Harnessing the Fear of Missing Out During Small Business Season
December 4, 2023
Years ago, when Black Friday was one day and not six weeks long, I suffered from fear of missing out (FOMO) when it came to bargains. I felt (which was indeed the marketer’s goal) that I had to buy at that moment or risk being charged more later. Rarely was I ready to purchase but I did so because I didn’t want to miss the deal. FOMO is a powerful sales motivator, and the holiday season is one of the best times to leverage that tactic for extraordinary revenue. Here are some tips on how you can do just that.
How to Get More Sales Through Fear of Missing Out
Try these five effective tactics to drive more sales:
1. Limited-Time Offers:
Create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time discounts or exclusive deals. Ideas include:
- Flash sales: Offer deep discounts for a short period of time, like 24 hours or until supplies last. Post them on social media or share them to just your email list. Make sure people know only your special subscribers or those who sign up for texts or follow you will know of these incredible savings opportunities.
- Early bird specials: Reward customers who purchase early (or on a specific day) with a discount or bonus gift.
- Pre-order promotions: Offer exclusive benefits to customers who pre-order your holiday products or give them the opportunity for exclusive first looks.
2. Limited Inventory:
Anyone who remembers the 1983 Cabbage Patch craze will remember these shenanigans and how a limited inventory can inflate prices and drive interest. (They were not cute dolls, but every girl born in the 70s was convinced she needed one.) Highlight the limited availability of your products to create a sense of scarcity. Consider these tactics:
- Product countdowns: Display the number of items remaining in stock on your website and social media. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
- Limited edition products: Create special edition products or bundles that are only available for a limited time.
- Sold-out notifications: Let customers know when a product is sold out and encourage them to sign up for a back-in-stock notification.
3. Social Proof:
Nothing powers social media channels quite like seeing other people in your stream enjoying what you want. It’s likely half the people who went to Europe this summer and fall did so only after seeing on Instagram and Facebook how many of their friends and family were enjoying that continent.
“Listen” on the internet for mentions of you and your products/services and show potential customers that others are already enjoying your products and deals. “Everybody is doing it” is not only a reason to do something in high school but also a solid marketing strategy. Never has it been easier to convince others of this.
- Customer testimonials: Share positive feedback from satisfied customers on your website and social media.
- Social media buzz: Encourage customers to share their photos and experiences with your products using a branded hashtag.
- Live sales notifications: Show real-time updates of how many people are purchasing your products. This is also a solid way to entice people to buy online. Go to Goldbelly.com to see it in action.
4. Countdown Timers:
Add a sense of urgency and excitement (aka “Get it in your cart NOW!) by displaying countdown timers on your website and social media. These timers can count down to:
- The end of a sale
- The launch of a new product
- The deadline for free shipping (that’s the question that will be on everyone’s minds in a few days)
5. Exclusive Email Offers:
Build anticipation and encourage repeat purchases by offering exclusive deals and sneak peeks to your email subscribers. They’ll love:
- Early access to sales: Give your email subscribers a chance to shop your holiday deals before anyone else.
- Free gifts or discounts: Offer a gift or bonus item with purchase to incentivize email sign-ups.
- Behind-the-scenes content: Share exclusive content, like holiday gift guides or product sneak peeks, or unboxings with your email list.
Remember, when using FOMO marketing, it's important to be genuine and transparent. Don't create false scarcity or pressure customers into buying something they don't need. You want to drive sales but not at the risk of the customer relationship. Instead, focus on creating a positive and exciting experience that encourages them to engage with your brand and become loyal customers.
Wait. Don’t go yet. I don’t want you to miss these important final tips! (See what I did there?)
Here are three bonus tips for using FOMO marketing during the holidays:
- Use strong visuals and language to create a sense of excitement. Use a friendly, casual tone like you’re talking to your good friend.
- Promote your FOMO campaigns across multiple channels, including your website, social media, and email marketing. Think of it as a total strategy, not a quick post.
- Track your results and adjust your tactics as needed.
By leveraging FOMO effectively, you can drive more traffic, boost sales, and make this holiday season your most successful yet while building excitement among your audience.
This article published by the Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce with permission from Frank Kenney Chamber Pros Community.
Simple Formats That Keep Your Customers Reading (and Buying)
If your chamber membership is gathering dust because you don't enjoy networking events, you're missing out on significant value hiding in plain sight. While mixers and ribbon cuttings get the spotlight, your membership includes strategic resources that can solve real business problems, even for those of us who hate “working a room.” Your Chamber as Problem-Solving Partner Before hiring expensive consultants or spending hours researching solutions or attending City Council meetings with time you don’t have, tap into your chamber's institutional knowledge. Most chambers field dozens of questions weekly from businesses facing similar challenges. Need a reliable commercial insurance broker? Wondering about local permit requirements? Looking for employee benefits providers? Your chamber staff has likely connected ten other businesses with exactly what you need in the past month alone. A simple phone call can save you days of research and connect you with pre-vetted resources. Leverage Collective Buying Power Your chamber membership often includes access to group rates on essential services. Health insurance, payment processing, shipping discounts, office supplies, and advertising opportunities frequently come with member pricing that can save thousands annually. Many business owners never explore these benefits because they assume switching providers is complicated. Start with one area—perhaps credit card processing fees or shipping costs—and request a comparison quote through your chamber's endorsed programs. The savings often pay for your membership several times over. - Medical Plan available to Chamber Members through Aetna Strategic Visibility Without the Small Talk Hate networking events but still need visibility? Most chambers offer alternative exposure opportunities: member spotlights in newsletters, social media features, directory listings with SEO benefits, an article in their destination guide, and quote opportunities for press releases. Volunteer for a committee that meets during business hours rather than evening mixers. You'll build deeper relationships with fewer people while contributing your expertise. Economic development, public policy, events, or education committees often need people and meet in formats more comfortable than cocktail parties. - Your membership comes with an online listing that has a customizable landing page, complete with ability to rate and review. However, if your current membership level does not include this, feel free to contact us to discuss an upgrade: Office@llchamber.com - Interested in volunteering? Let us know: Office@llchamber.com . We’re always looking for people willing to lend a hand! - We’d love to hear your praise for the Chamber—send us a short quote!. Interested? You know the email: Office@llchamber.com . - Join our 2026 Leadership class and spend time with a select group of up and coming community leaders. Currently accepting applications through December 1. Make Your Voice Count Chambers actively advocate on behalf of businesses with local and state government. Your membership gives you a direct channel to influence policies affecting your bottom line from zoning regulations to tax policies. Most chambers solicit member input on advocacy priorities but rarely hear from the majority of their membership. When your chamber sends advocacy surveys or requests feedback, take ten minutes to respond. Your specific challenges and stories give chamber leaders concrete examples when they're meeting with elected officials. -Check out our Government Affairs Committee or join them, second Thursdays monthly, 9-10AM, at the Chamber. Playlists of past events also available on YouTube ! - Check out our Military Affairs Council- they meet monthly, first Tuesdays at noon, at the conference room in Fairfield Inn & Suites. They also have quarterly MAC socials. Sign up for our December 10 th social (free!) or contact us to discuss hosting one: Office@llchamber.com. Your chamber membership is a toolkit, not a ticket to parties. Identify two or three benefits aligned with your current business needs and commit to using them this quarter. The return on investment is there. You just need to claim it. - We are also collecting survey answers to better serve our community- please let us know! It’s short (we promise!) and will enter you for a chance to win a “LeavenworthIt” Swag bag. Read More: - 10 Ways to Get the Most from your Chamber Membership - How to Build Business Connections (Even if You Hate Networking) - Local Business Partnerships Strengthen Communities and Drive Growth - Your Chamber Listing Matters More Than Ever! ----------------- Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and is currently reading three books at once. _______________________________________ Medium: @christinametcalf Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor LinkedIn: @christinagsmith
Everyone is telling you that you should be doing something with AI for your business. Every newsletter, podcast, and conference talk seems to assume you're already knee-deep in implementation. Meanwhile, you're stuck at square one (or just using it to write an email here or there), overwhelmed by options and uncertain where to begin. Welcome to AI paralysis—the small business challenge nobody's talking about. When we talk about AI paralysis, we’re not addressing the technophobe or those business owners who are resistant to change. It's understandable that they have their hesitation. But you’re different. You’re not against AI. You already use it a little but you’re not sure how to implement it in your business for maximum efficiencies. You’re just being a practical business owner and you don’t want to make an expensive mistake. But you're watching competitors post about their "AI transformation" and wondering if ChatGPT is even relevant to your industry. The fear of choosing wrong often feels worse than choosing nothing at all. Why Businesses Are Afraid of AI The paralysis typically stems from three sources. First, the options are genuinely overwhelming. Do you need a custom solution or an off-the-shelf tool? Should you be thinking about customer service bots, marketing automation, or operational efficiency? Second, the terminology is deliberately confusing. Companies slap "AI-powered" on everything, making it impossible to separate genuine innovation from rebranded software. Third, there's no clear ROI calculator for your specific situation. What works for a tech startup might be useless for a dental practice. You don't need an AI strategy with all the bells and whistles. You need to solve specific problems, and AI might be one tool in your arsenal. How to Use AI for Your Business Start by ignoring the hype entirely. Don’t just jump on the latest rollout. Instead, write down your three biggest operational headaches. Get clear on the tasks that waste time, create bottlenecks, or drive you crazy. Maybe it's answering the same customer questions repeatedly, writing product descriptions, or scheduling appointments. Don't think about AI yet. Just identify the pain. Now, for each problem, spend thirty minutes exploring if an AI tool exists that addresses it. Not researching broadly—specifically searching for solutions to that exact problem. You'll quickly discover that for many small business needs, purpose-built AI tools already exist and cost less than hiring additional help. The key is starting microscopically small. Don't implement an enterprise solution. Try one free or low-cost tool for one specific task. Use ChatGPT to draft email responses for a week. Test an AI scheduling assistant for a month. Let an AI transcription service handle your meeting notes. These tiny experiments cost almost nothing and teach you what AI can do. For most small businesses, AI's real value isn't in dramatic transformation. It's in recovering small pockets of time that accumulate into meaningful savings. Fifteen minutes saved on daily email drafts. Twenty minutes saved on social media planning. An hour saved on meeting summaries. It’s unlikely you’ll fall behind your competition because you haven’t built custom AI solutions. The businesses that will struggle in the future are those that haven’t experimented with anything at all. AI paralysis ends the moment you treat it like any other business tool: try something small, measure if it works, keep it or dump it, then move on to the next experiment. If you’re not sure where to start, check with your chamber of commerce. It’s likely they have resources, programming, or connections that can help you figure out how to use AI tools for greater efficiency. Further Reading: 5 Genius Ways AI Can Stretch Your Existing Content AI For Small Businesses: Practical Steps to Boost Efficiency and Customer Engagement AI Isn't Replacing SEO- It's Redefining It How to Win at Content With AI ----------------- Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She is the author of The Glinda Principle , rediscovering the magic within. _______________________________________ Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor LinkedIn: @christinagsmith
