In Case Of Shortages…

With everything happening
in the world –
climate change disasters,
COVID,
other sh*t
– we are likely
to temporarily run out
of some of our products
now
or
in the future.

We won’t be able to
supply our products
to our faithful,
hard won
customers.

When that happens,
there will be bitter feelings.
Customers are loyal to us.
They expect us
to be there for them.

These customers will also
have to find replacement products.

The replacement products
could be purchased from the competition.
We could lose these customers
forever.

OR

The replacement products
could be purchased from us.

Maybe, for example,
we don’t have any
of the yellow product
but we have plenty of units
of the red product.
They are exactly the same
except for their color.

Or we don’t have the regular product
but we have the organic product
at roughly the same price.

Suggestion substitutions
on your website.
Perhaps mention them
on packaging.

Supply the replacement products.

Marketing Bursts

With climate change accelerating,
natural disasters will happen
more and more frequently.

Promoting during a natural disaster
is highly risky.
It is more likely
to repel prospects
than attract them.

I’m designing my marketing
for short flexible bursts
of activity.
I’ll promote like hell
during ‘good’ times
and go quiet
during ‘bad’ times.

This means I prefer shorter lead times
with marketing partners.
I book promotion
for the next day,
not the next month.

For promotion with longer lead times,
I ensure I have the ability
to cancel that promotion.

I also try to have platforms
I can control,
platforms I can promote on
during the same day.

Consider marketing bursts
and building flexibility
into your marketing.