Skip to main content

How-to · 5 minute conversation

How to explain incentivized marketing to a skeptical customer (or staff member)

Incentivized marketing feels weird to customers the first time they encounter it — until it's framed as exactly what it is: 'thank you for sharing, here's a discount as a thank-you'. The framing matters because it sets the tone for FTC disclosure too. Three scripts cover the main objections.

Before you start

  • A customer or staff member with questions

Steps

  1. When asked 'why are you paying me?'

    Say: 'It's a thank-you for sharing — same way a coffee shop might give regulars a free drink on their birthday. The post is helpful to other customers thinking about trying us, so we figured we'd share the value.'

  2. When asked 'is this legal?'

    Say: 'Yes — the FTC requires disclosure when there's a thank-you tied to a post (we add #ad or #partner automatically) but it's a normal thing brands do. Way more honest than a paid ad you can't tell is paid.'

  3. When asked 'will my friends know?'

    Say: 'Yes — there's an #ad or #sponsored tag on the post, so it's clear. People are usually fine with it because it's a real recommendation, not a fake testimonial.'

  4. When asked 'what's the catch?'

    Say: 'No catch. You post, you get [perk]. We don't ask for review-or-don't-pay; you can post whatever you actually think. If you don't end up posting, no perk — that's the only consequence.'