Tripwire Offer

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A Tripwire Offer is a low-cost, high-value product or service designed to transform potential customers into buyers by lowering the barrier to entry.

Typically priced between $5 and $50, tripwire offers are intended to be irresistible, making it easy for prospects to make their first purchase.

This low-cost option allows potential customers to see the quality of your content and experience the value you provide before committing to the full course.1

Visual Representation:

tripwire offer

Purpose:

The primary goal of a tripwire offer is to turn a prospect into a paying customer by offering them a product or service at a minimal cost.

It’s based on the psychological principle that a person who has made a purchase, even a minimal one, is likelier to buy again.2

Characteristics:

Tripwire offers have several key characteristics that make them effective customer acquisition strategy:

  • Low Cost: The offer is priced low enough for the prospect to make it a no-brainer decision, minimizing the risk.
  • High Perceived Value: Despite its low cost, the offer provides substantial value, making it irresistible.
  • Relevance: The offer is closely related to the business’s core products or services, aligning with the interests and needs of the target audience.
  • Immediate Benefit: It delivers immediate value, enhancing customer satisfaction and trust.3

Usage

Tripwire offers are commonly used by:

  1. Online Stores: E-commerce sites might offer a popular item at a low price to encourage customers to start shopping and return for more purchases.
  2. Digital Products: Companies selling software, online courses, or ebooks often offer something minor, like a cheap ebook, to introduce customers to their more expensive products.
  3. Subscription Services: Services like streaming or monthly subscription boxes may offer the first month at a reduced price to attract customers, hoping they’ll stay for longer.
  4. Professional Services: Consultants or freelancers might offer a basic service at a low cost to attract new clients and sell more comprehensive services later.
  5. Health and Wellness: Gyms or personal trainers often offer discounted rates for the first month or special rates for the first few sessions to encourage longer-term commitments.
  6. Content Creators: Influencers or content creators might sell low-cost digital goods to turn followers into paying customers and lead them to higher-priced offerings.
  7. Marketing Agencies: These agencies might offer a basic service like a website audit at a low price to demonstrate their capabilities and hope to secure bigger projects later.4

Example

An online educational platform offers a $7 mini-course on digital photography basics as a tripwire offer to attract photography enthusiasts new to the platform.

Many people take advantage of this low-cost offer.

After experiencing the quality of the mini-course, many signed up for a more detailed $200 course covering advanced photography techniques.

Related Terms

References:

1. Astra, T. (2023, December 1). Tripwire funnels: Complete Guide with 9 powerful examples. https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/complete-guide-to-tripwire-funnels/ 

2. Secret Sauce Of Digital Business. (2020). (n.p.): The Unwritten Marketing. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Secret_Sauce_Of_Digital_Business/sdwBEAAAQBAJ

3. Chowdhury, R. A. (2024, January 17). The Tripwire offer – a powerful sales funnel strategy [2024]. WPFunnels. https://getwpfunnels.com/tripwire-offer/

4. Tripwire funnels: Your complete guide with examples. OptimizePress. (2023, June 24). https://www.optimizepress.com/tripwire-funnels-guide/

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