Offers, terms, fit and objections¶
Fictional teaching packets. Their prices and terms are not real offers.
The one-sentence offer test¶
Facts: version 5 of a fictional editor. Owners of version 4 can upgrade for EUR 49 until 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET, because version 5 has just been released; after that the upgrade costs EUR 69. New license: EUR 199. A 30-day trial exports with a watermark. Refunds within 14 days of purchase.
Owners of version 4 can upgrade to version 5 for EUR 49 until 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET; after that the upgrade costs EUR 69.
The sentence holds who, what, price and date. The reason for the introductory price is true and can be stated: version 5 is new. Repeat the same date and time zone in the email, on the page and at checkout.
The terms block beside the button¶
Upgrade from version 4: EUR 49 until 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET (EUR 69 afterwards). New license: EUR 199.
Try it first: the 30-day trial has every feature; exports carry a watermark. Refunds within 14 days of purchase.
Upgrade now
Draft that failed review:
Only EUR 49! Hurry, this incredible deal won't last. Risk-free!
“Only” apologizes for the price, “hurry” supplies pressure the date already carries honestly, and “risk-free” replaces the actual refund terms with a mood.
Let the price stand¶
Apologetic: It costs EUR 199, which is honestly less than a nice dinner for two each month, if you think about it.
Plain: A version 5 license and its updates: EUR 199.
What the price covers belongs before or beside the number, in the reader's terms. No apology or minimizing comparison after it; answering a price question with what it covers is expected.
Upgrade mail written against what the reader owns¶
[Hypothetical features] Facts: the reader owns version 4. Version 5 adds a master view and a kerning-class import.
Subject: Version 5: what changed since your version 4
Two things you will notice first: every master of a glyph now appears side by side, and version 5 imports kerning classes from your existing files. The upgrade from version 4 costs EUR 49 until 30 November 2026, 23:59 CET.
No category pitch. The owner already chose the product; they need the difference and the price.
A different package, not an unexplained cut¶
[Hypothetical edition] Facts: some readers ask for a cheaper option. A “Studio” edition without scripting exists at EUR 119.
If you do not use scripting, the Studio edition costs EUR 119 and includes everything on this page except the scripting panel.
An unexplained cut on the full edition would suggest the price was never real. A named package at its own price says what was removed. Eligibility discounts (upgrade, education, crossgrade) are fine when the reason is stated.
Objection, claim, proof, benefit¶
Objection gathered from support mail: “Another editor means relearning everything.”
Objection: Moving to a new editor means relearning shortcuts.
Claim: You can keep the shortcut layout you know [CONFIRM LABEL: shortcut set].
Proof: A screenshot of the shortcut preference with the layouts listed.
Benefit: Your first evening in the app is spent on letters, not on keys.
The last line is acceptable only if the shortcut layouts exist as claimed. If they do not, the answer is the honest one: “Shortcuts differ; the cheat sheet lists the 20 you will use first.” [CONFIRM: cheat sheet exists]
A fit statement as a requirement¶
You will need outlines to start: a font, a drawing or a scan you can trace. If you are looking for fonts to use rather than to make, a font library is the better place to begin.
It filters without judging. It also points to a better route for the reader who should leave.
Naming the better tool, even our own¶
Facts: TransType converts fonts between formats; it does not draw outlines.
TransType moves fonts between formats and keeps their family links. To draw or redraw outlines, use FontLab.
Early access, described as it is¶
Version 5 is in beta. Masters and kerning work; scripting is not finished. Beta access is free; in return we ask for one short report of anything that breaks. We read reports on Tuesdays and Fridays. [CONFIRM OFFER: beta terms]
Rejected¶
| Draft | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| “Normally EUR 299, yours for EUR 49” | Invented reference price |
| “Only 50 licenses left” | Scarcity claim for a digital good |
| Countdown that restarts on reload | Manufactured urgency |
| “Guaranteed to double your output” | Outcome guarantee without measurement |
| Three tiers where one exists to make another look cheap | Decoy |