I definitely wasn’t dismissing the whole scarcity tactic. In fact, I would strongly suggest you have one if you don’t already.

But you are correct. What I was referring to was the “will be gone by midnight” script and then you come back tomorrow and it now says “will be gone by midnight” on THAT day. In other words the scripts that keep changing the deadline date.

I don’t see that working too well in NON-IM niches any more, never mind IM niches.

Cheers,

John

Do you suggest an alternative to the scarcity tactic?

I’m an internet market and rely quite heavily on this tactic.

Are you talking just the “will be gone by tonight” or the WHOLE scarcity approach?

Thanks.

Now if I could just get my copy up to par :”>

The truth may make you miserable first, but it will set you free.

IMHO
Ward

Today’s marketing is more about honesty and connecting with the readers. They want to know you, hence the explosion in the social networks. They want to see a picture of you, maybe a video of you, etc…..

I do not lie, nor even false advertise. It only takes one time to get caught doing something stupid or making something up and there goes your online world crashing down.

So, yeah, timelines are stupid, Just put the product up there and sell it.

Mike

http://www.copywritersboard.com/member-content/6962-one-big-reason-why-your-scarcity-selling-not-working.html

Best regards,

John

I think sometimes we have an advantage, because we know this stuff, and we’re always watching the marketing process when we purchase something (even subconsciously).

But consumers aren’t fools. They get so many pitches in a day, from all different types of media (with new ones popping up all the time). That’s why I think one of the biggest mistakes I see in salesletters today is not enough proof, not enough believability in their claims and their offers.

Prospects are becoming more and more jaded every day. I think you’ll find that “relationship built on trust” will become even more important than it is now in the coming months and years ahead.

John

I’m also a big believer in reasons why.

And quite frankly, when I do hit an expired offer, and there are people who do pull the plug on their offers (whether I agree with their reasons or not), I just think, oh, well, that’s what I get for being behind in my email. My bad. And I move on.

_____
Shel Horowitz, copywriter and award-winning author of five marketing books - http://www.frugalmarketing.com
Blogging at http://www.principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/ (intersection of ethics, marketing, sustainability, and politics)
and
http://frugalmarketing.com/newsletters (monthly frugal fun, frugal marketing, ethical business, and book marketing newsletters)

Great article. To me, it raises a question of credibility.

For some marketers, it’s just a ploy to try to pry another couple bucks out of a prospect. They heard somewhere that using scarcity selling will help move more product… so they dangle it out with no intention of actually “backing their play”.

In contrast, credible marketers like Fortin mean it. When I get a rare promotional offer from Fortin (and certain other marketers), I know that it’s a firm deadline with no gimmicks.

Personally, I have chosen to follow that route… a limited time offer should be exactly that.

Limited - Time - Offer.

I always get a chuckle out of the emails I get after a promo I’ve run ends. “Damn! Mike actually meant the sale would end at that time.” LOL

I’ve found those same people usually wind up buying from me in the future, even if it’s a completely different product.

To Your Success,

Mike

If you develop a relationship with your list, prospects, whatever, and you have a track record of actually following through with your promises, especially when it comes to takeaway selling, then you’re right. If you say the offer is coming down, you might not need a reason. They may already know you mean business and will take action.

But even Frank attracts new prospects all the time, people who don’t know him as well as his existing customers do. Now you could argue that his marketing funnel is doing all the work for him (and undoubtedly the social proof, which should NEVER be underestimated…OR overestimated, for that matter).

And not everyone has the reputation that Frank does. So he may get a pass in some of these concepts. But when you’re emailing to tens or hundreds of thousands, and you tell them “the deal only lasts until tomorrow”, but you don’t give them a valid reason why, I still think you’re selling yourself short.

You’re putting yourself in the “crowd clutter”. There’s no reason why they should believe you, and why they should act now. They get that message all the time.

We’ve all seen too many marketers promise “a limited number will be sold” and then go back on their word. I just saw a post on the Warrior forum the other day about such a “deal”. I think it’s been since removed, but it had to do with some “black hat” software. I think you know what I mean.

Bottom line…Not everyone is Kern. And Frank has a good following that he’s cultivated very well and actually delivered on his promises.

As you know, people don’t forget that.

But it’s the new folks you might be missing out on. That PPC traffic going down the tubes because they don’t know you fulfill your promises. They don’t know you from a hole in the wall. If you’re spending money acquiring traffic, and you’re using takeaway tactics like what I discussed, you’re pissing your PPC budget away.

That’s what I meant.

But I think we’re saying the same thing. And I’m loving your participation here. We talk all the time on the phone. But I think this is the first time you’ve posted a comment on my blog. Thank you!

John

However, it’s still very effective if you know it’s the truth.

For instance, take Mr. Kern’s scarcity. People will set their alarm clocks because they know when he says only 100 get it, he means it.

Heck, I can’t even remember how many tens of thousands of dollars he returned because he oversold once.

Now that’s some honesty.

Cheers,

J-Mo