subject: When A Little Hassle Works… And When It Doesn't: Internet Marketing Tips [print this page] When A Little Hassle Works And When It Doesn't: Internet Marketing Tips
Hey there! Hope you're doing great.
Inconvenience. We never like that. No one does. Tempers flare in long lines, spiteful words get exchanged, blows get exchanged and bloody noses eventually result. We're so used to getting everything in an instant that the mere thought of delay seems unacceptable.
But a little inconvenience isn't always a bad thing. While this does not hold true in all aspects of your marketing, this becomes effective when you're trying to give the impression that your product is making such a rage, they have to get it now or else lose out on your offer.
An example of this is when you're dangling a totally irresistible proposal for only a certain amount of time- say, 24, 48 or 72 hours. They've got to order in that span of time or else miss out on a huge 75% discount plus two free stuff (that you normally sell for a certain price) if bought on its own. It can be such a bother to decide in that amount of time, but people won't be able to get over the fact that they let such a great opportunity pass them by. So even if they don't have plans of buying anything from you yet, that limited time span, no matter how inconvenient for them, will do the trick of letting them buy.
Now, here's one important thing: You have to actually remove the offer after that specified period of time. You can always repost it when you start seeing more inquiries about it but when previous customers see the same 24-hour offer is still there a week after, they're simply going to dismiss it as a joke and won't take it seriously.
Another way to use inconvenience is when you're asking people to email or call you for product inquiries or orders. Instead of saying "we'll promptly get back to you," you can give the impression that you're swamped with orders by rearranging certain words: "If you don't hear from us in 2 days, please email us again." This might sound a bit counterintuitive, considering that people don't like to wait. But if you think about it, you're not only giving them the impression that you take time to answer every email, you're showing them that interest and demand for your product is at an all-time high.
However, if there is any place in your biz that you must never, never compromise on convenience, it's the area of timely delivery. If your website says that customers will get the ebook as soon as payment is made, you've got to be a helluva lot certain that your system will deliver. If it's an actual physical product and your website says that the order will arrive in 3 days, you've got to be sure it will be there on the third day or even a day before. That's one area where even a minor inconvenience can potentially damage your reputation.
A little hassle works in your favor when done right. But it can also work against your biz if it isn't. You've got to know when to do it.
