Scarcity Marketing, B2C Marketing
Scarcity works exceptionally well in B2C marketing.
When we perceive something as rare, we become hyper-focused on that subject. It’s a classic case of low supply, high demand. And it doesn’t just refer to a quantity of products either — scarcity can be leveraged using concepts like time, language and emotions.
To best explain how you can leverage scarcity marketing in your consumer promotions, we’ve created a list of our favorite scarcity ideas for motivating consumer action.
Tiered rewards
Often when we think of using scarcity in brand marketing, our minds go straight to the products being sold, or more specifically, the amount of product you're offering customers ("only X products left!"). But scarcity can also pertain to consumer incentives and the amount of time they’ll be available to customers.
One way to tier rewards includes having them lessen in value the longer it takes your customers to claim them. For example, you could set it up so the first customers to engage with your promotion get the best reward and your other customers receive rewards based on their response times.
Pairing your scarcity marketing with time-sensitive offers can encourage a sense of urgency in your customers and increase conversions for whatever marketing goal you’re looking to achieve.
Expiration notifications
If you want to leverage scarcity using products that are low in supply or promotions that won’t be around for long, expiration notifications are the way to go.
Your customers have a lot on their hands: tons of marketing messages from various brands, a wide range of brands to choose from and an even larger amount of products at their disposal. Having so many choices can be overwhelming and when customers like to keep things simple, they need help from brands like yours to lead them in the right direction.
Expiration notifications can serve as a helpful reminder for customers who need a little more assistance in narrowing down the choices available to them. If they have products in their wishlist that are about to expire or a sale is coming to an end, sending a notification can be the notice your customers need to make their shopping decision easier.
Limited-time offers
When it comes to scarcity, limited-time options are prime for promoting urgency.
Limited-time offers are clear examples of time scarcity, promotions that highlight the deadline of a sale, campaign or any other promotions that will be ending after a certain period of time. Placing a time limit on your campaigns increases not only consumers’ fear of missing out, but also the perceived value of your campaigns.
Implementing scarcity in your marketing campaigns can greatly increase interest in your brand, heighten conversions and help you meet marketing goals. Tactics can range from time-specific strategies to urgency-prompting text.
