What if I told you that you could have an Oprah-like moment while serving up your product or service to your readers? You know… the “You get a car! You get a car! Everyone gets a car!” moment.

Okay, maybe not to that extreme. But, close to it. I mean, she did have her audience screaming and jumping with delight—all because of a bonus. The point is, no matter what you’re offering, using bonuses (much more modestly than Mrs. O.) can be the golden ticket to converting those people singing “Should I Stay or Should I Go” into paying customers. Cha-ching!

Bonuses are that something extra you offer up fo’ free to someone who’s about to purchase one of your paid offerings. It’s also your differentiator to set yourself apart from a sea of lookalikes and wannabes, especially in an affiliate contest. But, it definitely takes some time to hone in on added perks that’ll be valuable to them.

That’s why, today, I’m explaining 6 tips to help you start creating knockout bonuses that are too irresistible to pass up. You’ll be rolling in conversions and affiliate content money.

Sounds awesome, right? Not so fast. Bonuses are great and all, but only if you know how to plug them into copy that entices your audience. Your messaging should make it virtually impossible for them not to want to grab your offer by the horns. If it isn’t doing just that, what’s the point of it anyway?

Your copy reels in your people, convincing them you’ve got exactly what they need, and the bonuses are the bait they’ll bite onto to act fast and purchase. Did I just cause you to have an “oh crap” moment realizing you’re stuck trying to write content that sells? No worries, I’ve got you covered.

Right here, once we work through how to create killer bonuses, I’m going to share a tool you can swipe that’ll craft conversion-worthy copy for you. I’m not pulling your leg. You no longer have to spend hours striving to be a master copywriter. So, don’t move a muscle—you’ll want to stick around to get in on this secret. 

6 Tips for Creating Knockout Bonuses to Devour Some Serious Conversions

1. Take a look at a sample menu of bonuses.  

You know those restaurants that limit their menus to only a small number of options, instead of going all out with 50? Yeah, those are my favorite.

And, in this case, it’ll come in handy to have a narrowed down set of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Because, let’s face it, there’s no time to get bogged down by a hefty list of choices.

Here’s a sample menu entrepreneur Melyssa Griffin offers up to inspire some ideas and help combat the jitters of crafting bonuses that actually provide value:

• Community-focused bonuses:
  • Mastermind Facebook group
  • In-person meet-ups

• Value-focused bonuses:
  • Webinar recordings
  • E-book
  • Printable workbook or worksheets
  • Live workshop recording
  • Live Twitter chats

• Time-focused bonuses: Be leery of offering up too many of these bonuses at once. You’ll end up sucking up what’s left of your precious time and putting it into never-ending one-on-one calls. Put a cap on it – ex. “I’ve got just 10 complimentary coaching call slots available this quarter! Register today to get in on the action.
  • One-on-one coaching calls
  • Office hours (Q&A session)
  • Consultation, audit, or review of something of the customer’s (social media, current diet plan, content, you name it—whatever your offering lends itself to)

Note: you also don’t need to spend a heck of a lot of time crafting bonuses from scratch. Examine your main offer and see what you’ve included in the package to identify what could potentially be broken out into a bonus. Is it a complimentary consultation? Coaching call? Audit? In this case, the hard work has already been done. You just need to determine what your audience would really want.

2. Figure out what your people are hungry for.

The menu above is great and all, but you can’t just pick a choice at random and start offering it up to your audience. Especially if it’s not exactly their cup of tea. For example, if your main offer is a course to help your prospects grow their Instagram following, throwing in a free printable on how to use Pinterest is just plain useless.

I mean, that should be a no brainer, right? But, you wouldn’t believe how many people throw in bonuses that actually have nothing to do with their product or service. They think giving away anything in general will increase their prospect’s perceived value of their offer. That’s so wrong in so many ways.

To avoid this, really focus on what your audience is hungry for. Reach out to them and figure out what could potentially hold them back from purchasing, while determining their needs, likes, dislikes.

Granted, it’s essential to have done this before you even think about creating any kind of product or service. But, it never hurts to get to know your target audience more than you already do. Therefore, you’ll be able to craft bonuses much more successfully—ones that are extremely irresistible and further cement your audience’s desire to purchase your primary offer.

3. Fix ‘em a tasty “bonus sandwich.”

Derek Halpern of SocialTriggers.com, the master of bonus building, actually coined the term “bonus sandwich.”

Hungry yet? Its tasty elements are as follows:

• The meat: your scrumdiddlyumptious offer. It’s the most substantial part of the sammie.

• Bottom piece of bread: the forefather of your (ideally) two bonuses. Its role is to nip any of your prospect’s objections, fears, or doubts about your offer in the bud. At the same time, giving them the tools they might need to feel prepared to use your product or service.
  • Ex. if my product is an e-course on calligraphy, then my bottom bread (bonus #1) could be a beginner’s guide to elegant lettering, even if you don’t have pretty handwriting.

• Top piece of bread: the descendant to the bottom piece of bread, obviously. Its role is to give your prospect the tools they can use immediately after they purchase, taking what they learned from you to a whole new level.
  • Ex. If we’re still using the idea of an e-course on calligraphy, your bonus #2 could be a mini workshop on how to turn handwriting into digital vectors for profit.

To sum things up, bonus #1 crushes any objections or doubts your prospect might have towards taking the course (or whatever you’re offering) to begin with. Then, bonus #2 comes in to show where they can take their newfound skills to make money once they invest in your product or service. With the bonus sandwich up your sleeve, you’ve got some real moneymaking potential coming your direction.

And, in no way do you need to only have two bonuses. But, this tip will help you get the ball rolling to craft some that are too good for your audience to pass up.

4. Avoid overloading & ruining the flavor.

Yes, I know I just mentioned you don’t need to limit yourself to only two bonuses. BUT (and that’s a big “but”), if you’re aiming for any more than that, you need to ensure they complement one another. That way, they won’t ruin the flavor of your original offer and run the risk of overloading your prospect. Let’s put it this way, there’s nothing worse than a good, simple sandwich getting ruined by a ton of whacky ingredients.

While it might be difficult for you to avoid taking advantage of your Oprah-esque moment, it’s crucial to steer clear from throwing in everything and the kitchen sink.

With just a handful of bonuses sprinkled into your offering, you’ll still find you’re able to sweep your audience off their feet.

5. Put a realistic price tag on them.

Yes, your bonuses are technically free. But, there should be an actual price tag tacked onto them, making them even more appealing to your audience. Consider how much each “freebie” is worth to you if you were to sell them tomorrow, and showcase the value you’re essentially giving away.

Biggest thing is, be realistic. I’ve seen entrepreneurs serving up products grouped with some awesome bonuses, but claiming all of it together would cost $10,000 if I didn’t purchase today for $99. Um, excuse me? How does all of that add up from your perspective, Mr. or Mrs. Entrepreneur? It doesn’t.

So, be honest with your prospects when tackling this step to avoid inflating the anticipated value of your offering.

6. Serve them up in the most irresistible way.

Once you’ve solidified your bonuses, it’s time to dish them out to your prospects. And make it easy as pie for them to get. Don’t build hype and then bury the hidden treasure, forcing them to take multiple steps to get those sought-after bonuses.

That’s like constantly having to ask your waiter the status of your craft burger and milkshake order you’re seriously craving. Blek. Talk about annoying, especially when you’re downright hangry.

Instead, consider the bonuses the dessert delivered to your table following dinner. It’s should be there—lay it out right in front of them, enticing them to snag your offer. Luckily, there are multiple methods to choose from when it comes to delivering them to your target audience. Here are a few of the most popular:

• Launches: when you’re ready to launch your newest baby, whether it be a new product, service, you name it, or partner up with an affiliate, throw your bonuses in here to give your people something to sink their teeth into. And, to beat those mid-launch scaries (hitting a conversion plateau), wake up your sleepy audience with a fresh, “newly added” bonus to serve as an energy booster.

• Live events: hosting a webinar, live Facebook or Instagram video, or other real-time event? Throw in some fast-action bonuses here to serve as an exclusive offer and thank those in attendance. They drive a sense of urgency to act now while you have their undivided attention.

• Packaged services: have some pricey service packages? Sprinkle some bonuses into the mix to lighten the load on your prospect’s investment. This might motivate them more to actually take the larger package because that’s where the goodies are.

Again, put yourself in your prospect’s shoes to help you determine just the right place to sprinkle in your delightful perks.

Are you struggling with plugging your bonuses into copy that reels in your prospects?

That’s okay. Just hold up a minute before you toss and turn over how exactly you’ll solve that dilemma. I have just the solution I think you’re going to love. It’s called ScriptDoll—your new, trusty sidekick (in the form of software) to help make the sales copywriting process a little less excruciating. 

Here’s how you can benefit from simply adding ScriptDoll to your marketing toolbox:

• Frees up your time to put focus towards more productive tasks—simply complete your product portfolio, answer a handful of painless questions regarding your product details, your new knockout bonuses, and more, and ScriptDoll turns your answers into engaging copy in a matter of minutes.
• Saves you some serious moola by keeping your copywriting in-house—there’s no need to drop loads of money on outsourcing your writing tasks to copywriters. And, you can also avoid investing hours of your time trying to improve your skills in a copywriting course. That’s because ScriptDoll crafts its effective templates thanks to its connections with champion copywriters around the world!
• Decreases your workload to almost nothing with pre-made product profiles—are you a puppy trainer, dentist, plastic surgeon or graphic designer? If so, you’re in luck because your product profile has already been completed for you. There are many more waiting to be used within the software engine, making it that much easier to push out content that converts.

Grab Hold of These Conversion-Worthy Benefits Now—Join ScriptDoll!

Take a moment and let all this information sink in. You can finally rest easy knowing you’ve got the tips you need to create knockout bonuses, chocked full of irresistible goodness, helping you blast your conversions through the roof. Plus, you’ve got a secret tool ready to be added to your marketing toolbox, which will save you some serious time, successfully weaving your bonuses into sales copy that’s crafted for you, and actually sells.

Now, the ball’s in your court. Are you ready to serve up some seriously powerful and captivating copy that sells? I bet you’re nodding that brilliant mind of yours. Go ahead and join entrepreneurs like you who are raving about ScriptDoll—you’re just a click away.

What do you think about product bonuses? What’s the best bonus you’ve ever received when purchasing something? Let us know in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you.