  there  were  no  donuts  available  after  the  26.2-mile  race,
something many runners would have been thrilled to see. Keep this in mind
if you are ever in charge of providing donuts for marathoners.
†
Unfortunately,  the  fee  to  join  DirectBuy  is  thousands  of  dollars,  and
it’s not always clear how much money the average home owner will save
with the service. But as with Priceline, perhaps this creates an opportunity
for another third-party business to provide the information.
‡
To watch a short video on how Brandy creates her great work, check
out 
YouTube.com/loosetoothdotcom
.