Here’s a dirty little secret of marketing: When you get a “limited-time offer,” it’s generally because sales are slow, and not because quantities are actually running out, or in short supply.
Marketing is all about creating urgency. In most cases, though, that urgency is manufactured. Or it’s totally imaginary.
Sometimes, however, opportunities pop up that have a legitimately limited shelf-life, or are truly rare. So you either have to act now or miss out.
This week, I got an email from a photography tour company that I’d used before, alerting me to a rare snowfall in Zion National Park. The email featured a few amazing pictures of Zion under snow and the following text:
“Alright everyone, this is the week to be in Zion and Bryce if you’ve ever wanted photos of this area under snow. The combo of red rock and fresh snow produces vibrant, poppy images of this landscape. Living in the area for the past 9 years, this is the wettest and coldest stretch of time I’ve experienced in the winter time. We usually get one or two winter storms a year that produces snow that sticks in Zion, and within one, maybe two days it has melted away.”
The email continued, telling customers that even if they didn’t purchase a tour, they should make the effort to get to the park to see it for themselves.
“Even if you don’t join us for a tour, we HIGHLY recommend visiting this week for a multitude of days to be able to experience this event. To be clear, to have this much snow, for this long in Zion is extremely rare. Get it while it’s good.”
On the surface, the email was selling a photo class, but it was really selling an experience. And quite frankly, this email sold me instantly. As a photography enthusiast, I’ve been to Zion before, but hadn’t had the opportunity to shoot in these types of conditions. With winter winding down, it was too good to pass up. I had to go. My next chance to capture this type of moment may not come for another year, or perhaps much longer.
So I made the short drive to Zion Thursday night and woke up at 5 AM for a 6 AM excision into the park to capture sunrise and morning light around the park on a guided one-on-one photo tour. It was extremely cold, which I was prepared for, but the beauty of Zion under snow was something for which I was not completely prepared.
It was breathtaking.
The tour itself was outstanding, as my guide Seth took me to a great spot to capture the morning light of sunrise, and had planned out several options for both the morning and sunset sessions.
The day was a memorable, unique experience, and I’m very happy with the results of the photos I captured. The day was well worth the price of admission. I’ve now got a batch of amazing photos that captured the memory of seeing one of America’s best national parks under a blanket of snow.
I really appreciated spirit of the email alert. It provided valuable information, alerting me to a truly exclusive opportunity, and they didn’t hard-sell me. Instead, they appealed to my passion for photography and the desire to capture a rare moment, and provided a service even if I didn’t make a purchase. Seth just wanted his customers to know that they shouldn’t miss a rare opportunity to capture Zion this week. I really appreciated that.
That’s how you build and maintain a relationship with a customer. I’m already thinking about when I can sign up for another photography class.