Will Using Fear Tactics in Your Marketing Ruin Your Business?

(singing) Q and A Tuesday. Hey, there. It’s Marie, and you are watching Marie TV, business and life advice that works. And today’s question comes from Mara, and she writes, “Hi Marie and company.” That’s you guys.

Hi.

Yay.

Yo.

See? “I love, love, love what you all are doing. I’ve learned so much from reading, watching, listening, and implementing your awesome tips and tricks. Q and A Tuesday is always a little karate chop of inspiration.”

Hi-ya.

Not now. “So, I see a lot of different approaches employed out there when it comes to marketing. I’ve noticed that some of them leave me feeling inspired and others leave me feeling afraid. It’s no secret that instilling fear in customers has been a long-used tactic to get people to buy. But I’m curious, what are the best ways to motivate people to buy without using fear as the basis?” Mara, I am so pumped that you asked this question because marketing strategies are one of my favorite topics to talk about. But there’s three important things that I want to say first. Number one, did you notice the title of this video?

Will using fear tactics ruin your business?

You clicked on it, right? Yeah. We’re smart like that. Second, fear tactics, when used with discretion, really fall under the umbrella of compassion tactics. You see, great marketing strategies come from understanding what drives your customer. Is it fear? Maybe. Or maybe it’s pain or frustration. To be of great service through your business, you must empathize with your customers and communicate that you get where they’re coming from. For example, a graphic designer says, “Hey, I know you feel frustrated that no one’s been able to translate your vision into your website. You spent thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to find the right graphic designer to really make your brand come alive. I understand how you feel, and I want to help. Here’s how.” That’s using your customer’s pain and frustration in a very positive way to get the sale.

The third thing is that fear is not always bad in marketing. I mean, think about it. The only reason that people buy alarm systems is because they’re afraid, right? No one feels inspired to want to be safe. No one says, “Oh, it’s going to be so much fun to feel safe.” They’re already afraid of someone breaking in and taking their shizzle, for rizzle. And remember, marketers can’t instill fear in you. They can make you more aware of fear that you already have, but nobody can make you feel something that you don’t already feel. So, to be clear, using fear in marketing is not always bad, and it’s not always an unethical move.

Now, let’s talk about some marketing strategies that motivate people to buy without using fear as the basis. Marketing strategy number one, create interest and desire. You want to get people excited by helping them envision what their life going to be like after they buy your product or service. And you can do this through words and through pictures. There’s an ad for Hawaiian Air that nails this. It says, “Prepare flip-flops for landing.” Think about that. All you think about is your little toes in the sand. No fear there.

Marketing strategy number two, you want to speak to their fantasy. Think about financial ads, for example. They always show an older couple in their 60’s, looking really fine, and on a yacht. They never show an older couple living on the street and sharing a pair of dentures saying, “Honey, I want to have some corn. Can you give me that denture?” So, here, the fantasy of being old, rich, and comfortable is a much more powerful motivator than the fear of being old, dirt poor, and not being able to eat corn at your leisure.

Marketing strategy number three, social proof. Think about it. People want to know that your stuff works, whether you’re selling a comforter, or a doctor’s office, or you got a restaurant. People want to know that other people just like them have had success with your products or your service. So, you want to beef up your social proof. You want to get customer reviews, testimonials, success stories, case studies, all that jazz.

Marketing strategy number four is exclusivity. You want to get people pumped to get one of the coveted seats at your event, limited additions of your book. Or maybe, it’s a ticket to your concert. This is an example of using the marketing tactic, scarcity, in an honest, ethical way. So, Mara, those are four killer marketing strategies that are not based in fear. Now, for all of you, I’d love to hear your take on this subject. Have you used or seen a marketing tactic that was fear-based, that felt totally ethical and on-point? Or are you just really into using everything that’s positive, affirming, and motivating. Tell me in the comments below.

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It’s Q and A Tuesday. It’s a holy day. No, it’s not. Learn your lines. (beep) the video.

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