%FIRSTNAME%, I don’t know about you but I kind of brace myself for the onslaught of Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals every year. I know it’s coming and I know my inbox is going to be filled with companies trying to convince me to hand over money for things I don’t really need and only occasionally want.
I even saw my first of the inevitable 2021 recaps this week! (Am I the only one who thinks this tendency to recap a year that isn’t over yet is a little weird?)
So, I’ve been reflecting on the way we jump on trends and do things because it’s expected. It’s what you’re supposed to do, right?
But every part of my being resists this idea. And, frankly, everything I know about marketing strategy says it’s the wrong approach.
After all, if you want to stand out from the crowd, why would you do what everyone else in the crowd is doing?
That’s why this isn’t yet another Black Friday deal. I don’t have one of those to offer you. Perhaps I’m going to miss out on an opportunity to make sales, but here’s the thing:
I’ve been offering an amazing opportunity to get the best price on my Magnificent Marketers Club for over a month now and that price isn’t going away for a while. The deal is already out there for anyone to take me up on it. I don’t need a manufactured day to give my clients amazing value.
This is one of the sides of marketing I don’t like. Black Friday/Cyber Monday and the anticipation of deals is a way to manipulate consumers into buying. The deals are manufactured. The day is designed to be a marketing tactic that companies spend months planning to use to boost revenue before the end of the year and so they can report year-over-year growth for the holiday buying season. And small businesses have adopted it to be able to compete. (Totally understandable!)
But I worry about the impact these marketing tactics are having on consumer attitudes and practices, which is why I don’t have a deal for you today that I didn’t have last week or last month.
I won’t lie to you and say I didn’t consider it because I absolutely did. Ultimately, the number of emails I’ve received this week convinced me that I don’t want to join that crowd.
So, enjoy the break from the marketing mayhem this week always brings. And please know that if you’re feeling unsure about Black Friday deals in your business, it’s OKAY not to put one out there. It’s also okay if you did—I hope you accomplish the goal you set!
%FIRSTNAME%, if you’re undecided, here are some alternatives to spending time posting a deal or sending an email to your audience. I propose you use that time to cultivate real connections:
- Reach out with personal notes to a few past clients or undecided prospects you’ve talked to,
- Work on your holiday card list and whittle it down to the number you can write personal notes to,
- Book a couple of coffee chats with people in your network you haven’t spoken to in a while.
Discounts and deals don’t compare to the impact you can make in your business when you’re thoughtful and intentional about the ways you connect with your people.
Karen
PS - Hey! You made it to the end, %FIRSTNAME%. If you hit reply and send me your address, you’ll get a little something from me in the mail. |
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