Deadlines: We use them for ourselves and our teams to ensure we take action. You can use customer deadlines to have the same effect.
Think about some of your bigger purchases. You may have said, “Hmm, I need some time to think about this.” And then a month goes by and you still haven’t taken the time to think about it—or to make the purchase.
A similar situation is likely playing out day after day with your offer. (And, as you know, live launching, while it may have a deadline is way too risky. Read more about why >>)
But here’s the thing: You can combat that I-just-need-more-time-to-think-about-it answer. Giving your customers deadlines is just one way to do it. Here’s why.
1. Customer Deadlines Spur Action
People aren’t compelled to buy when they can just get something “whenever.” They are spurred to action when they have a deadline—there’s a very clear strategic reason why sales and promotions have end-dates.
People don’t bother to make a decision until they have to—and, by the way, that’s a good thing. People who need to take action—even to make an important decision in their lives—will still wait indefinitely if they have all the time in the world. By giving them a deadline, we’re doing them a favor by making them make a decision.
This urgency tends to increase conversions—whatever the action may be.
2. Deadlines Slash Wasted Time
Have you ever waited to make a purchase and then, once you did finally make the purchase, realize your life was so much better/easier with the purchase?
Likely, that’s what your product or offer can do for your customers. But they won’t know that—truly know that—until they make a purchase. So, they’re wasting time each week, day, or minute they’re not purchasing.
By giving your customers a deadline, you’re cutting out that wasted time so they can more quickly solve a challenge, resolve a problem, or streamline their life (or all three).
3. Deadlines Make Customers Prioritize Themselves—and Your Offer
All too often insignificant decisions get in the way of the far more important ones. Decision fatigue is all too real. How many of these decisions did you make already today (consciously or unconsciously):
- What to wear today
- What to eat for breakfast
- Make coffee or buy it at the coffeeshop
- Which emails to answer first
- Whether to click on the link to this blog post
According to the American Medical Association, by the time you go to bed tonight, you’ll have made, on average, 35,000 decisions.
If making a decision on whether to purchase your offer isn’t absolutely necessary to get through the day (and, if it’s evergreen, it isn’t), then people are going to push that choice.
By providing a deadline, you’re helping your customers make your offer or product a priority. And, by extension, making your offer a priority means they’re making themselves a priority. Customer deadlines put making a decision on your offer at the top of their list, below tasks like mindlessly scrolling social media.
Of course, if a customer doesn’t take action before the deadline, is that it? No, of course not! But you certainly have to stick to your word. For example, if you say “this is the last chance to purchase at this price” it had better be the last time they see that price! Fake deadlines can do serious damage to your brand.
That’s something we go into deeper in the Circuit Sales System. Learn all about how you can build your own Circuit right here >>
Watch More
Urgency is always going to improve your sales. And in this episode of the Energize Your Online Business podcast, you can find out about all the different ways you can create an authentic reason for customers to purchase right now!
Your Turn!
Have you used customer deadlines? Where did you use them and what were the results? Share in the comments below!