By Joanna Martin
If your amazing presentation and no-brainer offer doesn’t see a crowd rushing to buy from you… what other ways can you invite your audience to take immediate action when you are selling from stage?
The answer is to use scarcity… the art of inviting quick action by offering additional bonuses or special discounts to a selective number of the fast action takers in the room.
So how can you make scarcity work for you?
Choose your numbers:
If you’ve ever been to one of my events, you’ll know that we often offer an extra bonus to the first 8 people to order. You can choose any number of people to benefit from your fast action goodies… perhaps the first 5 or 6 people?
The quantity doesn’t matter but you do need to stick to it… don’t claim that only the first 5 people will receive the bonuses and then go on to give them to everybody. For scarcity to be credible, the audience must know that you are committed to your restrictions.
Next, decide where you want your fast action takers to go to qualify. Consider using one of these options…
OPTION #1: First [insert number of people] to the back of the room:
I recommend you have a crew member hand a numbered card to each person as they reach the back of the room so you know who has qualified for the offer.
This option rewards the people who jump up quickly and can run to the back… but the downside is that those who can run the fastest may have questions and not yet be ready to buy.
OPTION #2: First [insert number of people] to hand in a completed order form
Appointing one of your crew to collect the order forms and number them off as they are handed in is the best way to track which are eligible. It would be wise to add a caveat to this option that only the first correctly completed order forms will qualify.
Then if one of the forms has information missing which will mean the order cannot be processed, you can disregard it and move along to the next correctly completed form.
OPTION #3: First [insert number of people] of processed orders:
As with the previous option, have one crew member collecting and numbering off each form as it is handed in. But this time, you only count the first orders that are processed and for which payment is authorised.
That way, if one customer’s payment fails, their order is disqualified and you move on to the next order form in the sequence.
OPTION #4: First [insert number of people] to fill a row of chairs specially located for that purpose:
From stage you can announce that the first people to fill the row of chairs will win the bonuses… to build up the momentum you could even wait until the chairs are filled before revealing what their reward is for being the fast action takers.
Remember, there is no right or wrong way of making scarcity work for you. What you MUST do is be very clear… both to your crew and your audience about who qualifies and what bonuses are being offered.
I’ve seen a few speakers who use scarcity to encourage people to take fast action but then back down and allow everyone to claim the bonuses. Yes, this might bring you a result once, but the trust your audience has placed in you will be shot… it’s not worth the risk to your credibility.
Are you using scarcity when selling from stage? Which option works best for you and why? Are you doing something different to invite fast action from your audience? Please share by leaving a comment below.
Nice work Joanna I love it. Although I have yet to run a workshop or seminar I am taking this opportunity to write this because I am the first person to land this page and read it. And being the first to land here, to read this, to take action; it can only be true that I am the first to comment here. My only failure here is that I don’t have a website or blog but I am working on that, and in the end, my failures are but seeds of opportunity . . . at least I believe so. Will visit again. Lots of love and hugs, Keeyong.
Scarcity works well if the audience can perceive value over the bonuses that you’re offering. That’s why I think Joanna’s tactic of giving out bonuses to fast action takers through out the day of the presentation is so effective. The audience get to identify how much particular bonuses are worth, so that when the time comes to make the offer, they feel they’re getting a great deal. Nice post Jo. Sam
I have heard of incorporating scarcity in your offers including fast-action bonuses, limited numbers etc, and I can see how then offering the bonuses to everyone could negatively impact your reputation.
Love your suggestions, particularly with one of your team members handing out the cards. A great way to manage the rush of people to your table.
Personally, I have used scarcity when delivering a webinar/teleseminar where I will offer a fast-action bonus within a specific time frame. Once that time frame has passed, the reduction bonus disappears. Has worked well for me.
Thanks for another great article Joanna!
I had the opportunity to work with Dr Robert Cialdini (where the scarcity studies come from) many years ago on a training I was assisting on with Paul McKenna and Michael breen.
He talked on stage about something that had bothered him and as he was leaving the stage I said to him it seems as though that still bothers you and I could get rid of that feeling for you in 5 minutes which he allowed me to do.
It was only on the train home back to Birmingham I phoned my partner and shared I’ve just sorted out an issue for the most quoted living social psychologist in the world.
Jo said at the event over the weekend if you have an opportunity to name drop a connection with a celebrity do it!! So there I’ve done it.
Also if you visit my website you will be able to read what Paul McKenna says about me…
I won’t leave that up for long…
(only joking)
Really enjoyed the weekend by the way
Debbie
Loving your name dropping Debbie! I hope you got an amazing video testimonial from Dr Robert Cialdini and have it promoted everywhere?
Thanks Annemarie, you’re so welcome and keep doing what you’re doing! You rock!
Thanks Sam!
Nice work Keeyong! Well done!