Scarcity: Double-Edged Marketing Sword
The Story: Conveying sense of scarcity about your product can boost sales… or hurt them.
The Point: Carefully consider the message you’re sending when you employ scarcity in your marketing message.
The Resource: Influence, by Dr. Robert Cialdini
3 Mistakes To Avoid When Using The Scarcity Tactic:
1. Telling lies.
2. Not demonstrating the reason why there is scarcity.
3. Allowing readers to form negative conclusions about the scarcity.
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Scarcity on digital products always sounds like BS to me.
Sometimes it’s real (the scarcity). For instance, if there is coaching or some other limited quantity element with the offer.
The problem is that often the scarcity is fake, and it’s obvious.
Ah, just recently bought that book at work. Haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Thanks for the peek.
I think you’re exactly right in today’s online market. Not only will they not buy, they will not be back. Especially since social media are increasingly integrated into a company’s or entrepreneur’s customer relationship building and marketing. Gotta be real.
“Demonstrate the reason why”… good guidance there.
You know, I like the Product Launch concept much better. Create the urgency in a clearly positive, collective energy way. Think I’ll use scarcity scarcely.