Avoid Sleazy Marketing Practices
If you have a great offer, but weak marketing, you’re actually doing everyone a disservice. Marketing has become a large part of business, however it’s also seen as a rather sleazy field. A majority of the public feels that marketers sometimes go too far with their campaigns, offering products and services at an unbelievable price only to find out they aren’t as great as what they appear to be. We’ve all been there, you see a 50% off sale and think ‘I need to go immediately!’ then arrive and realize the sale isn’t what you thought it to be.
Any quality product or service deserves quality marketing. Having sleazy marketing will not only damage the products reputation, but drive customers away from returning to your business.
The Consumer is in Charge
In marketing, we’ve adapted ‘buyer beware’ to ‘seller beware’. We must keep in mind that consumers have a lot of choices, and can easily perform extensive research to make smart buying decisions. Competition has never been greater, this is why we must make smart marketing decisions!
Here are three examples of how to avoid sleazy marketing practices:
1. Don’t Use Cheap Tricks
This tip is simple as it sounds. Cheap tricks are things like:
- Having a ticking clock showing that today is the very last day to get your product at an amazingly low price, except it resets every day.
- Popping up “Are you sure you want to leave?” or “Wait, here’s a special discount for you” or similar when a customer tries to close the page.
- Proclaiming that a product is normally $199 and you can get it for just $47, but you’ve never actually sold it at the higher price.
You yourself have come across plenty of cheap tricks, think back to those examples. You saw something that made you feel as if you were being sold too hard on something, or even pushed into buying a product or service. These tricks destroy the trust that businesses build, and make you look like a scummy used car salesman.
2. Use Your Target Audience’s Language
Looking for (BLANK)? Your search is over! I bet you’ve read plenty of headlines or subject lines like that. But that this isn’t anything like the way people talk in real life, is it? No, you wouldn’t go up to someone at a bar and say, “Looking for the most eligible bachelor/bachelorette in the room? Your search is over!” (And if you would, you might want to re-think your pick-up lines). It’s very easy to get caught in the trap of talking like a marketing robot, especially when you’ve seen it done by others.
In order to truly connect with your audience, you need to speak to them in a language that they are comfortable with. Think about how you would want to be spoken to, what pitch works for you and what doesn’t. Keep this in mind and you’ll be making a much more genuine connection with your prospective customers.
3. Be Straightforward, not Crafty
Finally, be as straightforward as possible. In your emails, landing pages, sales copy, whatever format, present your product and what it can do for people. Being straightforward and keeping it simple is much more powerful than trying to be overly clever and crafty. If your product or service is good and you’re targeting the right audience for it, you don’t need a bag of clever tricks or a set of persuasive words to convince them. You simply need to explain, clearly, what you’re offering.
Often, trying to be too clever can backfire: readers may be confused or suspicious. When you’re clear and straightforward, it’s much easier to keep and build trust. Keep in mind this doesn’t mean simply laying out the features of your product, you need to highlight the benefits (what it can do) as well.
We hope you’ve found these tips helpful when planning your next marketing campaign! If you need help with your business’s marketing strategy, contact us at DMA Solutions for affordable marketing help!
