Internet marketers can really be a funny bunch.
Once a new strategy starts to show signs of working really really well… people just start using it without giving much thought to how it might work for the business.
Copying without thinking.
It would be funny if it weren’t so head-scratchingly self-sabotaging to their business success…
One such example is the advent of so-called deadline funnels, combined with annual-only SaaS products. Plenty of merits exist for both, especially when done right.
However… some entrepreneurs are REALLY shooting themselves in the foot.
Two recent examples of mine spring to mind.
Example #1 – Software product caught in an endless loop of hard-to-get
There was this very handy piece of software I was looking forward to purchase, but I had to jump through SO many hoops to get into JUST the right buying window… Wait two weeks, watch these videos, get a coupon, get ready, blink and it’s gone…
In the end I gave up on it. I still needed the software, but it was just a waste of time and effort to jump through the hoops to get it. A 100% surefire sale was lost, and they probably have no idea, unless they’re actually looking at their data.
Example #2 – membership site making it hard for old members to re-join
Also – I had this membership I was going to re-join a while back, but was made to wait for a window that came and went, only had one option, the pricing was all over the place…
How about this: provide ‘pause membership’ functionality, making it EASY for old, relapsed or just otherwise ‘missing’ old members to come back. Zero marketing cost. They’ll come back when they’re ready and life doesn’t get in the way, or a business crunch, or whatever the reason may be.
Or at least provide a path for old members to return with the terms they previously joined with. This would go a LONG way towards making founding members feel like they’re appreciated and welcome back any time.
So come on, man.
Scarcity is good for promotion, but sometimes you have to just make sure your people actually CAN buy from you.
And of course, raising prices and even junky promotions can sometimes be necessary.
I get it, you need to keep the riff raff out and make sure the sanctity of your customer list stays intact.
But look.
You really don’t need to complicate your marketing to make it effective.
Make your case. Make the offer. Make it compelling.
That’s ALL you got to do.
These somewhat manipulative deadline funnels may (and do) work great for newbies, but THINK:
Are complete newbies the primary customer segment you really want to be targeting? They MIGHT be.
But more likely, you should be more interested in long-term, existing clients AND the ready-to-buy slightly higher segment that will buy regardless of marketing shenanigans.
Advanced marketing tech can be a real boon. But think first – who do you want to attract? Whose money you want to be taking – and keeping? Think what you’d do if all those prospects would be live in a room with you – who would you appeal to the most, and why?
People reacted to this story.
Show comments Hide commentsi love this article , is exactly tell what happen when you start marketing online. Try copying from people is more experience and creativity more than experience people. dont forget to discuss marketing with your friend even your rival. cause on marketing online you need team to make it
Right you are, sir. 🙂 You can’t market very well in a vacuum, much less while copying others blindly. Thanks for your input!
Thank you for your post, I can see your enthusiasm in them. They help me a lot, really. Thanks again