If you’ve ever bought a course or program online, you’re probably familiar with the “what you get” mockup on a sales page that displays everything that’s included with the offer along with what each of those things are worth.
It’s a super common tactic that’s taught when it comes to launching an offer in the online business world and the idea is that you build the value of what the offer could REALLY be worth and compare it to the actual price so that the purchase feels like a no brainer to your audience.
Here’s an example: (this is a completely made up offer!)
The Ultimate Online Marketing Toolkit – a comprehensive course covering the fundamentals of online marketing, including SEO, email marketing, and social media strategies. (valued at $299)
When you join, you get:
- Social Media Content Calendar Template (valued at $49)
- 50 Proven Marketing Strategies E-book (valued at $19.99)
- Access to a Private Facebook Group (valued at $99)
- 30 minute 1:1 Coaching Session (valued at $150)
- Monthly Q&A Webinar Access for 6 Months (valued at $120)
Total Value = ~$750
Your Price = $199
It’s the classic “all of THIS is really worth THIS, but you can get it for THIS” marketing tactic!
And as someone in the online business world myself, I understand this concept. It’s totally normal to want your audience to understand what everything included in your offers is really worth so that they feel like they’re getting a deal when they purchase from you.
There’s nothing wrong with this strategy UNLESS the value stacking is fake or inflated. And all too often, we find that it is.
And while it might seem harmless since everyone seems to be doing it, it’s important to understand that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) really cares about this.
In this blog post, you’ll learn what exactly value stacking is, the FTC’s stance on inflated value claims, and most importantly, how to ensure your bonus offers have real value so that you’re fully protected!
What Is Value Stacking In Marketing?
Like described in the example above, value stacking involves offering additional bonuses or products alongside a primary product to increase the overall value perceived by the customer.
This tactic is commonly used in digital marketing, where businesses bundle various resources or services with their main offerings to create an attractive deal.
In the example above, The Ultimate Online Marketing Toolkit is the main offering and everything else included with that offer is considered to be an “extra” or a bonus.
The appeal of value stacking lies in its ability to persuade consumers by presenting them with more than just the main product.
It taps into the psychological principle of perceived value – the idea that customers will feel they are receiving a bargain if the combined value of the offer appears significantly higher than the price they are paying.
And unfortunately, this strategy has been proven to work!
It’s been reported that value stacking can increase conversion rates, higher customer satisfaction, and improved customer loyalty.
So, if it works then what’s the big deal?! Well… the FTC has a few guidelines on this in order to make sure that you’re going about business in an ethical way.
The FTC’s Stance on Inflated Value Claims
Like most things that the FTC governs, they say that businesses must ensure that any claimed value for bonuses or additional products is truthful and backed by evidence.
Very similarly to how your reviews and testimonials must be real, result claims must be backed by evidence, and scarcity about your product must be legit, value claims are no different.
(By the way, all of those things I just mentioned are among the 5 most common FTC compliant mistakes in marketing – here’s how to fix them!)
The FTC’s guidelines specify that if a product is touted as having a specific value, it must be a price at which the product has genuinely been sold or the valuation must be reasonable and supported by market evidence.
Let’s take the e-book from the example above. If the business were to claim that the e-book is valued at $19.99, then they must be able to demonstrate that it has been sold at that price before or that it holds a legitimate market value.
Not only can inflated pricing land you in hot water with the FTC, but it can also be detrimental to the trust among your audience.
When consumers feel they have been misled, such as discovering that a product was never sold at its claimed value, they are less likely to trust you or want to buy from you in the future.
3 Ways to Ensure Your Bonus Offers Have Real Value
So, now that you know what exactly value stacking is and how the FTC feels about it, let’s make sure that you’re displaying your offers in a way that’s legitimate, shall we?
Provide Evidence of Sale Price
First and foremost (and quite literally the EASIEST way) to ensure your bonus offers have real value is to simply demonstrate evidence of the sale price you’re claiming.
This can involve maintaining sales records or showcasing historical pricing data. If you cannot provide evidence that a product has been sold at the price you claim, it’s best to avoid assigning that value to it.
Use Reasonable Valuations
You can’t just make up numbers and display them because they sound or look good! They need to be reasonable and evidence-baked.
To do this, you can reference similar products in the market and explain how you arrived at your assigned value. This can involve comparing your bonus offers to competing products, illustrating their unique features or benefits, and justifying the price based on industry standards.
Be Transparent
Honesty really IS the best policy, bestie.
Be upfront with your audience about the real value of the bonuses they are receiving and if a bonus is worth less than the claimed value, explain its benefits in context rather than inflating its worth.
Your audience will ALWAYS appreciate your honesty and being transparent can help you build trust and enhance long-term relationships.
The point overall is to simply not fabricate what your offer is really worth. Lying is NOT a marketing tactic (regardless if everyone else is doing it), so make sure that you’re approaching your marketing in a way that’s legit, honest, and with your audience’s best interest at heart.
More Legal Resources to Help You Stay Off the FTC’s Radar
⭐️ How to Write FTC Compliant Sales Copy
⭐️ The Risk Of Using Monetary Numbers To Sell Your Offers (And How To Do It Legally)
⭐️ 5 Innocent Business Mistakes That Aren’t So Innocent in the Legal World
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