Member-only story
I have written in the past about the power of fear in marketing. Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a potent motivator. As such, it’s often abused by marketers.
There is a time and place to help prospects understand that an offer is ending. Or that a limited supply is depleting. But it can’t be the first and only way you engage with prospects.
As I mentioned, there are a lot of marketers who do that. Does it work? Sometimes initially. But at what price? It can cause a lot of anxiety and distraction for potential customers. That can be destructive for a brand. You become known as that organization that’s always pumping up the fear of missing out. Eventually, people just begin to ignore you.
The bottom line is that we need to be careful how we communicate. Here is a look at two drivers that get misused and how we can employ them without alienating prospects.
Urgency
I received multiple cold emails from a person wanting me to purchase a seat at their webinar. Each had a message that I was about to miss the biggest opportunity ever afforded to me.
First of all, cold emails suck. The inbox is a sacred place. You don’t get to just show up without being invited. Second, that’s how you choose to engage me? To try and scare me into buying?
