Campaigning Why FOMO Marketing Only Works with Inclusivity Mila Gizli Campaigning 11 mins read Nov 10, 2022 Table of Contents #1: Diversity & inclusion in representation of target audience #2: Don’t forget to lay the foundation of your marketing strategy. #3: Merge the fine line between brand ethics & profitability The importance of a good marketing strategy Share This Article Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email You want to be ahead of the game, setting your mark on every opportunity that presents itself to you in the marketing world. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a coined term, present in everything surrounding you. With 4-10k ads exposed to us daily, there’s no escaping the FOMO. It’s safe to say you should adapt it to your digital marketing strategies and campaigns. Just by a single web search, you can see that there isn’t enough thought to the FOMO aftermath, whether it adds or blends into the modern craze of everyday life–we need more inclusivity involved. There’s a way to seamlessly blend the anticipation of being a part of something with a more ethical approach. You want your business to be diverse, without the burden of limitation. Customers should feel at ease to come back to your services, whenever they’re ready, with the means to do so. Keep on reading for more on why it’s vital to include inclusivity for a more ethical approach to FOMO. #1: Diversity & inclusion in representation of target audience Based on GMS Worldwide’s Do’s & Don’ts. We all know that FOMO marketing can surface negative feelings, like sadness, frustration, or envy. Diversity and inclusivity allows for the “conscious” aspect of your marketing strategies. There’s always room to add perspective, and your ethical standpoint can still coexist with your business goals. Haven’t you ever felt down if you missed a product launch by a split second? Or walked past those block-long line-ups in front of the electronic store, discouraging you from camping out the night before, to score the most recent game console? Let’s face it, the long-term effect of traditional FOMO marketing doesn’t result in happy consumers. And if you care about your clients’ loyalty and customer satisfaction, it should be at the top of your priority list for your business marketing strategy. So, how do we combat this? We soften the blow, by not stressing about the launch and instead, focusing on the core message. That way, our clients are happy to stick around. An example alternative to typical FOMO practices, but done right Essie made Jonathan Van Ness, non-binary hairstylist and entrepreneur, their first-ever non-female ambassador for their brand. Who’s better than JVN to convince you to get an Essie manicure? The key here is empathy. Essie shows that they empathize with the audience that was previously unrepresented, and is now giving them a chance to feel like they’re a part of their community. FOMO instills a feeling of uneasiness if you don’t make the move. But with social progression evolving rapidly, we have the opportunity to add more consideration towards the consumer on a human level. JVN does exactly that, without directly telling you to—instead, they’re displaying company culture, and welcoming fans to take part in the change. Here are some unethical practices to avoid: Deceit or a false sense of urgency → Pretty self-explanatory, there’s no reason for your brand to be seen as the boy who cried wolf. Provocative or otherwise coercive language → You don’t want your brand to bully your innocent users into a single purchase, you want them to feel welcome to return with open arms when they choose to make one. Fake credibility → Made-up testimonials, reviews, case studies, or 5-star ratings are obviously fake, and they just give your business a bad rep. Avoid them entirely, and focus on collecting real ones as a way to connect with your buyers and maintain positive relationships with them. Ineffective or barely-there changes in sales & pricing → If you’ve only got a 5% off sale, or your prices are listed down by a few dollars, it’s not worth advertising it as a massive discount to your audience. Pro tip: Instead, use the transparent approach and indicate the price listing as is, but that the buyer can profit from points, or a cumulative discount. All of the different FOMO lines above drive customers away. These are only a few examples of marketing copy that display unethical marketing practice, enhancing the negative can only enhance the negative impact it can have on your audience and overall business. © BrandledBusiness #2: Don’t forget to lay the foundation of your marketing strategy. A prime example: The “SELLING FAST” section on ASOS’s website ASOS aren’t directly telling you to buy the items before someone else does. They’re implying it, then leaving the rest up to the user to decide. The concept is functional, the execution is simple, and your result leaves your audience feeling autonomous, with that slight sense of urgency that FOMO is so notorious for. This tactic doesn’t leave users disgruntled, feeling manipulated into purchasing anything, if the product doesn’t meet their expectations—or if ASOS misled them into believing an item wasn’t actually exclusive. Taking their feelings into consideration makes their website a more usable, friendly, and welcoming space. Thus, this online shop can maintain a happy audience. The key factors? Not making their users feel guilty for purchasing, or even skipping out on the current deals. An abundance mindset makes your brand appear plentiful, like there’s always something great to look forward to. Scarcity tactics just lead to anxious-ridden thoughts and possibly overthinking a purchase too much, to the point of potential buyers being scared off entirely. To your audience, the glass should always appear half full. CleverTap uses a clever graphic to showcase the visual correlation between basic needs and proper marketing to get your user to (tastefully) experience FOMO. You listen to the audience, resonate with their needs, and show them you’ve got the practical, easy, and smart solution to their problem. More details on ethical FOMO practices to use: Positive use of language & tone → Who would’ve guessed it? Positive reinforcement keeps users happy. Chances are, the more freedom they have, the more they’ll want to use that choice to purchase your product or service. Diversity & inclusion → This one’s a given, but seriously–take it into account, even in the small details. It’ll make your brand stand out from the rest, demonstrating company culture as universally likable. Open communication & welcoming feedback → Brand transparency gives you room to grow, and helps your clients understand you on a human-level. Be open to constructive criticism, analyze the negative feedback, restrategize your marketing tactics every so often, and actively study the currents related to your brand services. #3: Merge the fine line between brand ethics & profitability Finding the sweet spot, so that FOMO sticks SeedProd, a ThemeBuilder website, has a display that shows when a buyer purchases their product on their homepage. The user icons show a real face behind the name, which gives users a sense of urgency from their product’s legitimacy. Meanwhile, the company enhances their plugin’s usability, quality, and efficiency through business transparency in live time. There are clear benefits to FOMO marketing. No matter the incentive, it works. What we want to do, though, is accentuate the positive effects and amplify them, starting with what your products or services have to offer. If your product’s marketing speaks to your audience, it should also showcase the benefits it has for consumers. If users get FOMO from an Instagram post, for instance, then that means your brand message speaks as valuable to them. Showcase those assets with credibilities, such as reviews, case studies, or client stories that happily share their experiences. This makes FOMO marketing feel more like “smart browsing” rather than tone-deaf. You want to highlight that users are clever, autonomous buyers that know how to shop online through your digital marketing. That way, they’ll be happy to come back when they’re ready, keeping your customers near your next big FOMO move. You’ll create a balanced relationship between the yearning and the quality, with a better strategy that highlights your business integrity. Brownie points if… Your brand’s content holds consistency throughout social channels. Post often, you’re more reliable that way. Your customer service team efficiently and effectively gets back to clients’ messages, questions, and requests in a quick and timely manner. Having a good customer rep makes the biggest difference. If your social channels need a little standout moment, consider sharing or reposting live events, showcasing open communication with users, such as comment interaction history. It informs and connects you with your target audience. Throw giveaways, with no strings attached. It’s the perfect way to spread brand awareness and let your clients see just how great your product is, first-hand for themselves or FOMO’d from a lucky winner online. Display your limited-time products with benefits. Your products are meant to sell out for a reason, show that to your audience. They’ll likely want to experience the hype for themselves. Pro tip: Look into the FOMO Statistics on Millennial Behaviour for more numbers and stats. The importance of a good marketing strategy You don’t need to make your customers feel like crap to get your point across. Your services should embody a sense of reward, the same way a child anticipates receiving their birthday gift. Start with changing the narrative, and then you can navigate your marketing strategies with better intentions. Ethics and marketing coexist with shared values, a collaborative team, and a vision that fits somewhere in-between. Whether it be a revision, or a new concept, it’s not too late to practice conscious marketing for the future of your company. Share This Article Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
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