Nothing is more defeating than projecting your services to the world, but prospects aren’t converting into sales. You own this fantastic product or service, but society does not notice its value.
Marketing yourself is a new ball game when your products and services occupy the online space. You require a clever online marketing strategy that converts prospects into paying customers; this is where the Hook-Story-Offer method comes in.
Russel Branson, the co-founder of ClickFunnels, has popularized the Hook-Story-Offer method, and the good news is that you can effortlessly apply this strategy to your booking pages.
This isn't the time to reinvent the wheel and apply online marketing strategies that have never been tried and tested before. The Hook-Story-Offer method is ageless and proven to work tirelessly.
We'll unpack this online marketing strategy so that you can apply it to increase the conversions on your booking pages. More bookings equal more money.
What’s the Hook-Offer-Story method?
The Hook-Story-Offer method is an ingenious online marketing strategy that crafts copy on your booking page, in a way that attracts your prospect and educates them about your product or service. The quintessential goal is that they take action on the offer you are providing.
For example, if you’re a real estate agent- the copy on your booking page must convince a prospect to book you for a call to sell their house. You want this copy to be set up to persuade the prospect that you’re THE ONE.
How do you do this? You utilize the Hook-Story-Offer method:
- Hook - the BAIT to grab their attention.
- Story- the EMOTION to keep them reading.
- Offer - the DESIRE to ensure they take action.
You hook the right people, tell a good story, then show them what you offer.
Let's go through each part in detail.
1. The Hook
The hook is the bait that captures the attention of the prospect. A compelling headline hook on your booking page lures them in, and it should be the first words they read.
The hook is the tool you use to capture the attention of your ideal prospect, interest them in reading every word on your booking page, and ultimately buy your services and products.
The hook is an essential part of the puzzle. Its essence is to persuade the prospect to stop whatever they were doing previously and decide whether they want to read on.
It decides whether the prospect will click away from your booking pages or discover more about you.
For example:
Let's say you’re an online security consultant selling your hours to help families implement home safety measures. A compelling booking page hook would read something like this:
Make Home Feel Safe Again
This addresses a significant pain point that the prospect is feeling. If they're looking for security services, they identify with not being safe in their home and may crave the days they used to.
Maybe they experienced a burglary, which changed how they felt about living in their home.
The hook hits the heartstrings and lures the reader to discover more about your products and services because it's captivating, and they need a solution to their anguish. Are you that solution?
How to craft a compelling Hook
Now you know the hook is an essential part of the whole process, it’s crucial to bear in mind the following:
a. Hit the heartstrings
Hitting the heartstrings is a powerful online marketing strategy. It ignites a colossal sense of emotion that the prospect can relate to and will ultimately read further down your booking page.
Just like the Hook example- Make Home Feel Safe Again
A Father feeling unsafe in his home who is desperately trying to feel safe again will gain a sense of peace in the above hook. There is a solution to his problem in just 5 words.
b. Shorter is often better
Quality always outshines quantity. Make sure your hook is punchy and not too long. The hook should be no more than 12 words to keep the quality high. Remember, you only have a couple of seconds to hook the reader, or you’re out.
c. Arouse curiosity
Curiosity is human nature, and we’re all guilty of being curious. Think about when your ear turned the same way as the local gossip.
Curiosity is an influential online marketing strategy because humans are curious and want to know more. Make sure that your booking page hook entices curiosity.
For example:
Why 78% of Couples Are Discontent In Their Marriage- Here's Why
Invite them to learn more so they take action and book your services.
d. Leverage empathy
Leveraging empathy is capitalizing on the power of Psychology.
If you can make your prospect feel understood, you will hook them, and it's vital to entice them to read on to find out more about your products and services. It makes the prospect feel you’re the solution to their problem- and no one else. They feel heard and have come to the right place.
For example:
Is Your Insomnia Debilitating?
I Got You
The hook is designed to position the prospect in their struggle; you are the solution they’ve been looking for.
e. Test
Don't be afraid to test different hooks to see which ones work best to catch the prospect. Testing is all part of the process. Keep a notebook and write down extra hooks that come to mind as you go along with your day.
If you feel your current hook is not compelling, change it up and try another.
2. The Story
By this stage, your prospect is already hooked, keen to learn more, and willing to give up their precious time to read further down your booking page. It is time to tell your story.
The story portion of this online marketing strategy will strengthen the relationship between the prospect and your brand.
We all love a story:
- Think about your favorite movie you watch over and over again.
- We read stories at bedtime to our children.
- We love inspirational stories about young entrepreneurs making it big in the world.
- What about the story of Usain Bolt?
- And all the hilarious stories told around the dinner table with friends.
A story is a powerful online marketing strategy that will humanize your brand.
The point is that stories are loved by society, and this is the opportunity to tell yours clearly and concisely to persuade compellingly.
How to write a compelling story
You need to ask yourself:
- What story will naturally guide people towards my products and services?
- How do I write this story to persuade the reader to buy my products and services?
Naturally, anyone who’s started their own online business will feel drawn to write a whole novel because there’s a big story behind the brand. However, you must craft your story on your booking page in a captivating short version by focusing on the essential parts.
For example:
(The Hook)
Make Home Feel Safe Again
(The Story)
About 5 years ago, my home was burgled in the middle of the night when my entire family was asleep. We woke to everything gone, but the worst part …our safety was stolen too.
I felt lost and defeated as I didn't know how to protect my family from this ever happening again.
A harrowing feeling.
I couldn't sleep at night, which started affecting my work productivity.
I started studying every possible safety method and system to administer in my home.
I wanted to feel safe again.
After a grueling 4 years of fine-tuning the best methods and processes- I came up with the ultimate system to implement in my home so that I could sleep knowing my family was guarded.
It is now the secret solution to all of my safety woes.
Let me help you make home feel safe again so that you never have to miss a peep of sleep again.
You will experience enormous relief knowing your family is safe.
a. Emotions are larger than facts
It's imperative to make sure you highlight the emotions that your prospect may be feeling. This is more important than just stating the facts. Facts put the story into context but don't litter your story just with facts. Play on their emotions. It will draw them in.
b. Trim the fat
Leave out all the unnecessary mumbo jumbo and only include the juicy bits of the story. Your booking page needs to be clear and concise, or you will lose your prospect, and they’ll click away. Write out your story and keep adjusting it to keep it clear, concise, and to the point.
3. The Offer
Guess what?
- Your prospect has been hooked.
- You have built a connection with them through your story.
AND NOW…
- They want to know more about the irresistible offer you provide so that they can act on it and pay you for your services.
This is the final piece of the online marketing strategy puzzle… It's time to make the offer.
Ideally, the offer should be a product or service you sell on your booking page. But, it doesn't have to be. It can also be a free service, such as a free initial consultation. Whatever it is, it needs to be irresistible enough for the prospect to take action on it.
How to craft the irresistible offer
If you nail the hook and story, the offer will come easy. A prospect doesn't read this far without wanting something from you. However, you must remember a few things when crafting your irresistible offer.
a. Create urgency
Urgency churns your prospects' appetite to act sooner rather than later. Some of the best marketers are the ones who have a deep sense of human psychology and understand that urgency is the root cause of action.
Make sure what you are offering isn't going to be there forever, or add an incentive for your prospect to act right at that moment.
For example:
50% off first consult if you book NOW
b. Risk Reversal
This is an excellent online marketing strategy to push prospects off the fence and reach for their credit card. A risk reversal gives the prospect a feeling of protection. They can get back what they initially gave you (money), if they feel they have made the wrong choice by choosing your product and services.
This can be in the form of a money-back guarantee, and it provides the prospect with a safety net that further persuades them to act and pay for your products and services.
For example:
A 7-day money-back guarantee.
No questions- No fuss.
c. Call to Action
The call to action is the handsome-looking calendar at the bottom of your booking page that shouts- BOOK MY SERVICE. I AM THE ONE!
No, not really, but you know what we mean.
When the prospect picks and clicks a time slot on your booking page calendar, they have been convinced your services and products are what they need. They are ready to make a transaction with you.
This means that your booking pages were a success, and you convinced the prospect because of the Hook-Story-Offer online marketing strategy that works- every time.
In a nutshell
The Hook-Story-Offer online marketing strategy will transform your booking pages into the next best thing since sliced bread. It will convert your prospects into paid customers because it's a tried and tested system that has worked for entrepreneurs, like you, for years.
Catch your audience's attention, hand them a relatable story that guides them towards your product and services, and then make them an irresistible offer they cannot refuse.
Give it a go on your Book Like a Boss booking pages.
Start your free-trial today.
